It is well known that babies are born with a natural taste preference for sweetness, which is thought to increase acceptance of their mother’s milk. Still, as we move on in years, it’s not so sweet to consume too much added sugar. With intake well exceeding recommended limits in the US, low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) offer a promising alternative, allowing consumers to satisfy their innate preference for sweetness without contributing to the rising risk of obesity and metabolic diseases.

Enter complication and controversy. The mere mention of LNCS has long been rife for polarization with some touting their safety and effectiveness and others claiming the opposite. This dichotomy is perfectly represented in our IFIC Spotlight Survey: American Perceptions of Sweeteners in Foods & Beverages. Let’s look at the latest findings.

Fearmongering Fallout

It’s official – the message about added sugar overconsumption has gotten through. The annual IFIC Food & Health Survey consistently shows that consumers widely associate “low in sugar” with food and beverages that are healthier. Further, in the 2024 Survey more than three in four Americans (76%) reported trying to limit or avoid sugars. This was an increase from 2023 (72%).

Still, I won’t sugarcoat it – sugar substitute safety is poorly understood. Despite the clear benefits of LNCS, misinformation and polarized opinions continue to cloud public perception, making it difficult for consumers to understand their true safety and value. In fact, nearly two in 10 Americans are not sure who has approval authority over the use of LNCS in the US, and one in 10 believe there is no US authority responsible.

This tracks. In the IFIC Spotlight Survey, 42% of Americans reported their perceived safety of LNCS is informed by their own “research” – which is chilling given there’s more than a spoonful of misinformation to be easily uncovered on the Internet.

A Sweetener Split Screen

Consumers

The highest percentage of consumers (36%) have kept LNCS consumption behaviors constant in the past year. And while 30% said they had not consumed them at all over this timeframe, a similar percentage said they started consuming them or increased consumption (16%) as those who said they stopped consuming them or decreased consumption (17%). This is an illustrative snapshot of the diverging nature of LNCS.

Not surprisingly, the prevailing reason for increasing or starting to consume LNCS was weight loss (29%). Conversely, 31% reported they decreased or stopped consuming them because they heard they were unsafe.

Health professionals

Healthcare providers are the top source that people would recommend to friends and family to learn more about LNCS. Yet, the messaging that consumers receive from them is very much mixed with 19% of those saying they started consuming or increased their consumption of LNCS because their doctor recommended them compared to 14% of those who stopped consuming or decreased consumption because their doctor discouraged their use.

The Holy Grail: Building Healthy Dietary Patterns

Helping consumers not focus on the food and nutrition issue du jour, but rather follow healthy dietary patterns overall (the focus of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans) – is tough. Consumer eating behaviors are well-ingrained and influenced by a complex set of diverse and personal factors. As dietary guidance has evolved over the past decades with recommendations shifting from nutrient-based to food-based to pattern-based, nutrition and public health professionals have not been able to help consumers meaningfully increase the healthfulness of their dietary patterns overall as measured by the Healthy Eating Index.

However, this Spotlight Survey offers a glimmer of hope captured in those who have changed their LNCS consumption behaviors in the past year. Among those who said they reduced or stopped consuming LNCS in the past year, 36% said it’s because they have changed their eating habits. For those who increased or started, 25% said it’s because of an eating habit change.

Keeping It Short & Sweet

LNCS have a beneficial role to play if Americans are properly educated about their safety and applications – not only for those with diabetes (big shout out to National Diabetes Month) but also for the many consumers trying to decrease and/or limit consumption of added sugars. Health professionals are pivotal in guiding patients and the public towards safe and effective use of LNCS. Despite mixed messages, healthcare providers are seen as a trusted source of information on sweeteners. By promoting consistent, evidence-based guidance, professionals can help clear up misconceptions as well as support healthy dietary choices and patterns.

The majority of consumers see the value proposition of LNCS, with more than half of Americans (56%) agreeing that consuming low- and no-calorie sweeteners can benefit the health of some people. Health professionals can be instrumental in helping patients incorporate LNCS into balanced diets by emphasizing their role in reducing added sugar intake. Practical guidance and tips can empower patients to make informed choices.

As health professionals committed to science-based communication, we have the opportunity to guide consumers toward a healthier relationship with sweeteners. By leveraging trusted resources and providing clear, evidence-based messaging, we can ensure that LNCS are safely and effectively integrated into diets, helping to reduce the burden of added sugars on public health.

IFIC is your one-stop-shop for food, nutrition, and ingredient communication strategies driven by science and consumer research – please visit our Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners Hub and Science Communication Content Hub today!