Reducing sugar in food does not reduce sugar cravings.

Reducing or increasing the consumption of sugary foods does not change the preference for sweet flavors. A trial showed that sugar alone does not affect sugar cravings. This is evidenced by the data of a study published on the Medical Xpress portal, the results of which were reviewed by Izvestia on August 14.

As specified, during a six-month randomized trial conducted by scientists, participants who followed diets with different sugary foods showed no changes in their preferences for sweet taste.

"We also found that diets with less or more sweets were not associated with changes in energy intake or weight changes. Although many people believe that sugary foods contribute to higher energy intake, our study showed that sweetness alone is not the cause of excessive calorie intake," said lead researcher Emerit de Graaf, PhD, professor of sensory sciences and nutritional behavior at Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

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For the study, three groups of 60 participants were selected, 180 people in total, who were offered diets with high, low or mixed sugary foods. The products were pre-selected and served to the participants every two weeks for six months. The participants could eat as many foods as they wanted.

The researchers found that reducing the consumption of sugary foods did not lead to changes in the perception of sweetness or preference for sweet flavors. Also, the group that consumed more sugary foods did not show an increase in preferences for sweet flavors. Moreover, there were no changes in body weight or markers for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. After the end of the study, the participants returned to their initial consumption of sugary foods.

"This is one of the first studies that measures and regulates sweetness throughout the diet within the limits of what people actually consume. This is important because some people avoid sugary foods, believing that regular consumption will increase their preference for sweets, but our results show that this is not the case," de Graaf concluded.

On June 10, doctors at the Scientific Research Clinical Institute of Childhood advised against feeding ice cream to children under the age of two. Ice cream contains a lot of sugar and fat, sugar can disrupt the balance of intestinal microflora, increase the risk of diabetes and tooth decay, lead to nervous excitability and mood swings.

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