Food sweeteners: Angels or clowns for human health?

作者：Qiao-Yun Hong, Huang Yan, Jie Yang, Licong Su, Zhao-Ri Dai, Chengfei Zhao · 发表于：Current Research in Food Science · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101032 · 被引用次数：11 · 研究领域：Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques、Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies、Advanced Chemical Sensor Technologies

With the global prevalence of obesity and diabetes continuing to rise, metabolic diseases caused by excessive sugar intake have become a significant public health issue. In this context, various sweeteners as sugar substitutes have been widely used in the food industry. Sweeteners are highly favored for their good safety profile, cost-effectiveness, low-calorie properties, and potential blood sugar regulation effects, and their applications have extended to fields such as pharmaceuticals and daily chemicals. However, recent studies indicate that the impact mechanisms of sweeteners on human health are more complex than previously understood, and the long-term safety of their use has sparked widespread concern in both academia and the public. This review systematically examines relevant literature from the past three decades, employing evidence-based medicine methods for screening and meta-analysis, aiming to comprehensively assess the potential effects of sweeteners on human metabolic indicators (including blood glucose homeostasis and body fat composition) and cancer risk. The discussion will unfold in the following four sections: (1) Definition and classification of sweeteners; (2) Application areas of various sweeteners; (3) Beneficial effects of sweetener use on human health; (4) Adverse effects of sweetener use on health issues in different population groups. Current evidence suggests that the rational use of specific types of sweeteners within recommended dosage ranges c...