Polydextrose and xylitol snacks tested for hunger over 10 days
What it found
In 15 lean volunteers, yoghurts with polydextrose or xylitol slightly reduced how much people ate at a later lunch and made them feel a little fuller, but most of the differences were small.
The clearest effect was for the yoghurt with both sweeteners combined, which increased fullness compared with the control.
What they found
Studies in people
Lunch intake after snack
When the energy in the yoghurt itself was not counted, the three experimental yoghurts led to a small drop in how much people ate at lunch compared with the control, but the difference was not statistically significant. The drops were about 12% for xylitol, 10% for polydextrose, and 7% for the combination.
Lunch intake counting yoghurt energy
When the energy from the yoghurt snack was added to the lunch, the polydextrose yoghurt led to a significant drop in total energy intake compared with the control. The xylitol yoghurt came close to a significant drop.
Fullness after snack
The yoghurt with both xylitol and polydextrose made people feel significantly fuller right after eating it, compared with the control yoghurt. This was true whether or not the energy difference between the yoghurts was taken into account.
Hunger ratings
There was no significant difference between the yoghurts in how hungry people felt.
Effects over 10 days
The effects on fullness and food intake were similar on day 1 and day 10, so they did not seem to wear off with daily use.
Bloatedness and nausea
People reported similar levels of bloatedness and nausea after all four yoghurts, and no one reported problems at the end of the study.
What the authors conclude
“The study demonstrated that pre-loads of xylitol and polydextrose caused a mild increase in satiety and suppression of energy intake, and that the effects persist after repeated daily administration.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that xylitol and polydextrose could be useful because they deliver less energy and mildly increase fullness.
- They note that the effect on body weight has not been shown and that a long-term weight loss trial is needed.
- They suggest these ingredients could help prevent weight gain or regain as part of small adjustments to the diet.
How it was done
The authors wanted to see whether polydextrose and xylitol, alone or together, could help control appetite. They also wanted to know if any effects would last after eating them every day for 10 days.
Eight female and seven male lean volunteers from the University of Leeds ate a 200 g yoghurt snack every day for 10 days in each of four conditions. The yoghurts contained either 25 g sucrose (control), 25 g xylitol, 25 g polydextrose, or 12.5 g of each. On days 1 and 10, the researchers measured how much people ate at a later lunch and asked them to rate their hunger and fullness.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a 10-day study in 15 lean volunteers, so it cannot show what happens over months or years.
- It cannot show whether these ingredients help with weight loss, because weight was not measured.
- The results may not apply to people who are overweight or to other groups.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Leeds, UK
The paper
- Title
- Evaluation of the independent and combined effects of xylitol and polydextrose consumed as a snack on hunger and energy intake over 10 d
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- King NA, Craig SA, Pepper T, Blundell JE (2005). Evaluation of the independent and combined effects of xylitol and polydextrose consumed as a snack on hunger and energy intake over 10 d. The British journal of nutrition. doi:10.1079/bjn20051431Free full textPubMed 16022761DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error