Stevia, sucralose and sucrose in maqui-citrus juice in overweight people
What it found
In overweight people drinking a maqui-citrus juice for 60 days, stevia was linked to an anti-inflammatory response, while sucralose and sucrose raised homocysteine.
The authors say more trials at normal sweetener levels are needed.
What they found
Studies in people
Homocysteine rises
Homocysteine levels went up significantly after drinking the sucralose beverage (27%) and the sucrose beverage (40%).
Stevia and inflammation
IL-10, an anti-inflammatory marker, rose significantly after the stevia-sweetened beverage.
Antioxidant status
ORAC values rose by 21% in people who started with a lower antioxidant status.
Cholesterol changes
HDL cholesterol rose significantly with sucralose, and total cholesterol rose significantly with sucrose.
Other blood fats
No changes were seen in triglycerides, LDL cholesterol or oxidized LDL.
What the authors conclude
“Oxidative stress and an inflammatory response were observed after consumption of these sweetened beverages, with the exception of stevia, which produced an anti-inflammatory response.”
Also in their conclusions
- They report that oxidative stress and an inflammatory response were seen after drinking these sweetened beverages, except with stevia, which produced an anti-inflammatory response.
- They say the possible antioxidative effects of this polyphenol-rich beverage may only benefit people with poorer antioxidant status.
- They call for many randomised controlled trials at normal levels of consumption using commonly consumed sweeteners to clarify their roles in health.
How it was done
The authors note growing interest in replacing added sugars in juices with other sweeteners to make them healthier, but say the long-term effects of doing so have been poorly evaluated.
They ran a 3-arm, randomised, triple-blind trial in 138 overweight people who drank 330 mL a day of a maqui-citrus beverage sweetened with stevia, sucralose or sucrose for 60 days. They measured antioxidant markers, safety markers, blood fats and inflammatory markers.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This trial only followed people for 60 days, so it cannot show what happens over longer periods.
- It tested sweeteners inside one specific maqui-citrus juice, so the results may not apply to other drinks or foods.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Catholic University of San Antonio (UCAM), Spain; Campus Universitario de Espinardo 25, Spain
The paper
- Title
- Biological effects of stevia, sucralose and sucrose in citrus-maqui juices on overweight subjects
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Zafrilla P, Masoodi H, Cerdá B, García-Viguera C, Villaño D (2021). Biological effects of stevia, sucralose and sucrose in citrus-maqui juices on overweight subjects. Food & function. doi:10.1039/d1fo01160jPubMed 34323244DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error