Sucrose as an added sweetener in diabetes mellitus

For many years the Diabetes Associations of several countries have recommended the dietary elimination of added sucrose. However, contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that modest use of added sucrose is detrimental to diabetic control. In this study of 17 non-insulin dependent diabetics, the medium-term metabolic effects of the daily supplementation of a subject's usual diet with either 28 g of sucrose or with saccharin and starch of equivalent sweetener and energy value, were compared over six-week periods. Neither dietary period had any significant effect on fasting concentrations of blood glucose, plasma insulin, GIP or serum triglyceride. The metabolic responses to two different test meals, consisting of a standard breakfast supplemented with either sucrose or saccharin plus starch, did not differ significantly either between test meals or between dietary periods. Similarly neither dietary period had any significant effect on urinary excretion of glucose. Na+ or K+. There was no significant difference in mean blood pressure between dietary periods.

The results of this medium-term study indicate that there are no metabolic contraindications to including a moderate amount of sucrose (up to 28 g e 7 teaspoons) in the diets of patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.