Los edulcorantes y su vínculo con la obesidad

Abstract

Obesity is a public health problem in most countries with industrialised lifestyles. Sweeteners are substances used to impart sweetness and flavour to foods. Their use is increasingly common in all regions of the world for weight control. However, their impact and efficacy is still unclear.

As substances with a high level of sweetness, they invite consumption, which is not considered harmful, as long as it is done within the appropriate ranges. However, over-consumption can lead to metabolic disorders, especially when consuming those with a high caloric content such as sucrose or fructose. Despite this, the long-term effects of many artificial and natural sweeteners and which are best for managing obesity and other disorders such as type 2 diabetes remain unclear.

Due to the great interest in sweeteners and their effect on body weight and their association with chronic degenerative diseases, this work aimed to describe and classify the most common sweeteners marketed today, as well as to explore the state of the art of the association between sweetener consumption and its influence on health, especially on obesity.