Sugar

A new study has reawakened the debate over the safety of artificial sweeteners. The findings suggest an association can be detected between sugar substitutes and increased cancer risk, but experts not affiliated with the research question their validity.

A food that's subtly sweet to one person may be very sweet to another, so how can food and beverage companies objectively determine just how sweet something actually is? Well, an experimental new "bioelectronic tongue" may one day do the job.

New studies are reporting results from a type 1 diabetes human clinical trial testing a device containing stem cells designed to mature into insulin-secreting cells. The experimental implant was found to be safe, well-tolerated and mildly effective.

Artificial sweeteners are widely promoted as zero-calorie alternatives to sugar, ideal for those trying to lose weight. But a new study is indicating artificial sweeteners may increase appetite and food cravings, particularly in females and the obese.

A new study is showing how fructose can alter cells in the small intestine, subsequently enhancing nutrient absorption and promoting weight gain. The research indicates excessive fructose consumption increases the body’s ability to absorb dietary fats.

Sugarcane is a key food crop, but its large environmental impact leaves plenty of room for improvement. Unfortunately it’s tricky and time-consuming to breed new varieties, but now researchers have used CRISPR gene-editing to do so more easily.

While neural implants play a vital role in monitoring or stimulating parts of the brain, they're often attacked by the body's immune system. A new device gets around that problem by being very soft – and it's implanted using a needle made of sugar.

A new study has found moderate consumption of fructose and sucrose can dramatically amplify fat production in the liver. The research also suggests these sugar-induced changes to fat metabolism can continue for long periods of time.

Scientists recently discovered the liver releases a hormone to suppress consumption of sweet foods once a person has consumed high volumes of sugar. A new study has homed in on exactly how this mechanism works, and where in the brain it takes place.

Researchers at the University of Michigan have conducted studies in fruit flies and found that excess amounts of sugar can shut down crucial neural circuits linked to regulating satiety, possibly leading to overeating in humans.

A study is suggesting low-calorie sweeteners can disrupt metabolic processes, but only when consumed with carbohydrates. The research hopes to reconcile conflicting studies investigating links between low-calorie sweeteners and metabolic disorders.

Scientists in Denmark have now offered further insights into how sugar reshapes our brain chemistry, by performing experiments on pigs and taking note of how the reward circuitry lights up after consumption.