Short-term effects of different amounts of sweet and nonsweet carbohydrates on satiety and energy intake.

If a sweet taste sensation increases appetite it can be hypothesized that sweet carbohydrates (CHOs) are less satiating than nonsweet CHOs. We studied this hypothesis in two experiments. In two within-subjects repeated measures experiments, subjects (n = 28 in study 1, n = 29 in study 2) got lunches of varying energy content. There were five energy levels (250, 350, 450, 550, and 650 kcal) in the first experiment, and three energy levels (250, 500, and 750 kcal) in the second experiment. Within each energy level there was one lunch with sweet, and one lunch with nonsweet CHOs. The weight, protein, fat, carbohydrate, and fibre level was kept constant within each energy level. The results of the first study confirmed the hypothesis that sweet CHOs were less satiating than nonsweet CHOs. The results of the second study did not show a difference between the satiating effect of sweet and nonsweet CHOs. There was a strong sensory specific effect in both studies. Sweet CHOs had a suppressing effect on appetite for something sweet, whereas nonsweet CHOs suppressed appetite for something savoury. In the second study, sweet CHOs suppressed the intake of sweet food items in a test meal 2 h later in a dose-response manner. Nonsweet CHOs suppressed the intake of nonsweet food items, also in a dose-response manner. It is concluded that energy (or a food property related to energy) has a strong effect on appetite. The taste had a sensory specific effect on subsequent appetite and food selection.