Brazzein protein lowers post-meal blood sugar spikes in early clinical test

In a controlled trial involving 101 adults diagnosed with metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, scientists from Russia's Federal Research Centre of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety compared the glycemic impact of three ice-cream formulations. Subjects consumed 100 g of vanilla ice cream sweetened with regular sugar, with the natural sweet protein brazzein, and with brazzein combined with the fiber inulin on separate days.

Blood-glucose measurements after each meal showed that both brazzein-based desserts produced smaller spikes than the sugar version, with the most pronounced benefit seen in participants who have type 2 diabetes. The findings were reported in the journal Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, and the authors note that extended studies are required to determine whether regular substitution of sucrose with brazzein yields lasting metabolic, liver, microbiome, or behavioral advantages. The World Health Organization's recent guidance cautions about long-term use of non-sugar sweeteners due to potential links to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.