Sugar vs. sweetener showdown: which is better for your blood sugar?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18 to 65 years at the time of enrollment. * Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18.5 and 39.9 kg/m². * Men and women who report a preference for sweet taste and habitual consumption of sugar and/or sweeteners. * Individuals in good general health, as determined by: 1. Medical history and clinical evaluation; 2. Absence of uncontrolled chronic diseases, such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, severe hypertension, or advanced liver or renal disease; and 3. Baseline biochemical parameters within normal reference ranges, including fasting plasma glucose \<100 mg/dL, HbA1c \<5.7%, normal liver and renal function (ALT/AST and creatinine within reference ranges), and blood pressure \<140/90 mmHg without pharmacological treatment. * Less than 4 hours per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. * Not following special or restrictive diets (e.g., ketogenic, strict vegetarian, or vegan diets). * Not taking medications known to affect metabolism, including, for example, antidiabetic drugs, systemic corticosteroids, weight-loss medications, or high-dose antioxidant supplements, except for stable use of hormonal contraceptives. * Willingness to maintain habitual diet and physical activity throughout the study, with the only modification being the assigned sweetener intervention. * Ability and willingness to comply with all study procedures and scheduled visits. * Provision of written informed consent before participation. Exclusion Criteria: * Gastrointestinal disorders influencing digestion or nutrient absorption (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, malabsorption syndromes). * History of cancer not in remission. * Uncontrolled thyroid disorders. * History of bariatric surgery or extreme weight loss within the past 12 months. * Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or planning pregnancy during the study period. * Acute illness, major infection, hospitalization, or major surgery within the previous 6 months. * Any condition that, in the investigators' judgment, could compromise participant safety, protocol adherence, or interpretation of the study results.