Scientists Tested a Protein 2,000 Times Sweeter Than Sugar in Ice Cream. The Results Are Promising

Ice cream can be a complicated treat for people watching their blood sugar. Its sweetness is part of the appeal, but the sugar it contains can cause glucose levels to rise after eating. Lower-sugar alternatives offer another option, although finding one that tastes like traditional ice cream isn’t always easy.

Scientists are now investigating an unusual solution: a naturally occurring protein from a West African fruit that’s up to 2,000 times sweeter than regular sugar.

In a randomized trial involving 101 adults with fatty liver disease, ice cream containing this protein produced approximately half the cumulative short-term blood sugar rise observed after participants ate conventional sugar-sweetened ice cream.

The results suggest that the ingredient, called brazzein, could help manufacturers develop lower-sugar desserts without sacrificing sweetness. However, the recipes differed in other ingredients, and researchers haven’t established whether the substitution improves long-term diabetes control or liver health.

A Sweet Protein From West Africa Is Getting Scientific Attention

Brazzein was originally identified in Pentadiplandra brazzeana, a plant native to West Africa. Its fruit, sometimes called oubli fruit, contains a protein with extraordinary sweetness.

Research published in the journal Dairy in June 2026 describes brazzein as approximately 500 to 2,000 times sweeter than sucrose, the scientific name for ordinary table sugar.

That means manufacturers need only tiny quantities to achieve substantial sweetness.

In one experimental ice cream recipe, a brazzein concentration of just 0.014% matched the sweetness of a version containing 14% sucrose.

Unlike conventional sugar, brazzein provides sweetness without requiring a large amount of the ingredient. However, sugar also contributes texture and structure to ice cream, so removing it requires other recipe adjustments.

Commercial brazzein can also be produced through fermentation using specially engineered microorganisms rather than extracted directly from fruit.

That distinction matters because a protein’s natural origin doesn’t automatically make every commercial preparation identical.

What Happened When 101 Adults Tried the Ice Cream?

Researchers at Russia’s Federal Research Center of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety investigated whether brazzein-containing ice cream could produce a different blood sugar response from conventional ice cream.

The study involved 101 adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD, a condition characterized by excess liver fat alongside metabolic risk factors.

Participants consumed three different 100-gram servings of vanilla ice cream on separate occasions.

One version contained conventional sucrose. Another contained brazzein in a sucrose-free formulation. The third combined brazzein with inulin.

Researchers then monitored participants’ glucose responses after eating.

Both brazzein-containing versions produced substantially smaller cumulative glucose rises than the traditional version.

The reported reduction was approximately 50%.

Participants with type 2 diabetes reportedly experienced larger reductions, although the available reporting doesn’t establish the precise size or statistical significance of that subgroup difference.

The result doesn’t mean participants’ blood sugar levels dropped by half.

Researchers measured the cumulative increase in glucose over the observation period, rather than a 50% reduction in actual blood glucose concentration.

Because the ice cream recipes differed beyond their sweeteners, the study also cannot determine how much of the effect came specifically from brazzein.

Did the Lower-Sugar Ice Cream Taste as Good?

Reducing sugar is one challenge. Creating a dessert people genuinely enjoy is another.

A related study published in June 2026 examined how 103 adults with fatty liver disease responded to conventional ice cream and a brazzein-containing alternative.

The results were encouraging.

Approximately 98.1% of participants rated the conventional ice cream at least four out of five, compared with 96.1% who gave the brazzein version similarly favorable ratings.

The conventional version received a slightly higher average overall impression score, but the difference remained within the researchers’ predefined equivalence margin.

This suggests that the protein may help preserve the familiar sweetness and appeal of ice cream while allowing manufacturers to use less sugar.

However, the experiment measured reactions during controlled tastings. It didn’t establish whether consumers would consistently choose the alternative over traditional ice cream in everyday life.

Related: The 5 Best Ice Cream Flavors You Must Try

Could This Make a Difference for People With Diabetes?

For people managing diabetes, the immediate glucose response to food is only part of a much larger picture.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 40.1 million Americans had diabetes in 2023, representing about 12% of the U.S. population.

The possibility of enjoying familiar foods with a smaller blood sugar response is therefore relevant to a substantial number of consumers.

However, researchers haven’t shown that eating brazzein-sweetened desserts improves long-term glucose control, reduces diabetes complications, or decreases medication requirements.

The general principle behind the findings is already supported by research involving other sugar substitutes.

A 2023 systematic review examining 36 acute trials involving 472 participants found that beverages made with nonsugar sweeteners generally produced glucose responses comparable to water, while sugar-sweetened beverages caused larger responses.

That evidence helps explain why replacing sugar can reduce the immediate glucose rise after eating.

It doesn’t establish that brazzein works better than existing alternatives or actively lowers glucose already circulating in the bloodstream.

Is Brazzein Safe to Consume?

The 101-person ice cream trial reportedly identified no serious adverse events during the study.

Additional research published in September 2026 examined brazzein’s short-term tolerability in 60 healthy adults between ages 18 and 44.

Participants consumed wafers containing either brazzein or sucrose daily for 21 days.

Researchers reported no major clinical or biochemical safety signals associated with the brazzein-containing product.

Still, three weeks of observation cannot establish the effects of consuming an ingredient regularly over many years.

The trial also excluded people with diabetes and several other medical conditions, limiting how widely its findings can be applied.

In March 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a no-questions response to a manufacturer’s conclusion that a specified fermentation-produced brazzein preparation was generally recognized as safe under its intended conditions of use.

That regulatory response doesn’t mean brazzein has been approved to treat diabetes or prevent metabolic disease.

Should You Choose Brazzein-Sweetened Foods?

The results suggest that brazzein could become another useful ingredient for creating lower-sugar desserts.

However, the American Diabetes Association cautions that foods labeled “sugar-free” or “no sugar added” aren’t necessarily free of carbohydrates or lower in calories than their conventional counterparts.

For consumers comparing products, total carbohydrates, serving sizes, and overall ingredients remain more informative than the sweetener’s name alone.

People managing diabetes or fatty liver disease shouldn’t interpret this research as a reason to change medications or replace established treatment recommendations.

Longer studies are needed to determine whether repeatedly substituting brazzein-containing foods produces meaningful improvements in blood sugar management or liver health.

For now, the strongest evidence supports brazzein’s potential as a food ingredient that delivers sweetness with less sugar. Its ability to produce lasting health benefits remains unproven.

Would you try ice cream made with a naturally derived sugar substitute if it produced a smaller blood sugar rise, or would taste and familiar ingredients matter more to your choice?