10 Nov 2023 --- Although it is commonly believed that artificial sweeteners like aspartame do not raise insulin levels in the same way as sugar, a new clinical trial challenges this idea. International researchers found that salivary insulin levels increased one hour after consuming a soft drink, for both regular and diet drinks — sweetened with artificial sweeteners. Insulin levels in saliva did not change after consuming test drinks — water or a drink with low sucrose content. Scientific research found a correlation between insulin levels in saliva and blood.