Recent concern over non-nutritive sweetener (NNS) consumption on weight gain and metabolic dysfunction has seen a surge in the number of related animal studies. Yet commonly, models do not mimic human consumption for dosage, sweetener combinations or feeding patterns, limiting translational relevance. We attempted to find an ecologically valid model of NNS consumption. The aims were to investigate if i) rats consume commercially available beverages sweetened with NNS, ii) prior sucrose exposure alters palatability and iii) metabolic recovery is possible following chronic sucrose exposure. During Phase 1, two-bottle preference and acceptance testing of commercially available beverages (Diet Coke, Sprite, Cordial No Sugar, Kombucha; Control: 10% w/v sucrose) was conducted in 40 female naïve Sprague Dawley rats (n=8/group). All animals then received ad libitum access to 10% w/v sucrose for 4 weeks followed by repeated preference/acceptance and fasted blood glucose (FBGL) testing. In Phase 2, rats were given ad libitum access to assigned NNS drinks for a further 4 weeks, with controls provided access to water only. FBGL tests were repeated and retroperitoneal fat pads measured at cull. Intakes and bodyweight were collected every three days, with no group differences in bodyweight observed at any point. Rats consumed these commercial NNS beverages during 4-h acceptance testing with no significant reduction in acceptance following chronic sucrose exposure. Following the switch from sucrose to NNS, a significant reduction in retroperitoneal fat mass was observed in controls compared to NNS groups, t(27.948)=3.336, p=0.002. Further, FBGL was lower in controls compared to combined NNS groups, t(13.409)=0.215, p=0.05. These results demonstrate rats will drink commercially available beverages sweetened with a variety of NNS with or without energy content. Importantly, when switched from sucrose to NNS drinks, metabolic recovery was retarded compared to water.