Artificial Sweetener
Artificial sweeteners are known to raise questions among many individuals. What exactly are they? Can they assist in weight loss? Are they able to help balance blood sugars for Diabetics? Do they pose any harmful effects to the body? What are the differences between these and other sugar substitutes? Are they healthier than regular sugar (sucrose)? These questions are all valid and bring up good topics for discussion.
An artificial sweetener is a food additive that is used to mimic the taste of sugar, but sweeter, without the calories. There are multiple types of artificial sweeteners with different brand names, below is a basic chart listing out some of these details further.
*Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Artificial Sweeteners are found in food and beverages; typically, but not always, marked as “sugar-free” or “diet.” Common places to see them are in diet soft drinks, baked goods, puddings, canned goods, jellies, gums, candies, salad dressings, lite yogurt, etc. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/artificial-sweeteners/art-20046936
Many individuals choose items with artificial sweeteners because they have little to no calories which lead them to believe they fit better into their weight loss programs over regular sugar. Is there truth to this thought process? The answer to this question is still unclear. Some studies will show that replacing sugar with an artificial sweetener reduces overall calorie intake because sugar has 4 calories/per gram where artificial sweeteners virtually are calorie free, therefore are thought to assist with weight loss over time http://www.andeal.org/files/Docs/NNSResourceDraft3.pdf . While other studies show the complete opposite, revealing that replacing sugar with an artificial sweetener can actually cause one to gain weight. The cause it not fully understood, some research has looked into the chance that the brain’s normal response to sweetness is thrown off when providing the body with a sweet taste without any calories, this may cause one to crave more food and/or beverages that are sweet, leading to an increase in overall calories throughout the day, in turn causing weight gain from excess calorie consumption. There is also a concern that consuming artificial sweeteners may alter how the body typically gauges how many calories are being consumed overall. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/artificial-sweeteners/ . Therefore, the connection to artificial sweeteners and weight loss is still not fully known.
Another reason individuals tend to choose artificial sweeteners over sugar is due to the fact that they do not raise blood sugar levels. This is appealing to individuals with Diabetes; however, these individuals need to realize that replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners alone without reducing the intake of overall carbohydrates in the diet won’t ensure blood sugar control. http://www.andeal.org/files/Docs/NNSResourceDraft3.pdf
There is controversy over the safety of consuming artificial sweeteners. There are 6 artificial sweeteners that are Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved. These are acesulfame K, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, sucralose and advantame. Even though these artificial sweeteners are FDA approved there is still talk about them potentially causing health problems. This is largely due to studies from the 1970’s linking the use of saccharin to bladder cancer in rats, however, the National Cancer Institute states that there is no solid scientific evidence connecting any of the approved artificial sweeteners to cancer. Artificial sweeteners are regulated by the FDA as food additives. The FDA publishes a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list of additives and also has an established acceptable daily intake (ADI). This amount is 100 times less than the smallest amount that could possibly cause any health issue. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/artificial-sweeteners/art-20046936?pg=1 .
There are also other sugar substitutes out on the market. These include sugar alcohols and novel sweeteners. Sugar alcohols aren’t considered non-caloric as they do have calories but are less calorically dense than regular sugar. Sugar alcohols are typically found in processed foods (candy, chewing gum, toothpaste, mouthwash, baked goods, etc.). You’ll see some of these listed as xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol, mannitol, etc. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/artificial-sweeteners/art-20046936?pg=1 Individuals tend to choose these as they are slightly lower in calories as well as don’t add to tooth decay and cavities http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/artificial-sweeteners/art-20046936 Individuals have been known to complain of digestive upset with sugar alcohols so it’s advised to keep overall consumption low. Novel sweeteners such as Stevia, tagatose, trehalose are calorie free and labeled “natural” but remember they still are processed. There are benefits to these novel sweeteners and potential side effects as well. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3198517/
So the big question is; should individuals choose artificial sweeteners over sugar? I recommend that individuals build a diet from the least processed foods and beverages possible. Consuming the cleanest sources is always better so go for regular sugar in smaller quantities over artificial sweeteners. If one does choose to incorporate artificial sweeteners and/or other sugar substitutes they are advised to do so in moderation and should keep in mind that there are no quick fixes, magic pills, powders or potions.
Denise Alvey, RD, CSSD, CLT
