Artificial Sweeteners: Are they safe?

What are artificial sweeteners?

Artificial sweeteners are a sugar substitute that provide a sweetness like sugar while containing zero or very low calories.

Types of artificial sweeteners

There are a variety of different types of artificial sweeteners:

·        Acesulfame potassium (Sweet One, Sunett)

·        Advantame

·        Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)

·        Neotame (Newtame)

·        Saccharin (Sweet'N Low)

·        Sucralose (Splenda)

·        Luo han guo (Monk Fruit in the Raw)

·        Purified stevia leaf extracts (Truvia, PureVia, others)

Are they safe?

The short answer is yes, in limited amounts artificial sweeteners are safe. In fact, they may even be helpful for weight loss and blood sugar control, read more below.

Artificial Sweeteners and Cancer

Some studies in animals have found a link between artificial sweeteners and certain forms of cancer. However, the data in humans is inconclusive.

There may be a link between artificial sweeteners and cancers related to obesity such as colon cancer and breast cancer, but more studies are needed to confirm this link in humans.

Overall, if you consume artificial sweeteners in limited amounts, current studies suggest it shouldn’t increase your risk of most cancers.

Artificial Sweeteners and Gut Health

I have talked previously about the importance of gut health in my blog here.

Some studies indicate that artificial sweeteners may impact the gut microbiome in a negative way. Saccharin, sucralose and stevia have been found to significantly impact the gut microbiome but further studies are needed to determine how other sweeteners may impact the gut microbiome and gut health.

Should artificial sweeteners be used for weight loss?

Because of the little calorie content of artificial sweeteners, they may be beneficial in assisting with weight loss in the short term, especially if you are currently consuming sugar-sweetened beverages and replace them with diet drinks.

However, some studies have found that the use of artificial sweeteners can increase your risk of obesity. Artificial sweeteners may increase your hunger and therefore cause you to eat more calories, leading to weight gain.

This is because artificial sweeteners are 100s of times sweeter than sugar, so when you consume them, the brain is expecting a sugar overload that it never gets, causing an increase in the signals that make you hungry.

If you want to maintain your weight long-term it is best to only consume added sugar foods occasionally. If you are a regular soda drinker, try swapping soda for sparkling water to avoid artificial sweeteners and added sugars.

Should artificial sweeteners be used for blood sugar control?

If you have type 2 diabetes and are trying to control your blood sugars, consuming products with artificial sweeteners is a great option because they won’t raise your blood sugar.

If you are drinking a lot of regular soda it is best to switch to diet soda right away to avoid increasing your blood sugars.

Conclusion

Overall, artificial sweeteners are safe to consume in moderation, especially if you are watching your blood sugars or your weight.

Have more questions about artificial sweeteners? Reach out to Dr. Maria for more information!