Are artificial sweeteners good or bad? Know the reality!

If you are trying to cut down on calories and sugar, you might want to turn to artificial sweeteners – these are synthetic sugar substitutes found in a variety of beverages and foods marketed as ‘diet’ or ‘sugar-free’. Artificial sweeteners are often preferred and used as an alternative to sugar cubes because they virtually add zero calories to your diet. The average 355ml can contain sweetened soda offers about 150 calories, while the same quantity of diet soda delivers zero calories – the choice seems like a no-brainer. Besides, you need not add a spoonful of these to your food and drinks, only a fraction of it is just enough.

Artificial sweeteners are widely used in baked and processed foods and drinks, including –

• Canned foods

• Jellies and jams

• Candies

• Pudding

• Dairy products

Are artificial sweeteners any good?

The American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association have given a careful nod to the use of artificial sweeteners as a substitute of sugar to fight off diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity – all of these are associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Researchers suggest that the mindful use of artificial sweeteners may help you cut down on added sugars in the diet, thereby reducing the number of calories consumed. Reducing calorie intake can help you reach your weight goals and maintain a healthy body weight. However, there is more about artificial sweeteners than just weight management. These may also be beneficial in the management of diabetes. Since artificial sweeteners are not carbohydrates, these do not typically spike your blood glucose levels, as sugar does. Nevertheless, ask your dietician or doctor before using them as a substitute for sugar if you have been diagnosed with diabetes.

What are the cons of using artificial sweeteners?

Despite the above benefits, there are some cons of using artificial sweeteners. Some researchers critical of artificial sweeteners state that its usage is associated with a wide range of diseases, including cancer. This is because a study on mice dating back to the 1970s found that a specific artificial sweetener, known as saccharin is linked to bladder cancer.

Contrary to previous studies, research states that artificial sweeteners can prevent people from associating sweetness with calorie intake. Due to this, they tend to crave for sweets and choose sugary foods over nutritious meals, which lead to weight gain. Based on the findings of the San Antonio Heart Study, people, who consumed over 21 diet drinks every week, were twice as much likely to become obese or overweight as those who did not consume diet soda.

Is it safe to replace sugar with artificial sweeteners?

Whether or not artificial sweeteners are safe for consumption depends on how you define ‘safety’. Studies leading to the Food and Drug Administration approval ruled out the risk of cancer, for the most part. Nevertheless, these studies were conducted using smaller quantities of diet soda than the 710ml per day consumed by several people. The long-term effects of large quantities of these chemicals are still questionable.

As a whole, the use of artificial sweeteners presents some risks but may have a few health benefits for blood glucose control and weight management as well. These are particularly beneficial if you are using them to reduce the quantity of added sugar in your diet. The chances of negative effects may vary from individual to individual depending on what type of sweetener is being consumed. Although artificial sweeteners are usually considered well-tolerated and safe among most people, a great way to avoid these would be to opt for natural sweeteners.