Artificial sweeteners have been popular for decades due to their ability to add a sweet taste to foods and beverages while at the same time not adding the same amount of calories as sugar. Used as a way to maintain weight by diabetics who need to control their sugar intake, and by those simply desiring to curb their consumption of sugar, many continue to wonder about the safety of these sugar substitutes.
What Are Artificial Sweeteners?
Artificial sweeteners, often called sugar substitutes, are compounds which have been chemically, or artificially, altered. Sucralose has been marketed as being made from sugar, however, though its makers do use sugar initially, they convert the sugar chemically during the manufacturing process so that it actually is not sugar any longer when this process is complete. Though artificial sweeteners are much sweeter than sugar (in some cases up to 8,000 times sweeter), they have fewer calories. One gram of table sugar contains about four grams of fat while most sugar substitutes have zero calories.
Low-calorie sweeteners, known as sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, and D-tagatose, are called sugar alcohols or polyols and are found only in packaged foods.
Are Sugar Substitutes Safe?
Although the FDA has approved artificial sweeteners such as sucralose (marketed as Splenda), aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal), acesulfame-k (Sunett, Sweet One) and a host of others, there are those who believe that they are not safe at all. In part, this doubt arises from the saccharine (Sweet 'N Low) cancer scare in 1977 when studies showed that saccharine caused bladder cancer in rats. The FDA banned the product but the ban was later lifted when they concluded that this was not a major risk for humans.
The chemical nature of sugar substitutes are a continuing cause for concern. Sucralose is denatured sugar, consisting of a process which chlorinates sucrose. Chlorine is a carcinogen, which naturally raises concerns about its safety. Curiously, there have been no long-term studies of the effects of sucralose. There have been reports of complaints by consumers about aspartame, and according to an official United States Air Force Publication, Air Force pilots have been warned not to consume this product, as it has been investigated as possible causes of brain tumors, birth defects, and Parkinson's Disease.
According to Dr. Ellen Kamhi, Ph.D, author ofWeightLoss, the Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide, artificial sweeteners can have adverse consequences, despite FDA assurances that these products are safe. Negative side effects such as headaches, dizziness, weight gain, diarrhea, and vision problems are simply a few of the problems that have been reported.
Proponents of artificial sweeteners claim that there are many advantages to using sugar substitutes. They allow people who are carb- and sugar-conscious, like diabetics, to control their sugar intake, largely because sweeteners don't count as carbohydrates, and though are sweeter than sugar do not contain the same calories as sugar, therefore not affecting blood sugar levels. Diabetics should be cautioned that while artificial sweeteners are sugar-free, the foods that are made with sugar substitutes may not be carbohydrate-free.
The Bottom Line: Should You Use Sugar Substitutes?
The American Dietetic Association has approved the following five FDA-approved artificial sweeteners for diabetics, children,and pregnant women: acesulfame-k (brand name Sunett, Sweet One), saccharine (Sweet 'N Low, Sugar Twin), aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal), sucralose (Splenda), and naotame. Experts, however, are not comfortable with the fact that there have not been enough scientific studies performed to show whether or not these sweeteners are completely safe, and stress moderation in the use of sugar substitutes.
Natural sweeteners are a good alternative, and include stevia sweeteners and xylitol. Stevia (manufactured as Truvia) is derived from a plant source and has been used for centuries around the world. It is safe for diabetics in that it does not affect blood glucose levels, though it is much sweeter in taste than sugar. Xylitol occurs naturally in some vegetables and fruits and does not raise blood sugar levels, though doctors caution that ingesting large amounts can cause gastrointestinal discomfort.
Simply by drinking flavored water instead of diet soda, or using naturally sweetened foods like honey in your tea or blueberries in your oatmeal are other good ways to cut down on the use of sugar and artificial sweeteners. Be certain to read labels carefully. Foods that are labeled "no-sugar added," for example, may give the impression that the product contains no sugar when in actuality it may contain an artificial sweetener.
Sources:
Harvard Medical School, Harvard Health Publications, copyright 2005, www.health.harvard.edu (Accessed 20 Mar 2010)
WebMD, Are Artificial Sweeteners Safe? copyright 2005 (Accessed 20 Mar 2010)
Global Healing Center, The Health Dangers of Artificial Sweeteners, copyright 1998-2010 (Accessed 20 Mar 2010)
Kamhi, Ellen, Ph.D, RN, Artificial vs. Natural Sweeteners, New Living Magazine, (Accessed 20 Mar 2010)
Valerie Williams - Valerie Williams resides in the Metro-Atlanta area. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Management, and has spent much ...
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