Artificial Sweeteners: Are they a healthy option?
Sucralose, saccharin, aspartame, Ace-K … you’ve seen them on labels of your favorite low-calorie, ‘diet,’ or ‘no added sugar’ packaged foods and beverages. But what are artificial sweeteners, and are they beneficial to your health?
We can all picture the colorful paper sweetener packets they have at restaurants for your iced tea – the yellow, pink, and blue packets labeled Splenda, Sweet ‘n’ Low, and Equal. These are all examples of artificial, or ‘non-nutritive’ sweeteners: chemicals that are much sweeter than sugar, but have few or no calories or nutrients. There are 8 FDA-approved artificial sweeteners:
Aspartame
Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K)
Advantame
Neotame
Sucralose
Saccharin
Artificial sweeteners are ubiquitous, they are added to baked goods, sodas and beverages, packaged snacks. They are marketed as a safe way to help lose weight, as you can enjoy sweet foods and drinks that are lower in calories and sugar content. While they have existed since the late 1800s, there was a surge of popularity in the early 2000s; one study showed that 2009 and 2012, 25.1% of children and 41.4% of adults reported consuming artificial sweeteners at least once daily. But do they actually have the positive benefits purported by the food industries? And how do they impact our health?
Do Artificial Sweeteners help you lose weight?
This is one of the main benefits cited for artificial sweeteners, but evidence for this is sparse. A 2019 meta-analysis of over 56 studies found that people who consumed artificial sweeteners while trying to lose weight did not lose weight. Similarly, another analysis of over 37 studies found that consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners did not have significant impact on weight management, and observational studies suggested routine intake may be associated with cardiometabolic risk and higher BMI.
Additionally, non-nutritive sweeteners are much sweeter than table sugar, but still do not contain calories (for example Splenda is 200 times sweeter than table sugar). This may seem like a good thing, but the body’s ability to tell when it is sated is complicated, and part of what it uses to gauge its needs is calorie intake. Therefore, providing intense sweetness without associated calorie intake, can contribute to overeating, craving sweet tastes, and storage of extra calories as fat.
How do artificial sweeteners impact the body?
As mentioned earlier, the FDA has approved 8 artificial sweeteners and considers them to be safe at certain doses. However, there is concern that long-term, routine intake of artificial sweeteners could be harmful. For example, a 2019 study found that women consuming >24 ounces of diet soda (these are sweetened with non-nutritive sweeteners) had a 35 percent higher risk of heart disease, and a 26 percent increased risk of stroke. Other research suggests artificial sweeteners can influence inflammatory pathways, and could contribute to changes in the gut microbiota. These pathways play important roles in the development of disease such as inflammatory bowel disease and cardiometabolic disease.
The take-away
Given all of this information, it is fair to say only minimal amounts should be consumed, if any. As you may know, the dietary pattern that is conducive to the best health is one that is rich in whole foods and minimizes processed foods and added sugars. Look for foods and treats that are naturally sweet and have minimal ingredients, check out our blog post for tips for reducing added sugars from your diet.