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Artificial sweeteners are naturally extracted or synthetically synthesized compounds that add sweetness to food without adding any calories.
Products labeled 'sugar-free' often use sugar substitutes of different kinds. Sugar substitutes have different chemical compositions, so concerns about the safety of artificial sweeteners are genuine.
Certain sweetening compounds as sugar substitutes can have adverse effects if not consumed as per usage instructions. Read on to find out about the different types of artificial sweetening agents and their safety concerns.
Why Use Artificial Sweeteners?
Packaged beverages, instant cereals, certain snacks, and desserts are sweetened using sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or a combination of the two. The use of high fructose corn syrup helps companies cut costs. Liquid glucose is also used as an artificial sweetener in food products.
Foods high in refined sugar are strongly associated with lifestyle disorders like heart disease, dementia, mental decline, type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic inflammation, obesity, and fatty liver disease. Packaged food items containing high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are far more dangerous than products with refined sugar.
Acceptable Daily Intake of Artificial Sweeteners
Wondering if sugar substitutes are healthy? The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has determined ADI values for some of the most commonly used sugar substitutes, excluding steviol glycoside.
The Acceptable Daily Intake value for steviol glycoside has been jointly determined by the Joint Food and Agricultural Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives.
The ADI values are as follows:
- Acesulfame potassium, ADI 15
- Advantame, ADI 32.8
- Aspartame, ADI 50
- Neotame, ADI 0.3
- Saccharin, ADI 15
- Sucralose, ADI 5
- Steviol glycosides (not raw stevia), ADI 4
No ADI has been determined yet for the monk fruit sweetener (extracted from monk fruit).
Health Aspects & Safety of Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweetening agents have been analyzed extensively in laboratories and clinical studies around the world. The conclusions of these studies are listed below:
1) Obesity
Research published in the International Journal of Obesity has found that the use of artificial sweeteners as a sugar substitute can lead to weight loss.
That's due to the fact that these products can reduce the overall calorie intake contributed by sugars in the diet. It can be said that these sugar substitutes are comparatively safer than actual sugar when it comes to lifestyle disorders, though.
2) Risk of cancer
Several social media claims exist regarding the risk of cancer from sugar substitutes.
However, the National Cancer Institute, working under the National Institutes of Health, has reiterated that there's no known risk of cancer associated with artificial sweeteners. Most of these claims are myths and have no scientific validity.
3) Risk of cardiovascular diseases
A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Public Health has indicated that excessive consumption of certain artificial sweeteners can increase the risk of heart disease and related illnesses.
A similar study published in the journal Advances in Nutrition also concluded with similar results. However, when consumed at recommended levels, artificial sweeteners are relatively safe.
4) Gut Health
Certain artificial sweeteners can damage the gut microbiome due to their chemical composition.
Polyols like erythritol, maltitol, and xylitol are known to cause bloating, diarrhea and IBS when consumed in excess quantities. That can reduce gut bacterial colonies and affect digestion.
Most artificial sweeteners regulated by the FDA are relatively safe for human consumption. It's, however, important to follow the serving instructions written on the packaging.
It's recommended not to cross the daily acceptable intake values. Certain sugar substitutes like erythritol, xylitol, and maltitol can cause bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea when consumed in excess due to their laxative properties. While buying healthy sugar substitutes, read the nutritional labels and health warnings carefully.
