Artificial Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes: Types, Benefits, and Risks

ANSWER

Low-cal sweeteners & sugar substitutes – they’re low in calories or even zero calories, but they do a good enough impression of sugar in your mouth. Main types are the artificial sweeteners (we’re talking aspartame, sucralose, saccharin & acesulfame-K here) & other alternatives like stevia and sugar alcohols. These give you sweetness without all the calories of sugar – that can be helpful for short-term weight control and dealing with blood sugar – but when it comes to long term weight management the WHO advises to give them a miss because so far there’s no solid evidence they help and there’s some concerns they might even do some harm – like messing with your gut and increasing your risk of diabetes. Every sweetener has a safety limit and regulatory bods all say that sticking to those limits is perfectly fine.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Artificial sweeteners are anywhere from 200 to 600 times sweeter than sugar & they are essentially calorie free.
• Lots of types out there: aspartame, sucralose, saccharin & acesulfame-K to name a few. Then there’s stevia & sugar alcohols as well.
• Short term advantages include taking in fewer calories & being able to check blood sugar levels for people with diabetes.
• WHO are warning against using non-sugar sweeteners for long term weight loss or trying to prevent disease.
• Its been found that artificial sweeteners can mess with your gut and have a negative effect on your glucose metabolism.
• Safety limits have been set by regulatory bodies like EFSA and FDA so they define how much of each sweetener you can safely have in a day.

INTRODUCTION

You grab a diet soda instead of the full-fat version. You chuck a zero-calorie sweetener into your coffee. As a result, you’re feeling pretty good about yourself, right? You’re eating less sugar, taking in fewer calories – better for you all round…

But maybe you shouldn’t be feeling quite so smug about it. For years now artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes have been touted as the guilt-free alternatives to sugar. They’re everywhere – from fizzy drinks to yoghurt to toothpaste. Millions of people make them a regular part of their daily routine.

But let’s get a bit closer to the truth about what we really know about these sweeteners. On the surface , all that marketing might suggest that they are just the perfect sweetness in a bottle, with none of the calories to worry about. Everywhere you look. But that marketing may well be at odds with the science. Recent research has been making us wonder if these compounds actually do anything to your body at all. Not just inert objects, but maybe actually having some sort of effect on your gut, your metabolism, and your health in some pretty not-so-obvious ways.

Become a General Fitness Trainer and turn your passion into a Profession!

WHAT ARE ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS?

Artificial sweeteners – by definition they’re man-made sweet compounds. They taste sweet , but you don’t get any calories from eating them. They’re hundreds or thousands of times sweeter than sugar. It’s this sweetness that means you only need a tiny amount to give them the same taste as sugar.

The good news for your body is that most artificial sweeteners end up being unbreakable . In other words , your body can’t fully break them down – that’s why they’re calorie-free. Instead, they just pass on through your system largely unchanged.

Regulatory bods like the FDA have given the thumbs up to a few artificial sweeteners for use in food and drinks. Each one has its own safe daily intake limit – the amount that’s deemed safe to eat over a lifetime , supposedly.

Types of Artificial Sweeteners

Aspartame

Aspartame is probably the most widely used artificial sweetener going – and it’s a doozy, being about 200 times sweeter than sugar. You’ll find it popping up everywhere – diet sodas, sugar-free gum and loads of other low-calorie products – its also sold under a few different brand names like Nutrasweet , Equal and Sugar Twin.

When it comes to how much you can safely have, the EU puts a limit on it at 40 mg per kilo of body weight, whereas the US is a bit more relaxed and goes with 50 mg per kilo For a 70 kilo adult, that works out at a rough estimate of 2,800 to 3,500 mg a day which is roughly equivalent to 9 to 14 cans of diet pop.

And not that long ago back in 2023, the IArc decided that aspartame should be put in the “possibly carcinogenic to humans” category (Group 2B) now this is based on some pretty limited evidence and the WHO’s expert committee – JECFA – had a look at the same evidence and basically just agreed to reaffirm the acceptable daily intake, saying that there just isn’t enough proof to link aspartame to cancer when eaten normally.

Sucralose

Sucralose is right up there with the super sweeteners – its a staggering 600 times sweeter than sugar . You can find it in all sorts of baked goods, fizzy drinks and “zero sugar” type products under the name Splenda.

Recently the EU gave a clean bill of health to the safety of sucalose at the current levels allowed and confirmed that the acceptable daily intake is 15 mg per kilo of body weight – which thankfully is below the level at which people are actually exposed.

Saccharin

Saccharin has been around for ages – its one of the older artificial sweeteners . Its a real heavy hitter at 200-700 times sweeter than sugar . In the old days there were some studies that seemed to link it to bladder tumours in rats, but more recent research showed that humans actually metabolise saccharin differently . The EU recently upped the acceptable daily intake for saccharin from 5 to 9 mg per kilo of body weight per day, concluding that its unlikely to be linked to cancer.

Acesulfame-K

Acesulfame potassium – or Ace-K for short – is often blended with other sweeteners to get rid of that nasty aftertaste. Its also 200 times sweeter than sugar . Recently the EU upped the acceptable daily intake to 15 mg per kilo of body weight

Become a General Fitness Trainer and turn your passion into a Profession!

What Else Can We Use Instead of Sugar?

Stevia

Stevia is a natural sweetener that comes from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. Its pretty impressive – 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar, and the best bit? It’s got zero calories. Some people see it as a natural alternative to all those artificial sweeteners they don’t like.

The EU has set a daily limit for steviol glycosides . It’s 4mg per kilo of body weight per day – expressed as steviol equivalents. So just keep an eye on what your kids are having, as some concerns have been raised about people exceeding that limit – especially toddlers.

Sugar Alcohols

Sugar alcohols – or polyols – are actually just one type of carb that crops up naturally here and there in some fruit and veg, but most of the time they get made in a factory. Some of them include sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol and erythritol.

Sugar alcohols are roughly half the calories of sugar. But watch out – eating too much of them can lead to a bit of bloating or a dodgy tummy. Note that the WHO doesn’t give a specific guideline for sugar alcohols – this is because they do, in fact, contain calories.

The Benefits Of Sugar Substitutes

Lowering Your Calorie Intake Becomes A Whole Lot Easier

With sugar substitutes you can still have a sweet treat, but minus the calories. Swapping sugary drinks for their diet versions can really make a difference to your daily calorie intake. OK, it may not be a magic bullet, but switching to sweeteners in the short-term has actually been shown to lead to a bit of weight loss in studies.

Helping With Keeping Your Blood Sugar Under Control

The great thing about sugar substitutes is that they don’t mess with your blood sugar levels , because theyre not digested in the same way as glucose. This makes them a good option for people with diabetes who want a bit of sweetness without the associated sugar rush. Just remember, while the WHO has guidelines on safe amounts for healthy people, these don’t necessarily apply to people with diabetes.

Good For Your Teeth Too

Unlike sugar, artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols dont feed the bacteria that cause tooth decay. And xylitol has even been shown to have a positive effect, actually reducing the bacteria that can cause cavities.

What Are The Potential Risks Of Artificial Sweeteners?

The Impact On Your Gut Bacteria

A major study in 2022 out of Israel found that artificial sweeteners can actually disrupt your gut microbiome within a couple of weeks of consumption. The researchers tested saccharin, sucralose, aspartame and stevia in humans and found that some of these sweeteners could damage the gut bacteria that regulate how your body processes glucose.

Glucose Levels

The study also found that artificial sweeteners may slow down your body’s ability to clear sugar from the blood. When glucose stays in your system for longer, your risk of diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease goes up.

The Cancer Link

The IARC classified aspartame as a possible carcinogen in 2023 – which is a pretty vague classification, but one that does suggest there may be a link to cancer in humans. However, the same evidence was reviewed by JECFA and it’s worth noting that the acceptable daily intake levels haven’t changed. The direct link to harm is still unclear.

Digestive Issues

Some people may experience bloating, gas and diarrhoea when consuming large amounts of sugar alcohols. This is because these can be difficult for the body to properly absorb.

Are Artificial Sweeteners Safe to Eat?

Regulatory bodies have looked at each of these sweeteners and set limits on how much you can safely consume each day. EFSA, FDA and JECFA all agree that they’re safe when consumed within these limits.

The WHO on the other hand has never made a ruling on the safety of artificial sweeteners. Instead, they’re more concerned with whether they’re effective at helping people lose weight or prevent disease. And it turns out, the evidence suggests that they’re not all that helpful in the long-term – and may even cause some harm.

It’s worth noting that just because a sweetener is safe to consume, it doesn’t mean it’s going to help you lose weight. And that’s the distinction the WHO is making.

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS VS. SUGAR

Neither option is perfect. Sugar provides energy but raises blood sugar and adds calories. Artificial sweeteners provide sweetness without calories but may disrupt gut health. The best choice depends on your health goals and individual response.

Become a General Fitness Trainer and turn your passion into a Profession!

CONCLUSION

Artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes – they let us indulge in sweetness without the weight of sugar’s calories. They can do wonders for people trying to cut back on calories for a little while and for those with diabetes, helping control their blood sugar levels.

But before you get too excited, regulatory bodies agree they’re safe as long as you don’t overdo it and stick to recommended daily intake limits.

On the other hand, even the WHO cautions against relying on artificial sweeteners long-term for weight loss or to stay healthy. Research suggests they don’t deliver any lasting benefits and may even damage your gut and your ability to process glucose.

So, is it one or the other when it comes to sugar and artificial sweeteners? No way – they both have downsides. What really matters is that you start cutting back on sweetness altogether. Whether it’s from sugar or any of those artificial alternatives, a less sweet palette is a healthier one.

If you do choose to use artificial sweeteners, just keep in mind the daily limit and stick to it. If you’re diabetic or have some other health condition, sit down with your doctor and figure out the best plan for your specific needs.