Sugar Substitutes: Miracle or Mistake?
June 27, 2012: Sugar Substitutes: Are They Safe?
There are three main compounds you’ve probably heard studies and scandals about: saccharin (found in Sweet’N Low), aspartame (found in Equal and Nutrasweet), and sucralose (found in Splenda). By the way, since stevia doesn’t fall under the “artificial sweetener” category, I’ll be addressing that sugar sub separately in a future What The Heck Are You Eating? episode, so stay tuned! As for the artificial posse, before we jump into the health pros and cons, let’s start with why they’re so popular.
With two out of three Americans now considered overweight or
obese, everyone’s looking for a way to curb calories. And because sugar
substitutes give us the sweet flavor we crave without adding any calories to
foods and drinks, it feels like a slam dunk solution. Plus, they don’t spike
your blood sugar, which is good news for people living with type
2 diabetes. Sounds too good to be true — and maybe it is.
The Not-So-Sweet Side of Saccharin
Sweet’N Low is the most recognizable form of saccharin, a manmade compound that’s 200 to 700 times sweeter than sugar. It tastes like sugar in your coffee, but you can’t always substitute it for the real McCoy. For example, it’s not a good replacement in baked goods because it doesn’t have the same volume or texture as sugar once it’s heated up.
Sweet’N Low is the most recognizable form of saccharin, a manmade compound that’s 200 to 700 times sweeter than sugar. It tastes like sugar in your coffee, but you can’t always substitute it for the real McCoy. For example, it’s not a good replacement in baked goods because it doesn’t have the same volume or texture as sugar once it’s heated up.
In 1977, scientists tested large amounts of saccharin on
rats and it was shown to cause bladder tumors. However, when additional studies
were conducted in humans, researchers found that the original animal studies
did not translate. In other words, there was no link between saccharin intake
and bladder cancer rates
in humans, so the FDA removed saccharin from its list of potential carcinogens
and currently considers these pink packets safe for sprinkling.
Another Controversial Sweetener: Aspartame
Aspartame was approved by the FDA for general use in all foods and beverages in 1996 and is currently sold under the names NutraSweet and Equal. There’s a laundry list of diseases, conditions, and symptoms that have been tied to aspartame over the years — anecdotally or otherwise — including headaches,migraines, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, and various cancers. The condition with the most credible scientific backing is migraines. A few studies with adult migraine sufferers showed that headaches were more frequent and more severe in the group that consumed aspartame, although other studies have found no relationship. The FDA continues to affirm aspartame’s safety, stating their conclusions are based on a detailed scientific review of more than 100 toxicological and clinical studies.
Aspartame was approved by the FDA for general use in all foods and beverages in 1996 and is currently sold under the names NutraSweet and Equal. There’s a laundry list of diseases, conditions, and symptoms that have been tied to aspartame over the years — anecdotally or otherwise — including headaches,migraines, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, and various cancers. The condition with the most credible scientific backing is migraines. A few studies with adult migraine sufferers showed that headaches were more frequent and more severe in the group that consumed aspartame, although other studies have found no relationship. The FDA continues to affirm aspartame’s safety, stating their conclusions are based on a detailed scientific review of more than 100 toxicological and clinical studies.
The Truth About Sucralose
Sucralose was FDA-approved in 1999, and has been gaining on aspartame ever since because you can bake with it and it has a longer shelf life. And many people think it tastes more like real sugar. But here comes more controversy: In 2007, the makers of Equal (aspartame) sued the makers of Splenda over their ads, which said "Splenda is made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar." They ended up settling, but Splenda changed their campaign.
Sucralose was FDA-approved in 1999, and has been gaining on aspartame ever since because you can bake with it and it has a longer shelf life. And many people think it tastes more like real sugar. But here comes more controversy: In 2007, the makers of Equal (aspartame) sued the makers of Splenda over their ads, which said "Splenda is made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar." They ended up settling, but Splenda changed their campaign.
Do Artificial Sweeteners Actually Promote Weight Gain?
It seems counterintuitive for something that’s calorie-free to contribute to weight gain — but some recent scientific findings have forced us to look at these zero-calorie sweeteners a lot more closely. Some studies have found that switching to “diet” drinks made with artificial sweeteners can help you shed pounds, but others have found that people who drink more diet beverages are more likely to GAIN weight over time. On top of that, some researchers have observed that people who regularly drink diet soda have a greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, although these studies do not prove that diet soda causesthese conditions. There’s also some interesting preliminary evidence from animal studies that artificial sweeteners may interfere with normal metabolic responses — including blood sugar control and insulin levels — all mechanisms that could theoretically contribute to weight gain. Plus, in my personal experience, I’ve found that artificial sweeteners keep the taste of sweet on your tastebuds and on your mind, which may actually make it more difficult for you to kick sugar cravings.
It seems counterintuitive for something that’s calorie-free to contribute to weight gain — but some recent scientific findings have forced us to look at these zero-calorie sweeteners a lot more closely. Some studies have found that switching to “diet” drinks made with artificial sweeteners can help you shed pounds, but others have found that people who drink more diet beverages are more likely to GAIN weight over time. On top of that, some researchers have observed that people who regularly drink diet soda have a greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, although these studies do not prove that diet soda causesthese conditions. There’s also some interesting preliminary evidence from animal studies that artificial sweeteners may interfere with normal metabolic responses — including blood sugar control and insulin levels — all mechanisms that could theoretically contribute to weight gain. Plus, in my personal experience, I’ve found that artificial sweeteners keep the taste of sweet on your tastebuds and on your mind, which may actually make it more difficult for you to kick sugar cravings.
The long and short of it is this: There’s just not enough
evidence at this time to draw any definitive conclusions about how artificial
sweeteners impact weight — but what we’ve seen so far definitely makes me
question their effectiveness for weight loss.
Are Artificial Sweeteners the Sweet Way to Go?
I’d prefer it if people cut back on all added sweeteners — natural and artificial. And with questions about artificial sweeteners swirling about, I’d much rather people use a small amount of real sugar in their food and beverages than the fake stuff. But If you really can’t give up the sugar substitutes, at least limit yourself to no more than 2 items per day — that could be a diet soda or diet iced tea, or a packet of your favorite sweetener in your coffee, or a “light” yogurt made with fake stuff.
I’d prefer it if people cut back on all added sweeteners — natural and artificial. And with questions about artificial sweeteners swirling about, I’d much rather people use a small amount of real sugar in their food and beverages than the fake stuff. But If you really can’t give up the sugar substitutes, at least limit yourself to no more than 2 items per day — that could be a diet soda or diet iced tea, or a packet of your favorite sweetener in your coffee, or a “light” yogurt made with fake stuff.
No comments:
Post a Comment