Artificial Sweeteners: Deadly or Delicious?
Almost every soda brand has a diet or zero sugar version of their drink. Diet Coke, Sprite Zero, and Diet Pepsi are just a few examples. These supposedly healthier versions of drinks all use artificial sweeteners. Most people drink these to avoid the health risks of consuming the mass amounts of sugar in the regular versions of these drinks. But do the artificially sweetened versions of the drinks really help you lose weight? Or do they have their own set of health risks?
What Are Artificial Sweeteners?
Artificial sweeteners are a food additive used in place of sugar used in sugar free and diet foods, such as sodas, candy, and baked goods. Artificial sweeteners are also sold in individual packets.
They are much sweeter than sugar, which is why very small amounts are needed in foods or drinks. Unlike sugar, artificial sweeteners have very few to no calories.
Currently, the FDA has approved nine sweeteners, six of which are chemically synthesized: aspartame, acesulfame, potassium, sucralose, neotame, advantame, and saccharin. There are also three approved plant and fruit based sweeteners: natural constituents from the leaves of the Stevia plant, monk fruit extract, and thaumatin.
Artificial Sweeteners and Weight Management
Because artificial sweeteners have very few to no calories, most people eat or drink things containing them while trying to lose weight. However, opinions are mixed on whether or not artificial sweeteners truly help you lose weight or not. Some studies show that substituting regular versions of foods with low calorie versions does result in weight loss, while other studies show the opposite. The World Health Organization (WHO) also recently released a study recommending people to not use artificial sweeteners for weight loss. They also suggest that other health risks result from long-term use of sugar substitutes.
Artificial sweeteners may cause weight gain because of how your brain reacts to them. When you consume something that has been artificially sweetened, your brain thinks that it’s sugar. As a result, your brain sends a signal instructing your body to release insulin to process that sugar. But artificial sweeteners do not need insulin to be processed, leading to excess insulin in your body. The chemical structure of insulin is similar to that of a growth hormone, which means that excess amounts of insulin can increase your body mass.
Artificial Sweeteners and Cancer
The WHO released another study in July 2023 conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) related to artificial sweeteners, specifically assessing the risks of aspartame as a carcinogen. Carcinogens are substances or exposures that can lead to a person developing cancer. Aspartame was labeled as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” as Group 2B, which means that there is limited evidence in humans and less than sufficient evidence in animals of aspartame being a carcinogen. Other things classified as Group 2B are engine exhaust, working as a hairdresser or barber, and lead. The study concluded that a person should not consume more than 0-40 milligrams of aspartame per kilogram of your body weight.
Because of how recent this study is, it’s unclear what the effects are going to be. Every person’s diet and health goals are different, so people should consider information in their own context. Artificial sweeteners can be beneficial to some, but others may feel differently. It’s important to remember the risks and be mindful of what you’re consuming.
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