Artificial Sweeteners

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2. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/artificial-sweeteners/

4. https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-basics/has-stevia-been-approved-fda-be-used-sweetener

6. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/STROKEAHA.119.024456

8. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-sweet-danger-of-sugar

10. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/artificial-sweeteners/art-20046936

12. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030

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It can be hard to make sense of all of the advice you read and hear about artificial sweeteners. While some research suggests that replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners can help with calorie reduction and weight loss, other studies have found that the use of artificial sweeteners can lead to many negative health outcomes and should be avoided. In this article, we will help you understand the facts on this confusing topic.

Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes that are much sweeter than sugar. They "trick" our taste buds into tasting a similar sweet flavor that we get when we eat sugar. You can use far less artificial sweetener compared to the amount of sugar for the same amount of sweetness, and they add virtually no calories. Even those advertised as "all-natural" are highly-processed food additives.

*** Note: Steviol glycosides are highly purified extracts of the stevia plant and are approved by the FDA. However, the FDA does NOT consider stevia leaf and crude stevia as GRAS, and these are not approved for use in food and beverages in the United States.

We all know that we should limit the amount of added sugar we consume in the foods we eat and beverages we drink. The higher your intake of sugar, the higher your risk for serious health problems such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and many other chronic health conditions. In 2018, the American Heart Association advised that short-term replacement of sugar-sweetened beverages (such as soft drinks, sweet tea, sports drinks, etc.) with artificially-sweetened versions of these drinks may be an effective strategy for calorie reduction and weight loss for some adults.

There is growing evidence to suggest negative health effects related to the use of artificial sweeteners including increased risk of:

Without question, we know that limiting sugar, especially added sugar, AND limiting artificial sweeteners will lead to the best outcomes for your health and wellness.