The Truth About Artificial Sweeteners: Should We Be Wary?

A couple of questions to start. Do you automatically reach for the sugar-free option? Do you make the assumption that sugar-free means it is healthy? I certainly did, until recent years.

These non-nutritive sugar substitutes have made their way into everything from diet drinks to salad dressings, all marketed as "guilt-free" ways to reduce calories and health risks associated with sugar consumption. But a bombshell report from the World Health Organization suggests these sweeteners may not live up to the health halo they've been given, which had the food industry scrambling. Today I'll provide an overview of some of the findings and my take as a nutritionist on whether these chemicals should be consumed in moderation or avoided outright.

First, what exactly are artificial sweeteners? They are a chemically diverse group of substances, either naturally occurring or synthetic, that provide a strong sweet taste but with little or no calories. Some sweeteners like Aspartame are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, where as others including Advantame are 20,000 times sweeter than sugar!

Sweeteners took off in popularity as public health initiatives like sugar taxes (designed to combat obesity) caused soft drink manufacturers to switch to sugar-free formulations. They've now become ubiquitous as processed food producers use them to reduce sugar and calories while retaining sweetness. But are sweeteners just a harmless replacement for sugar? That's what the WHO report calls into question.

WHO reviewed hundreds of existing studies on sweeteners and found consistent links between high consumption and increased risk of weight gain, heart disease, and diabetes—the very conditions sweeteners supposedly prevent. The evidence for benefits to oral health were also weak. This contradicts the marketing messaging of "guilt-free sweetness" promoted by sweetener manufacturers and UPF foods. Clearly more research is warranted on the long-term impacts of these additives.

As a nutritionist, I am wax lyrical about the 80/20 rule with eating. That is, eat a wholefood, low sugar and UPF diet 80% of the time and have 20% flexibility (whether that be eating a door wedge size piece of chocolate cake, enjoying a few drinks with friends or having a takeaway – whatever your jam). Everything in moderation, in my opinion, is the best approach because it is both achievable and sustainable – the two key ingredients to success. If that means some sweeteners creep into our diet in the 20%, it isn’t the end of the world. Consuming sweeteners in moderation is okay, but it’s best not to rely on them as a health solution.

I recommend focusing on minimally processed whole foods to limit exposure to chemicals including artificial sweeteners which do not benefit our health. Remember, artificial chemical created by humans are synthetic and because they’re not found in nature, our body cannot recognise them. Sugar, when consumed in excess, is indeed harmful to health but I would choose sugar over artificial sweetener (chemicals) every single time.

If you’re struggling with sugar cravings and want ideas for better alternatives to sweetener laden UPF’s, try these:

-        Berries with a small piece of organic dark chocolate

-        2 x organic medjool dates with nut butter

-        Fruit-based herbal teas

-        Try brushing your teeth after your evening meal to reduce temptation to snack (it works!)

-        Have a drink of still water – thirst can present as hunger pangs and cravings

Side note: sugar cravings are often a sign that our blood sugar is out of balance. In the long run, tackling the root cause of the blood sugar imbalance through dietary changes is preferrable to switching from artificial sweeteners to high levels of naturally occurring sugar. Other signs of blood sugar imbalance include feeling hungry often (even if you’re eating a lot), headaches, brain fog, irritability, low energy and fatigue.

In summary, my advice is employ a healthy scepticism towards the purported benefits of sweeteners and minimize exposure from processed foods by following a wholefoods diet 80% of the time.

Stay healthy,

Grace

Access the full study here-The price of ‘sugar free’: are sweeteners as harmless as we thought? | Health & wellbeing | The Guardian

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