Artificial Sweetener - Good or Bad

The sweetness of sugar is something that most of us can’t stay away from because as a kid we were conditioned to crave for sugar. Now days sugar is everywhere, you can find it in soft drinks, energy drinks, candy bars, canned vegetables, pancake mixes, bread, cereal, condiments, ice cream, the list can go on forever. Because of the easy access to junk food and popularity of fast food, the amount of sugar consumption in the United States has increase dramatically. According to USDA survey, per capita consumption is more than 150 pounds annually.

Sugar is great for giving you quick energy but also give you energy breakdown afterwards. Sugar is what nutritionists called empty calories which are foods that are high in calories but low in nutrition, such as processed food, fried food and junk food. The lack of nutrients can lead to certain diseases, prevent the body from functioning properly and drain the body of energy.

The popularity of fast food and junk food have many health experts worried about the negative impact it has on consumers. Fast food and junk food have been known to play a major role in the increase of diabetes and obesity. This epidemic is starting to affect the decision of consumers, many of them are seeking alternatives to refined sugar known as artificial sweetener.

The popularity of sweetener is actually a good thing for manufacturers because it is cost efficient and their profit margins is extremely high. Industry experts estimated that the market for sweetener will grow over $1.1 billion by 2010. Artificial sweetener also known as sugar substitute, is many time sweeter than regular sugar (sucrose) and is popular in weight loss, prevention of tooth decay and people with insulin deficiency. Artificial sweeteners have little calories, are tooth-friendly and are metabolized slower which allows blood sugar levels to remain more stable.

There are many controversy on how artificial sweeteners can cause cancer. Certain studies have confirmed that some artificial sweeteners can cause cancer in rats but have not provide clear evidence of how they are related to cancers in people.

Types of artificial sweetener (sugar substitutes)

1. Acesulfame Potassium - FDA approved
2. Alitame - Pending FDA approval
3. Aspartame - Lab tests had shown that aspartame caused brain tumors in rats but there are no conclusive evidence that it causes brain tumors in humans. Recent tests showed a link between aspartame and cancer in rats but is not relevant to humans. Aspartame is approved by the FDA.
4. Aspartame Acesulfame - FDA approved
5. Cyclamate - According to lab tests in rats in the 1970’s, high levels of cyclamates causes bladder cancer. This study isn’t very conclusive because rats are particularly susceptible to this disease. Cyclamate is banned in the United States by the FDA but is still used in many parts of the world.
6. Dulcin - FDA banned
7. Glucin - Is similar to saccharin because it is derived from coal tar. Unlike saccharin, glucin doesn’t store well and reacts easily to other food ingredients because it is water soluble. Glucin is prohibited in the United States due to health concerns.
8. Neohesperidin Dihydrochalcone - Has not been approved by the FDA
9. Neotame - FDA approved
10. P-4000 - Was accidentally discovered in the early 1900’s and used during world war 2 in Europe as a commercial sweetener. Due to its strong anesthetic effect on the mouth and high toxicity in rats, P-4000 is banned by the FDA.
11. Saccharin - One of the first artificial sweetener, studies in the 1960 showed that high levels of saccharin causes bladder cancer in rats. The studies are not directly related to humans because the mechanism that causes the cancer is not found in humans. The FDA did banned saccharin but the ban was lifted in 1991. Most countries allow the use of saccharin but at low doses.
12. Sucralose - Is one of the most used artificial sweetener, most of the substance passes through the digestive tract unchanged. Sucralose is part of a class of chemicals called organochlorides, some organochlorides are highly toxic which is why there are a lot of controversy about this sweetener. Sucralose is extemely insoluble in fat and doesn’t break down or dechlorinate. Sucralose is FDA approved.
13. Isomalt - Approved in the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

There are many controversy about artificial sweeteners but to say that they are all dangerous isn’t the best answer. If you really think about it, every time you eat food you are consuming small levels of toxin into your system. Fried food and grilled food are a nice example of this.

What are your thoughts about artificial sweeteners? Feel free to leave a comment.

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