What Happens When You Add That Sugar-Free Packet To Your Coffee?

We visit our favorite coffee shop and order the usual: coffee with almond milk, no sugar. Instead, we reach for two packets of calorie-free sugar substitute. Good choice, right? Think again. In terms of long-term health, it's possible that this small-seeming choice in sweetener comes with side effects.

Zero calorie sweeteners with no sugar may seem like a no-brainer food swap. In fact, switching to calorie and sugar-free sweeteners is a growing trend all over the world. As many of us are aware, sugar itself can lead to some serious health issues as well, from diabetes to obesity and high blood pressure. It’s no wonder many of us are making a switch to these alternatives, but is it the right call?

The Growing Sugar-free Trend

According to the New York Times, 11% of food items on American supermarkets shelves will be labelled as reduced sugar this year. That’s a pretty large number in the grand scheme of things. What hasn’t changed, however, is America’s sweet tooth. This reduction in sugar does not mean these products are becoming any less sweet. In order to cut the calories that come along with table sugar or high fructose corn syrup, some sort of substitution for sweetener must be made.

The demand for artificial sweeteners is growing and they are popping up in everything: diet drinks and sodas, desserts, savory foods and breads, energy bars, gums, sugar-free teas, chocolates, yogurts, creamers - even toothpastes, mouthwash and vitamins.

There are 5 artificial sweeteners approved for consumption - acesulfame, aspartame, neotame, saccharin (which many countries have actually banned,) and sucralose.

Cause for Concern?

If there are questions on the safety of sweeteners, then why then are they on the market at all? As we pointed out in a past article on sucralose, the issue stems from the fact that most artificial sweeteners are tested on lab rats, not humans. Rats are given such high dosages daily that the FDA has deduced we as humans would never consume the same quantities and so would never experience the same symptoms shown in laboratory rats. That being said, the artificial products produced in a lab and meant for humans to consume regularly do cause wide-ranging health issues in these rats and give us, personally, a cause for some concern. The fact of the matter is, we don’t know enough about these artificial sweeteners and their long term effects on the body to rule out any potential issues.

What we do know is that in studies done on lab rats, symptoms experienced include a wide range of issues including shrunken thymus glands, enlarged livers, kidney disorders, cancers and infertility.

The short term studies that have been conducted on humans have shown a much smaller spectrum of symptoms ranging from digestive disturbances, bloating, and weight gain to mood-related symptoms from anxiety, depression and mania. 

Over the years the makers of sweeteners keep track of data from their users. This information is public and we can track firsthand the symptoms possibly associated with these products here. Here are some of the most commonly suspected risks associated with these calorie-free, sugar-free sweeteners...

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References:

Kirtida R. Tandel. J Pharmacol Pharmacother. 2011 Oct-Dec; 2(4): 236–243. Sugar substitutes: Health controversy over perceived benefits
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The Chalkboard Mag and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. All material on The Chalkboard Mag is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program. 

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