The Health Concerns of Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners have received a lot of attention over the past 30 years with regards to their effects on health. In a recent post on the Good Life we discussed the use of sweeteners as part of a healthy diet. Today we look at the role of sweeteners in diabetes, obesity, pregnancy, and in children.

Are sweeteners safe for use in diabetics?

The original motivation for the development of sweeteners was to provide a sweet taste without energy for people with diabetes and those wanting to lose weight. Artificial sweeteners are good alternatives to sugar if you are diabetic as sweeteners do not raise blood sugar levels the way as sugar does. It is well recognized that sweetener use does not cause diabetes. However, high intakes of fructose is not recommended for people with diabetes as diets high in fructose have been shown to increase the blood lipid triglyceride, and increase bad (LDL) cholesterol levels- factors of which diabetics are at an increased risk for.

Have sweeteners caused the increase in obesity rates?

Probably the most appealing characteristic of sweeteners is that they are non-nutritive, meaning that it contains virtually no calories. Therefore, sweeteners may form part of a healthy weight loss plan. Nonnutritive sweeteners have the potential to promote weight loss if overweight or obese. Non-nutritive sweeteners have the potential to save 16 kcal per teaspoon of replaced sugar. This replacement could result in a calorie deficit of 380 kcal per day, the equivalent of 500g weight loss in about 10 days (if sugar intake was at 25 tsp daily.) This energy saving could be substantial in those who consume high quantities of added sugar.  Another benefit of non-nutritive sweeteners is that they can enhance the palatability of low-energy foods and thus aid in reducing total energy intake.

The prevalence of obesity has increased substantially at the same time as the consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners has increased, leading some to believe that sweeteners cause obesity. Scientific evidence supports that intakes of nutritive sweeteners by themselves does not increase the risk of obesity. It must be remembered and emphasized that obesity is a complex and multi-faceted problem, and its cause cannot simply be attributed to any one component as excess body fat arises from an energy imbalance caused by taking in too much energy and expending too little. 

 

Are sweeteners safe for use in pregnant woman?

Use of nutritive sweeteners is acceptable during pregnancy. Sweeteners have been deemed safe by numerous regulatory bodies and expert communities around the world. Thus, the consumption of acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, and neotame within acceptable daily intakes is safe during pregnancy.

Do sweeteners cause cancer?

The National Cancer Institute of America disputes any link between sweeteners and cancer. There is no scientific evidence to suggest that high intakes of sweeteners are the cause of increasing cancer rates. As seen in the table above, none of the five FDA approved sweeteners are carcinogenic (cancer-causing).

Sweetener use in children

One area involves the safety of sweeteners for use by children, when sweetener intakes are high relative to their lower body weight. Scientific evidence supports that intakes of sweeteners by themselves do not cause behavioral disorders.

It must be remembered that the South African Food-based Dietary Guidelines recommend the use of sugar (and sugar-containing products) sparingly. The Good Life Dietitians recognize and appreciate that sweeteners can add to the pleasure of eating, and that sweeteners can help in improving the quality of a healthy diet if consumed in appropriate quantities.

Source

Position of the American Dietetic Association: Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweeteners. J Am Diet Assoc. 2004; 104:255-275.

International Sweeteners Association. www.sweeteners.org