Are Artificial Sweeteners a Good Alternative to Sugar?

In an effort to limit sugar intake and calories derived from sugar many people turn to artificial sweeteners as a sweetening option. Unfortunately this may not be the best option for long term health. Not only have studies shown that using artificial sweeteners regularly actually retrains your taste buds to want more sweeter and sweeter foods, but this can also lead to greater risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, kidney damage and more.

How is it possible artificial sweeteners, non-nutritive (no calorie) sweeteners could lead to obesity or type 2 diabetes?

When we eat something sweet our bodies prepare for it by releasing dopamine, a pleasure hormone, and leptin, an appetite regulating hormone. The leptin tells the brain once you’re body has consumed enough calories. When consuming no calorie sweeteners the satiated feeling doesn’t occur, the pleasure hormone doesn’t turn off, and the body wants more food. This will in turn cause carb cravings. (1)

Also after consuming artificial sweeteners regularly it may actually be possible for someone to no longer find the naturally sweet foods like fruits as appealing and really not like the unsweet foods like vegetables. So now they’re reaching for sweet foods over nutritious foods in turn causing weight gain. (2)

5 Common Artificial Sweeteners

1. Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet, NatraTaste Blue) – Widely used in foods, drinks and prescription drugs and over-the-counter medication.
   Common Side Effects: Headaches, Migraines, Mood Disorders, Dizziness, and Episodes of Mania
2.  Acesulfame K (ACE K, Sunette, Equal Spoonful, Sweet One, Sweet ‘n Safe) – Most commonly found in sugar free chewing gum, sweetened yogurts, candies, protein powders and alcoholic beverages.
   Common Side Effects: The human body can’t break it down and is believed to have negative affects on the metabolism.
3. Sucralose (Splenda) – It’s 600 times sweeter than sugar. While it was derived from sugar or sucrose it’s actually a chlorinated sucrose derivative found when developing a new insecticide compound.
   Common Side Effects: Migraines, Dizziness, Intestinal Cramping, Rashes, Acne, Headaches, Bloating and Chest Pains
4. Saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low, Sweet Twin) – Often found in children’s medication like chewable aspirin, cough syrup, over-the-counter medication, and prescription medication.
   Common Side Effects: It’s believed to contribute to Photo Sensitivity, Digestive Upset, Nausea, Some Types of Cancer, and Tachycardia
5. Xylitol, Sorbitol (Sugar Alcohols that end in -itol) – Commonly found in hard candies, cookies, soft drinks and other snacks labeled “sugar-free.”
   Common Side Effects: Sugar alcohols are not absorbed well by the body so can cause an allergic reaction. They can cause Bloating, Diarrhea, Cramping and Gas

As you can see just from this list alone there’s many reasons to avoid regularly consuming artificial sweeteners based on their side effects alone. That being said there are other names these sweeteners go by if you’re wanting to avoid them all together.

Other Artificial Sweetener Names

• Acesulfame potassium
• Advantame
• Alitame
• Cyclamate
• Dulcin
• Erythritol
• Glucin
• Kaltame
• Lactitol
• Mannitol
• Maltitol
• Maltitol Syrup
• Mogrosides
• Neotame
• Nutrinova
• Phenlalanine
• Twinsweet

Keep your eyes peeled. Read your labels closely. You will most likely be surprised where you find artificial sweeteners hiding.

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