Artificial sweeteners add a sweet flavor to food with significantly fewer calories than sugar. Because they are much sweeter than sugar, you only need to use a tiny amount. Your body does not totally absorb these sweeteners, therefore only a portion of the calories are absorbed as well, according to Harvard HEALTHbeat. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration must review and approve artificial sweeteners. While some evidence suggests that these sweeteners may have adverse effects, more studies are needed to definitively demonstrate risks to humans.
Saccharin-Cancer Link
After lab rat studies performed in the early 1970s found a link between the artificial sweetener saccharin and bladder cancer, the U.S. government required further investigation and required saccharin-containing products to include a warning label, according to the National Cancer Institute. More research, however, found that the results only occurred in rats and no consistent evidence linked saccharin to human cancer. As of 2000, saccharin is no longer listed as part of the “Report on Carcinogens” by the U.S. National Toxicology Program.
Aspartame-Cancer Link
The National Cancer Institute also cites a lab study from 2005 that found that rats fed high doses of the artificial sweetener aspartame were more likely to have leukemias and lymphomas than rats consuming less. The research was inconsistent, however, as increasing intake of aspartame didn’t necessarily correlate with an increasingly higher risk. Furthermore, the National Cancer Institute examined human data and found that people with increasing consumption of aspartame-containing drinks weren’t more likely to develop leukemia, lymphoma or brain cancer.
Weight Gain
In 2008, a study published in “Behavioral Neuroscience” linked consumption of no-calorie sweeteners with increasing difficulty controlling calorie intake and maintaining a healthy weight. In the study, rats that ate yogurt containing the artificial sweetener saccharin ended up eating more calories later on, gaining more weight, having higher levels of body fat and not compensating by cutting back later on. The authors hypothesized that eating artificial sugar has this effect because the sweetness tells the brain that it is about to take in a large quantity of calories. This prompts the digestive and ingestive reflexes to prepare for that intake, but the system becomes confused when the calories don’t arrive. The confusion can lead the body to use less energy and crave more calories than normal. Although the study was performed on rats, the authors of the study linked their findings to increasing evidence that people who consume more artificially sweetened drinks are more likely to be obese and have metabolic syndrome.
Aspartame and PKU
Although research now indicates that aspartame isn’t likely to cause cancer, it does pose safety risks to people who have a condition called phenylketonuria, or PKU. This condition occurs when the body doesn’t metabolize an amino acid called phenylalanine, according to MedlinePlus. Aspartame contains phenylalanine. If a person with PKU doesn’t receive treatment, he is at risk of suffering severe mental and physical side effects. Adults must adhere to a low-phenylalanine diet to avoid complications.
Considerations
Having artificial sweeteners from time to time may be safe for most people. In fact, if used in moderation they could help you maintain your weight, according to MayoClinic.com. Foods with artificial sweeteners, however, aren’t necessarily free of calories and they generally don’t have the same health advantages as whole foods such as vegetables and whole grains. To cut back on sugar without consuming too many artificial sweeteners, drink flavored seltzer water rather than having a diet soda, replace added sugar in your cereal and yogurt with fresh fruit and examine packaged labels to find options with the lowest sugar content, recommends Harvard HEALTHbeat.
References
- Harvard HEALTHbeat: Are Artificial Sweeteners Safe?
- National Cancer Institute: Artificial Sweeteners and Cancer
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA Statement on European Aspartame Study; 2006
- “Annals of Oncology”; Artificial Sweeteners – Do They Bear a Carcinogenic Risk?; M. Weihrauch, et al; 2004
- “Behavioral Neuroscience”; A Role for Sweet Taste: Calorie Predictive Relations in Energy Regulation by Rats; S. Swithers, et al; 2008
- ScienceDaily: Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Weight Gain; 2008
- Arizona Cooperative Extension; Sugar Substitutes – Are They Safe?; 2008
- MayoClinic.com: Artificial Sweeteners: Understanding These and Other Sugar Substitutes
- MedlinePlus: Phenylketonuria
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