The price of ‘sugar free’: are sweeteners as harmless as we thought?
The price of ‘sugar free’: are sweeteners as harmless as we thought?
The long read: We know we need to cut down on sugar. But replacing it with artificial compounds isn’t necessarily the answer
In an era when sugar is widely seen as enemy No 1, sugar-free drinks and treats, sweetened with low-calorie additives, promise guilt-free sweetness. Some people deliberately choose low-sugar options in the hope of losing weight or managing diabetes; others just enjoy the taste. But even if you aren’t seeking them out, it’s hard to avoid artificial sweeteners. In 2021, researchers looked at foods for sale in Hong Kong and found that sweeteners were present not just in products where you would expect them, such as sugarless chewing gum, but also in salad dressings, breads, instant noodles and many crisps. Sweeteners have become such a common part of our diet that environmental scientists have started looking for traces of them – particularly acesulfame potassium, which passes through the body largely undigested – as a marker for human waste in lakes and rivers.
TL;DR: The article discusses the rise of artificial sweeteners as alternatives to sugar and their potential health effects. It mentions that while sweeteners promise guilt-free sweetness and are commonly used for weight management and diabetes, recent research questions their benefits. The World Health Organization (WHO) issued draft guidelines stating that consuming a lot of sweeteners could be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and weight gain. Despite industry claims, the study found that sweeteners aren't metabolically "inert" and may affect blood sugar and the gut microbiome. The article emphasizes that the best approach for health is reducing overall sweetness consumption and eating minimally processed, unsweetened foods. -GPT3
As harmless as we thought, yes; as helpful as promoted, there’s a debate.
Anecdotal, but I haven't known a single person that reversed their journey to obesity by replacing their sugar with artificial sweeteners. At the very least, it was encouraging them to continue (or increase) overeating because this stuff was supposedly not as bad.
But it looks like research is starting to indicate that it's the same end result, just maybe involving some different biochemical pathways to get there.