The truth about artificial sweeteners
May 3, 2005 | 12:00am
Thanks to the obesity epidemic, a growing number of people are trying to cut calories. That means more "diet" this and "no-sugar-added" that. Furthermore, the current low-carb craze has left manufacturers scrambling to take the sugar out of everything, from chocolate to ketchup to a Bloody Mary mix. The result? We’re eating more low-carb sweeteners than ever before.
A teaspoon of sugar contains only 16 calories, but over the course of the day, the sugar calories that we take in from our coffee, soft drinks, fruits, and desserts, for example, can pile up. Thus, it makes sense to turn to artificial sweeteners to keep calories under control without giving up some of our favorite foods. Sugar substitutes also allow people with diabetes to enjoy sweet-tasting foods without the harmful metabolic effects of sugar.
Artificial sweeteners add sweetness without calories in two ways. First, they are so sweet – 160 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar – that you need only a tiny bit to achieve the equivalent taste. You consume a fraction of a calorie to get the sweetness of many more calories worth of sugar. Second, the body doesn’t fully absorb them and therefore doesn’t fully absorb the few calories they contain.
Although ubiquitous and generally accepted, as well as FDA-approved, some artificial sweeteners continue to be dogged by safety concerns. Here’s the score on the five artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA:
• Sucralose and neotame are safe.
• Aspartame is probably safe.
• Acesulfame may or may not be safe; there’s not enough good research to tell.
• Saccharin may or may not be safe, but the risk is small.
So, although sweeteners are considered generally safe, some experts remain wary. On one hand, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) recently published a comprehensive report on sugar and artificial sweeteners affirming that artificial sweeteners are safe when used in the amounts specified by the FDA. On the other hand, the US Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a nutrition advocacy organization, believes that animal studies linking saccharin to cancer are a reason to ban it. CSPI also contends that there’s not enough evidence on the sweetener aspartame to be sure that it’s completely safe.
Here’s the latest scorecard showing which artificial sweeteners are safe – and which are questionable:
• Sucralose. Also known as Splenda. It is 600 times sweeter than sugar. What is it? Sugar (sucrose) chemically combined with chlorine. It is the only noncaloric sweetener made from sugar. Granulated Splenda can be substituted for sugar, spoon-for-spoon, in baking and cooking. Why it’s low-calorie: Our bodies can’t burn sucralose for energy. However, although it’s sometimes called a "no-calorie" sweetener, sucralose does have a small fraction of a calorie. Safety: Sucralose passed all safety tests in animal studies. Comments: There is no reason to suspect that sucralose causes any harm.
• Neotame. What is it? A synthetic derivative of a combination of aspartic acid and phenylalanine, the same two amino acids that are used to make aspartame. The bond between the amino acids is harder to break than aspartame’s, so neotame is more stable. It is 7,000-13,000 times sweeter than sugar. Why it’s low-calorie: Our bodies can’t metabolize neotame and only tiny amounts are needed to sweeten foods. Safety: Unlike aspartame, neotame is not broken down in the body into the amino acid phenylalanine, which is toxic to people with the rare disorder phenylketonuria (PKU). Animal and human studies have raised no safety concerns. Comments: Neotame is so new that it hasn’t yet appeared in any foods. Manufacturers anticipate its use in chewing gum, drinks, tabletop sweeteners, desserts, and baked goods, among other foods. It is made by the same company that produces NutraSweet (aspartame). Because it’s metabolized differently from aspartame, products that will contain neotame will not be required to carry the PKU warning. However, it’s always possible that once millions of consumers start taking neotame, some people may turn out to be sensitive to it.
• Aspartame. Also known as Equal, NutraSweet, and NutraTaste. It is 160-220 times sweeter than sugar. What is it? A synthetic derivative of a combination of the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Why it’s low-calorie: Only tiny amounts of aspartame are needed to sweeten foods. Safety: Despite anecdotal reports of adverse effects, the American Medical Association (AMA) and the FDA have both concluded that aspartame is safe at recommended levels. However, people with the rare disorder called phenylketonuria (PKU) can’t metabolize phenylalanine, so they should avoid it since it accumulates in the body to dangerous levels. Aspartame-containing foods must display a PKU warning. Comments: There’s no foundation to claims floating on the Internet that aspartame causes everything from Alzheimer’s disease to multiple sclerosis.
• Acesulfame. Also known as Sweet One and Sunett. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar. What is it? A synthetic chemical. Why it’s low-calorie: Our bodies can’t metabolize acesulfame. Safety: According to the FDA, the safety of acesulfame is backed by more than 90 studies. CSPI, however, contends that the FDA decision rests on three animal studies conducted in the mid-1970s that gave inconclusive results. Comments: Potassium salts stimulate the tongue’s sweetness receptors. Approved for general use in 2003, acesulfame K is incorporated in hundreds of products and can be used in baked goods. CSPI feels that it should be better tested and that until then, people should try to avoid using it.
• Saccharin. Also known as Sweet N Low, Sugar Twin, others. It is 200-700 times sweeter than sugar. What is it? Benzosulfimide, a synthetic chemical that was discovered in 1879 when a researcher at Johns Hopkins University noticed that a compound he spilled on his hand tasted sweet. Why it’s low-calorie: Our bodies can’t metabolize saccharin, and only tiny amounts are needed to sweeten foods. Safety: Saccharin was almost banned in 1977 because of studies in rats linking it to bladder cancer. Since then, the US National Cancer Institute and the FDA have concluded that saccharin use is not a major risk for bladder cancer in humans. Yet, there are cancer experts who continue to caution heavy saccharin users, "particularly those who heavily ingest the sweetener as a table top sweetener or through diet sodas." "Heavy" means "six or more servings of sugar substitute or two or more eight-ounce servings of diet drinks daily." Comments: Even CSPI, however, admits that the chance of getting cancer from an artificial sweetener is "very, very low."
Artificial sweeteners can be useful for weight or blood sugar control, but there are alternatives. You can train your taste buds to appreciate unsweetened flavors. Instead of reflexively stirring a sweetener into your coffee, for instance, try going without. Rather than diet soda, choose lightly flavored sparkling water. Eat smaller portions of the sweet foods you like rather than large quantities of their sugar-free substitutes.
The take-home message on sugar substitutes is this: Artificial sweeteners are generally okay in moderation. They can provide the sweetness and "lite-ness" that many people crave for!
A teaspoon of sugar contains only 16 calories, but over the course of the day, the sugar calories that we take in from our coffee, soft drinks, fruits, and desserts, for example, can pile up. Thus, it makes sense to turn to artificial sweeteners to keep calories under control without giving up some of our favorite foods. Sugar substitutes also allow people with diabetes to enjoy sweet-tasting foods without the harmful metabolic effects of sugar.
Artificial sweeteners add sweetness without calories in two ways. First, they are so sweet – 160 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar – that you need only a tiny bit to achieve the equivalent taste. You consume a fraction of a calorie to get the sweetness of many more calories worth of sugar. Second, the body doesn’t fully absorb them and therefore doesn’t fully absorb the few calories they contain.
• Sucralose and neotame are safe.
• Aspartame is probably safe.
• Acesulfame may or may not be safe; there’s not enough good research to tell.
• Saccharin may or may not be safe, but the risk is small.
So, although sweeteners are considered generally safe, some experts remain wary. On one hand, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) recently published a comprehensive report on sugar and artificial sweeteners affirming that artificial sweeteners are safe when used in the amounts specified by the FDA. On the other hand, the US Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a nutrition advocacy organization, believes that animal studies linking saccharin to cancer are a reason to ban it. CSPI also contends that there’s not enough evidence on the sweetener aspartame to be sure that it’s completely safe.
Here’s the latest scorecard showing which artificial sweeteners are safe – and which are questionable:
• Neotame. What is it? A synthetic derivative of a combination of aspartic acid and phenylalanine, the same two amino acids that are used to make aspartame. The bond between the amino acids is harder to break than aspartame’s, so neotame is more stable. It is 7,000-13,000 times sweeter than sugar. Why it’s low-calorie: Our bodies can’t metabolize neotame and only tiny amounts are needed to sweeten foods. Safety: Unlike aspartame, neotame is not broken down in the body into the amino acid phenylalanine, which is toxic to people with the rare disorder phenylketonuria (PKU). Animal and human studies have raised no safety concerns. Comments: Neotame is so new that it hasn’t yet appeared in any foods. Manufacturers anticipate its use in chewing gum, drinks, tabletop sweeteners, desserts, and baked goods, among other foods. It is made by the same company that produces NutraSweet (aspartame). Because it’s metabolized differently from aspartame, products that will contain neotame will not be required to carry the PKU warning. However, it’s always possible that once millions of consumers start taking neotame, some people may turn out to be sensitive to it.
Artificial sweeteners can be useful for weight or blood sugar control, but there are alternatives. You can train your taste buds to appreciate unsweetened flavors. Instead of reflexively stirring a sweetener into your coffee, for instance, try going without. Rather than diet soda, choose lightly flavored sparkling water. Eat smaller portions of the sweet foods you like rather than large quantities of their sugar-free substitutes.
The take-home message on sugar substitutes is this: Artificial sweeteners are generally okay in moderation. They can provide the sweetness and "lite-ness" that many people crave for!
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