Do you know why sugar and other sweeteners are routinely making the news? Because we humans struggle to resist all things sweet, and often end up eating too much of them. Ever heard of anyone struggling to cut back on their fruits and veggies?
New studies continue to endorse the age-old finding that sugar is not good for our health. The May 2023 issue of the Neuroscience News Science Magazine reports a possible link between high sugar consumption and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. The study finds that excessive sugar intake can lead to the build up of amyloid plaques in the brain, which is a tell-tale sign of the disease.
With growing evidence of the harmful effects of sugar, we have naturally (!) gravitated towards artificial sweeteners. However, since the recent release of the WHO report on non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS), commonly known as artificial sweeteners, the nutrition community has been in a tizzy. Those of us who have been using these sweeteners are in a state of panic.
Before diving into the issue at hand, let’s look at some well-accepted facts.
Food calories are essential to survival, but calories consumed in excess can lead to a host of problems. Excesses of all kinds (even of the good things) are best avoided, and the rule applies to both sugar and NNS.
Only because a food product does not contain sugar or artificial sweetener does not make it healthy. Consuming cans of diet cola or gallons of coffee is simply not healthy, even if there’s no trace of sugar in it. Always look at the inherent value of the food first.
An Overview of the WHO report on NNS
It’s important to note that this report is based on an examination (systematic reviews and meta-analysis) of older studies. It is not based on any newly conducted large-scale study that reveals any new data.
Based on the analysis of about 280 existing studies, the WHO report says that NNS do not contribute to weight loss.
Secondly, experts have pointed out that some of the studies included in the meta-analysis have been conducted on mice or rats, and therefore those results cannot serve as clear evidence to formulate health policies for humans.
Why NNS may not be working for weight loss
NNS is mistakenly perceived as some sort of a magic pill that will aid weight loss. When trying to lose weight, we tend to replace regular soda with diet soda to comply with the calorie-saving goals. Once this is done, the euphoria usually leads people to overeat. The notion that desserts prepared with NNS can be eaten in larger portions can also lead to an imbalance in consumption, hence weight loss goals are not achieved as expected.
Concerns associated with consuming NNS
While using NNS, it is advisable to stay within the safe zone of consumption. All artificial sweeteners approved for human use have a prescribed safety limit.
Some studies (observational) show that NNS actually makes you eat more. When the body is ‘fooled’ by the NNS, it compensates by keeping you feeling hungry, which is why you’re likely to consume more calories than what you had skipped by using the artificial sweetener.
Studies on the human gut microbiome show that the microbial response to the NNS is not favourable to weight loss.
NNS have their limitations, but many experts believe that the warning about NNS seems to be too alarmist and exaggerated. While this matter continues to be debated and discussed further, it is advisable to take the middle path. Be it sugar or NNS, make sure not to consume it in excess.
Here are some ways you can control your intake of sweeteners:
Consume dessert or sweet only on special occasions, even if you are healthy and in the normal weight range.
Limit the use of NNS to a few drops or a couple of tablets in a day. This is unlikely to cause harm.
Get your diet customized by a qualified dietitian if you are trying to lose weight. Weight loss diets are much more than just about cutting calories.
Keep in mind that the guideline with regard to sweeteners is different if you are a pre-diabetic or diabetic individual.
This report by the WHO is about weight loss in particular.
Artificial vs. Natural Sweeteners
A panel of experts at the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is examining and evaluating the WHO guideline. I hope that the report that they release also answers some other important questions:
Are all NNS comparable to each other, or are some better than the rest?
Can we equate a chemically formulated sweetener like aspartame with natural sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit extract, or sugar alcohols like erythritol?
The quest to find the answers goes on, and I’m sure I will have more to say on this subject in the time to come.
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Ms. Neelanjana Singh, Nutrition Consultant & Author |
