Dive into the world of artificial sweeteners and uncover the surprising facts that the industry doesn’t want you to know.
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
Aspartame, Sucralose, Saccharin, and High Fructose Corn Syrup are all artificial sweeteners. They are alike in that they give foods and beverages a sweet taste, minus the calories and carbohydrates of regular sugar. But let’s look at how they differ and, more importantly, why they are detrimental as part of your diet:
ASPARTAME
Aspartame, marketed under the names Equal® and NutraSweet®, was FDA-approved in 1981, despite flawed testing data and brain tumor findings in animal testing. It is used in hundreds of food products, including cereals, yogurt, fruit juices, drugs, teas, coffees and soft drinks. Although people who are dieting often use it as a sugar substitute, studies have shown that aspartame may actually increase your appetite and lead to greater weight gain!
Aspartame accounts for over 75% of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Certain chronic illnesses can result from, or be made worse by, ingesting aspartame, including brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, intellectual disability, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and diabetes. For diabetics and pre-diabetics, it is important to note that Aspartame can raise insulin levels and increase insulin resistance.
SUCRALOSE
Sucralose, marketed under the name Splenda®, is made by adding chlorine to sugar molecules. With limited human testing, sucralose was approved by the FDA in 1998. In laboratory animals, sucralose has resulted in decreased red blood cell count, slower growth rate, spontaneous abortion, longer pregnancies, decreased fetal weight, enlarged liver and kidneys, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and diarrhea. Many who have used Splenda® have reported incidences of depression that disappeared once they stopped consuming it.
SACCHARIN
Saccharin, marketed under the name Sweet and Low®, is the “granddaddy” of all artificial sweeteners and has been around for almost 140 years. In 1977, it was determined that saccharin caused bladder cancer in laboratory animals. Consequently, the FDA ordered that all saccharine- containing products carry a warning label.
STEVIA
Stevia is a sweetener derived from a natural plant. Although it is commonly used, some say it has a bitter aftertaste and can even cause bloating and nausea. Also, stevia can promote hypoglycemia due to its stimulation of insulin so please minimize its use.
Abstinence from these sugar substitutes—and from processed sugar—is in your best interest if you want to avoid any of their potential harmful side effects!
Most “sugar-free” and “diet” foods introduce these chemical sweeteners to reduce calories while preserving sweet taste, so it’s not enough to simply try to find light, diet, or “health” foods. Eating natural foods is the best method to avoid these artificial sweeteners.
SUGAR
Sugar itself is not the “bad guy.” Sugar, unlike artificial sweeteners, is a natural substance found in most fruits, vegetables, dairy, and grains. However, most of the sugar in today’s food is refined or processed sugar that comes from sugar cane or sugar beets and not in its natural state. High in sucrose, processed sugar is void of any nutritional value and only serves to sweeten foods.
HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
High Fructose Corn Syrup, also known as HFCS, is used in most processed foods, breads, candy, flavored yogurts, salad dressings, canned vegetables, condiments, and cereals. HFCS is a highly refined artificial sweetener that has quickly become the number one source of calories in the United States. HFCS packs on the pounds faster than any other ingredient, increases your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels, and contributes to the development of obesity and diabetes.
Our bodies were never designed to eat processed sugar, nor were they meant to consume the amount of sugar that is present in our diets today. An overabundance of sugar has been directly linked to imbalances and inflammation in the body, plus a host of other health problems.
Consider the following effects of regularly eating processed sugar:
- Increased inflammation Increased insulin resistance Increased risk of obesity Weight gain
- Acceleration of the aging process
- Decreased liver function
- Increased uric acid levels
- Increased risk factors for heart/kidney disease Deposition of fat in the abdomen.
- Elevated blood pressure
- Elevated triglycerides
- Elevated LDL cholesterol
- Depletion of vitamins and minerals Increased proliferation of cancer cells Increased risk for diabetes Heightened food cravings.
- Increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease
Check out the ALIGNED & THRIVING PODCAST episode “What’s lurking in the grocery store” to learn more.
