What Are Artificial Sweeteners
You have probably heart that artificial sweeteners are not good for you. But have you ever wondered what they are and why they are not good? Keep reading to find out!
What Are Artificial Sweeteners?
Artificial sweeteners are substitutes to sugar and they are food additives. They are made in a lab to mimic the flavor of sugar. Artificial sweeteners do not contain any calories and are not broken down by your digestive system. The six artificial sweeteners of the FDA are advantame, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium.
Are artificial sweeteners bad for you?
As with basically everything in the food industry, this statement is debated. Some Qing Yang of Harbin Engineering University states that artificial sweeteners may increase appetite by activating reward pathways. There is also scientists stating that artificial sweeteners increase insulin levels in the blood since the pancrea mistakes them for sugar. A study in 2017 found that those who consume artificially sweetened soda had a higher risk of dementia and stroke.
When comparing eating artificial sugars to eating real sugar, there isn’t much difference. Overconsumption of sugar is linked to diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Artificial sweeteners on the other hand causes damages to the brain, gut bacteria, and pancreas. Overall, it is important to have an overall balanced diet and to limit your intake of both artificial and real sweeteners.
cites
Chattopadhyay, Sanchari, Utpal Raychaudhuri, and Runu Chakraborty. "Artificial sweeteners–a review." Journal of food science and technology 51.4 (2014): 611-621.
Weihrauch, M. R., and V. Diehl. "Artificial sweeteners—do they bear a carcinogenic risk?." Annals of Oncology 15.10 (2004): 1460-1465.
Pearlman, Michelle, Jon Obert, and Lisa Casey. "The association between artificial sweeteners and obesity." Current gastroenterology reports 19.12 (2017): 1-8.
Brown, Rebecca J., Mary Ann De Banate, and Kristina I. Rother. "Artificial sweeteners: a systematic review of metabolic effects in youth." International Journal of Pediatric Obesity 5.4 (2010): 305-312.
