Sugar Substitutes: Good or Bad?

The ongoing debate about whether sugar substitutes are good for your health or not can be quite confusing at times. One blog or newspaper article discusses the dangers of aspartame, while another article discusses the newest sugar substitute with no adverse effects.

So, what is the truth? Are sugar substitutes saving you from hundreds of damaging empty calories or are they doing more damage to your body than good?

The short answer is: it depends.

This might not be the easy answer you were hoping for, but the truth is that there are so many sugar substitutes out there, and so many factors that may result in different safety effects, that we could write an article per sugar substitute to discuss it.

However, there are some generalities we can discuss regarding the positive and negative effects of sugar substitutes in general, to help you decide what is healthiest for you and your body.

Pros of Using Sugar Substitutes

• Avoid excess calories: This is nothing new- it is the main reason that people use sugar substitutes. The average American eats almost 20 teaspoons of added sugar a day, which is about 66 lbs. of sugar a year.
• They don’t sacrifice taste. Some people cannot truly enjoy their morning cup of coffee without a touch of sweetness. With sugar substitutes, especially those that are more natural, you get the best of both worlds – sweetness and little to feel guilty about.
• They don’t affect your blood sugar. After you consume something with simple carbohydrates, your blood sugar rises quickly. If this happens often, it could lead to pre-diabetes, and eventually, type two diabetes. After consuming an artificial sweetener, your blood sugar doesn’t spike.
• Natural sweeteners promote good health. Natural sweeteners often still have a range of nutrients and components, offsetting or avoiding some of the negative elements mentioned below.

Cons of Using Sugar Substitutes

• Might be a link between artificial sweeteners and cancer. There are many studies that demonstrate how people who used artificial sweeteners have a greater chance of having cancer. However, the National Cancer Institute shows that this link is still unclear. Even so, it is important to take precautions.
• Can cause more frequent diarrhea. Those artificial sweeteners that contain alcohols may have a laxative effect.
• May raise cholesterol levels. When there is regular and excessive consumption of sugar substitutes, it may inhibit the liver’s ability to process fats, which may lead to a chronic disease.
• May not reduce your cravings: even though sugar substitutes give you the sensation of eating something sweet, your body may quickly realize that it’s not getting the calories it expects. Then, your body may continue to demand sweet things.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that all of these pros and cons are very generalized. As mentioned earlier that there are a series of studies about the effects linked to specific artificial sweeteners. It is important to stay informed, especially when trying new sweeteners, and keep in mind as to whether there are any negative effects of eating too much for too long or not.