Is Sugar the Enemy or Are Alternative Sweeteners Even Worse?

The average American consumes about 7 teaspoons of added sugar per day, quickly raising calorie intake and tanking overall diet quality. It's obvious we should make every effort to reduce the impact that added sugar has on our health, and people are now looking for healthier ways to satisfy their sweet tooth. Not surprisingly, companies jumped at the chance to come up with the perfect no- or low-calorie sweeteners to provide plenty of options. But are these sweeteners really as safe and healthy as we are led to believe?There are dozens of studies touting the benefits of these non-nutritive sweeteners--or artificial sweeteners. Advocates say that they help with weight loss, metabolic health, and blood sugar control. But some caution that there's more harm being done beneath the surface. Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of using artificial sweeteners as a way to reduce caloric intake. And then the possible negative effects that these sugar substitutes can have on human health and the microbiome. Is sugar really the enemy, or are alternative sweeteners even worse? What are artificial sweeteners exactly? Often referred to in the nutritional science community as non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS), there are multitude of artificial sweeteners such as: Sucralose Acesulfame-K Saccharin Stevia Aspartame Xylitol and other sugar alcohols These artificial sweeteners are low-calorie and are commonly found in many processed foods like diet drinks, chewing gum, protein powders, sugar-free desserts, and candy—just to name a few. They even hide in places you wouldn’t suspect, like children’s cough medicine. There are also other sugar substitutes out there to choose from, including monk fruit or polyols such as erythritol. Research on many of these more "natural sweeteners" is still unfolding. Need help getting blood sugar under control? Learn more about conditions we treat: Diabetes Good for your health, or worse than sugar? Depending on who you ask, artificial sweeteners are either a tasty and convenient tool for weight loss or harmful food additives that ruin your gut microbiome and whose health concerns are way higher than natural sugars. However, it's easy to see the upside if these kinds of sugar substitutes. People with a sweet tooth often struggle to lose weight, but with a sugar substitute with zero calories, you can enjoy a treat or dessert while both calorie intake and blood sugar levels are within a range that supports your goals. Because most artificial sweeteners are either low- or no-calorie, proponents argue that they're also a better alternative for long-term metabolic health, i.e. they may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, or cholesterol issues.  Though many studies have confirmed the safety of various artificial sweeteners as a sugar substitute, other studies highlight potential negative effects. Some research, for example, has indicated a potential link between artificial sweeteners and an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (1).  Related: How to Control Your ‘Hunger Hormone’ Alternative sweeteners alter the microbiome When we examine the potential downside of artificial sweeteners is where we enter into a little controversy. Some experts in the health community point to studies that show that certain sweeteners can alter the composition of the gut microbiome (2). In these studies, the sweeteners changed the intestinal bacteria of mice, which play important roles in regulating metabolism, appetite, and fat storage. Given how essential the microbiome is to overall health, this is obviously a point of concern for many. More recently, however, a randomized controlled trial using human subjects found specific changes to the gut microbiome associated with the consumption of artificial sweeteners (3). The finding is important because it presents data that challenges the assumption that sugar substitutes have zero negative effect on the human body.  This study serves as evidence that sugar substitutes like sucralose and stevia impact the gut microbiome. What researchers don’t yet know is whether those changes to our gut are detrimental. But given how important our gut health is, this is something that warrants further investigation. Shop: High-quality probiotics