Dangerous artificial sweeteners you never knew

Have you ever heard someone say that they are “addicted” to sugar? Sugar and its role in our diet has, indeed, become a controversial topic while many people still blame the rise in overweight and obesity or even diabetes on that sweetener. As our intake of sugar has increased, so has our intake of artificial sweeteners like Aspartame, Xylitol, Stevia, and Saccharin.

There are a few people who can resist the taste of sweet foods. We are born with a preference for sweets, and it remains with us throughout our lives.

However, too much of the good things that we eat and chew can lead to problems such as dental cavities, tooth decay, obesity, and the health complications related to being overweight and other forms of illness, (for example, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, and heart disease). Problems such as osteoporosis and vitamin and mineral deficiencies can also occur when high-sugar foods replace more nutritionally balanced foods.

A fact no one can dispute is that the controversial sweeteners are made from chemicals, some of which are not only known to be harmful, but truly toxic. Whether artificial sweeteners are dangerous for you may come down to how well-defended your own body is against the chemicals they contain.

Reports from fitday.com shows a list of the top most dangerous artificial sweeteners, along with information about what is in them and the negative impact they can have on your health. From most dangerous to least:

Aspartame has Phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol in it and the reported side effects are: Headaches, fibromyalgia, anxiety, memory loss, arthritis, abdominal pain, nausea, depression, heart palpitations, irritable bowel syndrome, seizures, neurological disorders, vision problems, brain tumours and weight gain.

Aceslulfame-K is a potassium salt containing methylene chloride, a known carcinogen. Reported side effects is that long term exposure to methylene chloride can cause nausea, headaches, mood problems, impairment of the liver and kidneys, problems with eyesight and possibly cancer. Acesulfame-K may contribute to hypoglemica.

Sucralose is a synthetic additive created by chlorinating sugar. Manufacturers say the chlorine in sucralose is no different from that in table salt. Reported side effects includes head and muscle aches, stomach cramps and diarrhea, bladder issues, skin irritation, dizziness and inflammation.

Saccharin is a sulfa-based sweetener; its primary ingredient is benzoic sulfimide.

Reported side effects, saccharin may cause nausea, diarrhea, skin problems or other allergy-related symptoms.

The link between saccharin and bladder cancer has contributed to saccharin being the most investigated of all artificial sweeteners. To date, no connection between saccharin and bladder cancer in humans has been proven.

Hence, saccharin – christened ‘‘the poor man’s sugar’ formulated by German chemists over a century ago. Intriguingly, there are growing concerns over their potentially toxic effects. Diabetes, cancer, stroke, vomiting, dizziness – all have been cited as risks from sweetener consumption yet, none of these claims has stuck.

Today, sweeteners are a global industry worth hundreds of millions of pounds. They are found in more than 6,000 products from drinks and desserts to cakes, chewing gum and ready meals, according to a report by Dailymail.co.uk

Recent study from Purdue University in Indiana emerged, arguing that diet drinks containing artificial sweetener – aspartame – are no healthier than their full-sugar counterparts and contribute to weight gain, diabetes and heart disease.

Consumers due to health reasons have become heavy eaters of fruits and vegetables which are sold fresh in the open market and likewise grocery stores and are prevalent at roadsides. With a growing need for convenience among a larger working population, most well-informed consumers are now more health-conscious.

Given the growing incidence of hypertension and diabetes in the country, middle- and higher-income consumers are keen to stave off these diseases by consuming fruit drinks they consider healthier than carbonates.

What are sweeteners?

Sugar substitutes can be divided into four distinct groups with different health properties. Artificial sweeteners (such as aspartame and saccharin) are produced from chemical compounds that provide no calories, and are therefore referred to as non-nutritive sweeteners.

Sugar alcohols (such as sorbitol and xylitol) are derived from substances in many vegetables and fruits such as cherries. Novel sweeteners are the most recent addition to the sugar alternatives and mostly come from stevia extracts, a group of more than 200 shrubs and herbs in the sunflower family.

Artificial, sugar alcohol and novel sweeteners all taste many times – some hundreds of times – sweeter than sugar, so the amounts needed to create the same level of sweetness are dramatically lower.

The final group is the natural sweeteners such as fruit juices (fructose), agave nectar, honey and maple syrup, which are basically the same as sugar in terms of calorie and carbohydrate content.

Switching out artificial sweeteners for all-natural, low-sugar substitutes is a smart option; you just might feel better.

Anne Agbaje