Nutrition Science and Everyday Application - beta v 0.1

SUGAR SUBSTITUTES 241
diet versions, studies show that this can result in weight loss. That makes sense, because
you’re removing a lot of empty calories from the diet. 5
However, in the long-term, studies show there isn’t a clear benefit to consuming sugar
substitutes. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis combined the results of studies
that lasted at least 6 months. 6 Among the randomized controlled trials, they found no
difference in body mass index (BMI—a measure of the ratio of body weight to height)
between people who consumed sugar and those who consumed sugar substitutes.
Observational studies that tracked large groups over years found that people who
consumed sugar substitutes tended to have a higher BMI, greater weight and waist
circumference, and a higher incidence of obesity, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, type
2 diabetes, and cardiovascular events. 7 Because these are observational studies, we can’t
conclude that the sugar substitutes cause these health outcomes, but we can conclude that
their use is not associated with better health.
When it comes to weight management, the goal is to adopt eating habits that support
a sustainable healthy body weight. Sugar substitutes might help in the short-term with
decreasing calorie intake and perhaps gradually moving away from sweetened beverages,
but better long-term goals for health would be to shift to water and other unsweetened
beverages. If you’re looking for a way to sweeten your oatmeal or yogurt, you might try
adding fresh fruit rather than sugar or an artificial sweetener packet. (Or go ahead and add
a bit of brown sugar or a drizzle of honey, keeping in mind the overall goal of moderation.)
ARE HIGH-INTENSITY SWEETENERS SAFE?
Over the years, there have been a number of concerns about non-nutritive sweeteners. For
example, in the 1970s, studies showed that saccharin was linked to bladder cancer in lab
rats, so it was labeled as a potential carcinogen, although its use as a sweetener continued. In
2000, after many studies showed no link between cancer and saccharin, the warning labels
were no longer required. Some studies have also raised concerns about a link between
aspartame and sucralose and cancer, but the FDA has reviewed this evidence and concluded:
“Based on the available scientific evidence, the agency has concluded that the high-intensity
sweeteners approved by FDA are safe for the general population under certain conditions
of use.” The National Cancer Institute also says there is no clear evidence that high intensity
sweeteners cause cancer. 8