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Dangers of Sweeteners

Many people want to limit their sugar intake to improve their diet. However, instead of limiting their sweets in general, a number of people choose to use artificial sweeteners (and products containing them) in place of natural sugar. Although this may seem like a good alternative, there are possible dangers associated with artificial sweeteners.

  1. Sugar Alcohols

    • Sugar alcohols contain calories and thus, are considered nutritive sweeteners. Their use as sugar substitutes is widespread because they have been proven to reduce the glycemic response more so than sugar and they also reduce the caloric intake. While sugar alcohols occur naturally in vegetables and fruits, they are more often consumed in foods with reduced sugar or sugar-free foods. Common sugar alcohols are: sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol and erythritol. These are typically found in sugar-free candies, chewing gum, confections and other products, such as spreads, beverages and some pharmaceutical products.

    Dangers of Sugar Alcohols

    • Sugar alcohols can lead to gastric upsets.

      Because sugar alcohols aren't completely absorbed by the body, they don't provide as many calories as sugar. However, this also causes some uncomfortable gastric consequences when consumed in high quantities, including diarrhea, abdominal gas and bloating. The labels of products containing sugar alcohols even have a warning label about the danger of these sweeteners producing a laxative effect. These negative results can be rather troublesome on your body, especially if they are getting in the way of your daily routine, and unfortunately, they will occur each and every time if the amount of sugar alcohols consumed is high enough.

    Non-nutritive Sweeteners

    • Non-nutritive sweeteners are another form of sugar alternatives. These are artificial sweeteners that have become increasingly popular due to their ability to reduce the caloric content of the foods that contain them when compared with sugar. There are five varieties of FDA-approved artificial sweeteners: acesfulame potassium, aspartame, neotame, saccharin and sucralose. Each non-nutritive sweetener has different qualities, including varying tastes and varying safety. Overall, however, artificial sweeteners seem to pose more dangers than sugar alcohols, even though they are popular with many consumers.

    Dangers of Non-nutritive Sweeteners

    • Non-nutritive or artificial sweeteners are potentially the most dangerous. These have been shown to cause a number of health risks to people, regardless of their general health. A major danger of these sweeteners is cancer, specifically of the blood or brain, which may be caused by regular use of artificial sweeteners. Some other serious consequences are the risk of panic attacks and depression, possible birth defects or infertility, allergic reactions, nervous system damage, persistent headaches, weight gain (a surprise for many of those who believe they are helping them to lose weight) and even Alzheimer's disease.

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