Artificial sweeteners: friend or foe?

By Sarah Alaoui
Staff Writer

I was born with my mother’s eyes and my father’s mouth, my mother’s sensitivity and my father’s stubborn nature. I was also blessed with my father’s sweet tooth, a genetic history of diabetes that has plagued many members of my family (including my grandfather whose prosthetic leg is the result of his lifelong battle with an unrelenting affinity towards sweets) and an Arab family who loves to cook and feed me (koul, koul!).

When I stay in my grandparents’ house in Morocco, I am spoiled with kisses from more aunts and great-aunts than I can count on both hands and a daily abundance of…sugar. Breakfast includes Moroccan pancakes soaked-er, drizzled-in honey, a plethora of cookies with almonds and jam prepared in every way possible and of course, Moroccan mint tea. The tea, which is served after almost every meal is the biggest perpetrator because it is served with generous amounts of sugar cubes- “Let her drink it, she doesn’t need to be worrying about sugar at this age!” I don’t refuse the aforementioned food-how could I, that would just be rude. Let’s be honest, though, I don’t fare any better in the United States. Brownies and cookies are my downfall, not to mention my newfound comfort food discovered during finals week in college- self-serve frozen yogurt with any and every topping imaginable (cheesecake bites, anyone?).

With my family’s medical history and a long list of future goals, including the chance to interview Fidel Castro before he dies (don’t ask), I couldn’t afford to keep up this sweet diet. Going completely cold turkey, however, could potentially be as shocking to my system as sugar is. I came to a compromise by occasionally incorporating Splenda and other artificial sweeteners into my diet. If I was craving soda, I’d pop open a Diet Coke. If I wanted cookies, I’d Google a recipe that contained sugar substitutes. However the term “artificial” also scared me. While an excess of sugar definitely has a detrimental impact on the body, are the alternatives any better? I decided to do my research and find out.

Searches on the safety of artificial sweeteners came up with a litany of results examining the sugar substitutes’ relation to cancer, weight gain and an increase of headaches. Before any conclusions can be drawn, one needs to distinguish between the different categories of sweeteners. Expert Cynthia Haines (Health Central) breaks them down:

“Acesulfame K (Sunett, Sweet One): Acesulfame K is found in many food products and can be used in baked goods. Its safety is backed by a multitude of studies, according to the FDA.

Saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low, Sugar Twin): Saccharin was close to being banned in 1977 due to rat studies linking it to bladder cancer. The National Cancer Institute and the FDA have since concluded that its use is not a major risk for bladder cancer in humans (because the rats during the study were given a dangerously high amount of the product, indicating that such a large consumption may potentially be harmful).

Aspartame (Nutra-Sweet, Equal): The American Medical Association and the FDA have both concluded that aspartame is safe in moderation. One exception: People with a medical condition called phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid it. These people cannot metabolize part of aspartame, allowing it to accumulate in the body to dangerous levels.

Sucralose (Splenda): Sucralose is sugar chemically altered into the non-caloric sucralose. Splenda can be substituted for sugar in baking and cooking.

Neotame: Neotame is a recently approved artificial sweetener made by the same company that produces NutraSweet (aspartame). Products containing neotame are not required to carry the PKU warning as it is chemically different from aspartame and therefore does not have the same issue described above.”

According to this data and other complementary information found on Associated Content, sucralose (Splenda) seems to be the safest sweetener based on the fact that test participants have not indicated any negative side effects from having consumed the product. It has been approved in an increasing number of countries for consumption, further emphasizing its apparent safety.
It is also important to note that while artificial sweeteners do not raise blood sugar levels, products that contain them also include carbohydrates and proteins that could affect levels.

At this point, although some people think there might be a correlation between certain side effects and artificial sweetener, there is not enough proof to draw a concrete causation. Because the effects of these products have not been tested long enough, it is best to use these products in moderation.

Because of the availability of these alternative sweeteners, my family and I are able to modify our favorite recipes and still continue to live the sweet life.

Published in The Independent Monitor September 2009 issue.

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