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Many individuals turn to artificial sweeteners to control their weight and shed excess pounds. However, new data indicates that these artificial sweeteners might not yield the expected weight loss effects.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently issued guidelines discouraging the use of sugar-free sweeteners, also known as artificial sweeteners, for weight management.
The organization has released new recommendations regarding sugar-free sweeteners (NSS), advising against their use for controlling body weight and reducing the risks of non-communicable diseases.
In a statement published on its website, the WHO specified that this recommendation is based on a systematic review of available evidence, indicating that the use of artificial sweeteners does not offer long-term benefits in reducing body fat in adults and children.
The Risks Associated with Artificial Sweeteners The analysis of the results also revealed that long-term use of artificial sweeteners could have potential adverse effects, such as an increased risk of:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Death in adults
Francesco Branca, Director of Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO, emphasized, “Replacing free sugars with artificial sweeteners does not contribute to long-term weight control. Individuals should consider other methods to reduce their intake of free sugars, such as consuming foods rich in natural sugars, like fruits, or consuming unsweetened foods and beverages.”
He added that artificial sweeteners are not essential nutritional factors and do not provide any nutritional value. He also encouraged people to completely reduce the sweet taste in their diets from a young age to enhance their health.
Free sugars encompass monosaccharides like fructose in fruits, galactose in dairy products, as well as disaccharides like sucrose (table sugar) and lactose. They are present in dairy products and are added to foods and beverages by manufacturers, cooks, or consumers. Naturally occurring sugars in honey, syrups, fruit juices, and their concentrates are also considered free sugars.
This recommendation applies to everyone except diabetics and encompasses all artificial sweeteners, whether natural or non-nutritive modified, that are not classified as intrinsic sugars in foods and beverages sold as is or added to processed products.
Among the mentioned artificial sweeteners are:
- Potassium acesulfame
- Aspartame
- Cyclamates
- Neotame
- Saccharin
- Sucralose
- Stevia and its derivatives
It’s worth noting that this recommendation does not apply to personal care products containing artificial sweeteners, such as toothpaste and skin creams, nor to hypocaloric sugars and polyols that have calories and are therefore not classified as artificial sweeteners.
For more information on artificial sweeteners Artificial sweeteners are substances used to replace sugar for sweetening foods, beverages, and other products, as explained on the Cleveland Clinic’s website.
These artificial sweeteners, also known as sugar substitutes, contain very few to no calories or nutrients and can be extracted from plants, herbs, or even sugar itself.
Due to their higher sweetness intensity compared to sugar, artificial sweeteners allow for the use of smaller quantities to sweeten foods and beverages. Some of them are not metabolized, meaning they pass through the digestive system largely unchanged.
Examples of artificial sweeteners include:
- Aspartame: about 200 times sweeter than table sugar, found in various foods and beverages.
- Potassium acesulfame: used in combination with other non-nutritive sweeteners, frequently present in sugar-free sodas.
- Neotame: about 7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar, used in some low-calorie foods and beverages.
- Saccharin: the oldest artificial sweetener, 200 to 700 times sweeter than table sugar.
- Sucralose: 600 times sweeter than sugar, used in a variety of low-calorie foods and beverages.
- Stevia: extracted from the leaves of the South American stevia plant, 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar.
Sugar alcohols, also known as polyols, are considered nutritive sweeteners as they provide energy when consumed, though they contain fewer calories than sugar. Some examples of sugar alcohols include erythritol, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates. However, excessive consumption can lead to side effects such as gas, stomach discomfort, and diarrhea.
In summary, the recent WHO recommendations suggest that artificial sweeteners are not effective aids for weight loss and may even be linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Individuals are encouraged to explore other methods to reduce their intake of free sugars, such as adopting a diet rich in natural sugars from fruits or opting for unsweetened foods and beverages.
