Clearing Up Misconceptions Of Popular Sugar Substitutes

Calories from sugar can sneak up quickly—ultimately sabotaging your diet if you’re one who doesn’t have a watchful eye. The key to any diet is moderation. Next time you’re out food shopping read the label; you’ll notice that some food items contain artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame (Equal) and Saccharin (Sweet n’ Low). These fake sugar substitutes have been scrutinized, creating the misconception that they’re harmful to our bodies. That’s largely due to studies dating back to the ‘70s that have linked some popular substitutes like saccharin to bladder cancer…in laboratory rats. But according to the National Cancer Institute and other health agencies, there’s no sound evidence that some cause detrimental health issues. The two that do pose a risk are succralose (Splenda) and agave nectar. Research has confirmed that they are safe in moderation, affirming that over consumption of anything can be consequential to our health. 

In regards to its chemical structure, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the same as table sugar. It was thought that HFCS was the cause of obesity, which sounded sane in a 2004 review that was published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In the review, it was noted that HFCS consumption was increased by more than 1,000 percent from the 70s to 90s. Moving forward from that review, the American Medical Association concluded that HFCS contributes to obesity just as much as any other sweetener. Simply put, there has been a rise in obesity from overeating. The U.S. Department of Agriculture indicated that Americans’ daily calorie consumption increased by 24 percent since the 70s. Drinking a sugary drink may be to blame because more than 450 calories come from drinks, and it doesn’t matter as to what type of sugar the drink is made with.  The takeaway message: either avoid or cut back on sugary drinks; it’s all about moderation. 

We all have a love-hate relationship with this artificial sweetener and it’s found in several popular products. You may better know it as NutraSweet and Equal. Unknown to many, aspartame contains the same amount of sugar and calories as plain sugar. The catch: it’s a lot sweeter. Because of its potent sweetness, aspartame is popular among diet sodas like Pepsi. Pepsi had announced back in April that it will no longer be using the sweetener in Diet Pepsi due to society’s concern of aspartame causing cancer since our bodies break it down into formaldehyde. The American Chemical Society has stepped forward to put the rumors to rest, saying that 12 ounces of fruit juice can substantially raise formaldehyde levels in your body than that of a can of diet soda. And don’t hit the panic button because formaldehyde is needed in the body to construct amino acids, and it doesn’t create harmful levels. Whatever that’s not used in the production of amino acids get converted to formic acid—ultimately getting turned into waste or it’s broken down by carbon dioxide and water.

The only individuals who should be concerned about Aspartame are those who have phenylketonuria, a condition where the body is unable to break down phenylalanine. Phenylalanine is a byproduct of aspartame within the body.

Saccharin is better known as Sweet’n Low. To set the record straight, back in the 70s researchers had linked saccharin to bladder cancer in lab rats. Because of that finding, it was mandatory for products to have a warning label indicating that it can put one at risk for consumption. More testing was conducted to try and confirm the bladder cancer finding. What the researchers found was that rats naturally have high pH levels calcium phosphate levels, and high protein levels in the urine—we don’t have any of this. Enter the 90s: the National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer took a closer look at most of the research that was done on saccharin, determining that it’s not a cancer-causing compound. This provoked the Environmental Protection Agency to remove saccharin from the dangerous substances list.

The negativity surrounding the saccharin still exists for some, but a researcher out of the University of Florida may have discovered a mechanism as to how saccharin can help treat cancer. She found that medications containing saccharin have the potential to stunt cancer growth by deactivating the protein that causes cancer. 

Sorry to kill the mood, but agave nectar is high-fructose corn syrup. It’s touted by health-foodies for being gluten-free and lying low on the glycemic index—getting marketed as “diabetic friendly.” It’s low on the GI scale because it’s mostly made of fructose, but it’s in pure liquid—making it the highest fructose containing sugar substitute.

In the agave plant, sweetness comes from a type of fructose called inulin, which does offer some health benefits. But when it goes through the manufacturing process, enzymes are shuttled in to break down inulin into fructose—creating a 90 percent fructose concentration. From The Huffington Post: Dr. Ingrid Kohlstadt, who is a fellow at the American College of Nutrition and a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health says, “ Agave syrup is almost all fructose, highly processed sugar with great marketing.”

Consuming too much of agave or high fructose-containing sweeteners can interfere with a healthy metabolism. Word of advice: practice portion control. 

Sucralose contains zero calories and it goes by the brand name, Splenda. A review published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B: Critical Reviews indicated that sucralose could be harmful to the body. Early research has said that sucralose doesn’t get metabolized, but current studies have debunked that. Since sucralose does get metabolized, it decreases good gut bacteria by 50 percent or more and it makes medications less effective by reducing the stomach’s ability to absorb the drugs. And when it comes to using sucralose in cooking, it breaks down – leading to the possibility of releasing toxic compounds called chloroproanols. 

Sugar alcohol is a popular ingredient in sugar-free foods, and it occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables—better known as polyols. To see if a food product contains sugar alcohols look for erythritol, glycerol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, isomalt, lactitol, malitol, mannitol, sorbitol, or xylitol. They’re the “healthy” alternative for artificial sweeteners like HFCS and sucralose. Dr. Luke Bucci, vice president of research at Schiff Nutrition says, “Sugar alcohols can be metabolized into energy, but they don’t trigger an insulin response because absorption of glucose and caloric sugars is slowed in their presence.” The caloric range for sugar alcohol is 0-3 calories per gram compared to regular sugar, which clocks in at 4 calories per gram. This also notes the “net carbs” on the wrapper of protein bars; net carbs signify the amount of calorie-containing carbs. The equation for it: total carbs – fiber – sugar alcohol = net carbs.

Over consuming sugar alcohol such as chowing down on several protein bars can cause an upset stomach. The benefit of sugar alcohols: they don’t cause tooth decay compared to artificial sweeteners and regular sugar.

So if you’re looking for a “healthy alternative,” try Lite and Sweet.