Artificial Sweeteners

Over the last two weeks, I’ve shared some misleading headlines about the artificial sweeteners erythritol, Splenda and aspartame. You might think that I believe they’re perfectly safe and everybody should use them with abandon.

That’s not true. There are real, documented and proven problems with artificial sweeteners, and anyone using them should be aware of the issues.

Let’s start with how artificial sweeteners can trigger appetite.

Researchers now know that our stomachs have taste buds. Artificial sweeteners make our stomachs think they’ve eaten something sweet, which means calories. Eat or drink something with artificial sweeteners, and our bodies prepare for those sugary calories.

That’s OK if artificial sweeteners are in food, because the food provides some calories to help satisfy the ramped-up demand the sweet taste started.

The problems happen if you’re JUST drinking a zero-calorie soda. After about 30 minutes, your body starts to crash because the “sweet calories” you were expecting for energy never appeared. That makes you feel more hungry and tired than when you first drank the soda.

Artificial sweeteners generally won’t hurt you directly; it’s the cravings they set off that cause many of the problems. The hunger trigger isn’t limited to the big three, either. It also happens with Stevia, Purvia, Truvia and every other non-nutritive sweetener.

Then there’s the issue of phenylalanine.

That’s found in Equal and NutraSweet. If you have a genetic condition known as phenylketonuria (PKU), the phenylalanine found in aspartame can cause real problems. Intellectual disability, brain damage, seizures and skin problems are some of the nasty side effects. Most children are tested for this condition when they’re born, and products with phenylalanine are required by law to include that information on the label. But if you don’t have that genetic condition, it’s not a problem.

There’s also the problem with artificial sweeteners called sugar alcohols.

Sugar Alcohols have calories, but typically only one-half to one-third of traditional sugar. Diabetics and hypoglycemics should be aware that sugar alcohols raise blood sugar levels, just not as much as regular sugar. Sugar alcohols also aren’t metabolized by oral bacteria, so they don’t contribute to tooth decay.

The nasty little secret sugar alcohols hide is that they can cause bloating, diarrhea, and a laxative effect, especially when eaten in larger quantities. (Erythritol is a notable exception because it is absorbed in the small intestine, and your body disposes of it through urine.)

There are numerous reports of people showing up in emergency rooms with severe stomach cramping after eating foods with sugar alcohols in them. If you’ve experienced that problem, check the label for Mannitol or Sorbitol, the most likely suspects.

If you’ve got a sensitive stomach, you might want to avoid those sugar alcohols because of the “gastric distress” they can cause.

Finally, the biggest unknown is how artificial sweeteners work with, or against, our “gut microbiome.”

That’s the vast community of microorganisms that reside in your digestive tract. It is made up of trillions of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes. These microorganisms play a crucial role in maintaining your overall health and well-being.

The gut microbiome is so complex it’s difficult for researchers to figure out what actions help and what things hurt it, but studies are underway. One of the big unknowns about artificial sweeteners is how they influence everything that’s going on in our gut. Just because it’s artificial doesn’t mean it’s bad, but we also can’t assume it’s good.

Do you want to live a healthier life? Eating a varied diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fiber is essential. Additionally, avoiding excessive use of antibiotics unless necessary and managing stress levels can help promote a healthy gut microbiome.

Start tracking your calories. Write down everything you eat and drink over a day and see how much you take in. Most people are shocked when they realize just how high that number is.

Lift weights at least two or three times a week. Do cardio workouts at least two or three days a week. Get to bed and sleep more. Doing all that can make fundamental, meaningful changes to your health and longevity.

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7/2/2023