The average North American consumes approximately 20 teaspoons of sugar per day. Common and inexpensive sugars such as high fructose corn syrup and sucrose (table sugar) are used in refined and low-fat food products to enhance taste and increase product sales. From soda pop, cookies and low-fat yogurt to ketchup and even some vitamins and toothpaste, sugar is a common health culprit that is widespread in our food sources. The harmful effects of sugar on health are numerous. Excess sugar intake results in excess weight gain, a decrease in energy levels, dental decay and suppression of immune system function and contributes to an overly acidic body.
As people become more aware of the health risks of eating refined sugar, alternative products are popping up everywhere in our grocery stores offering “safer” alternatives. Sugar substitutes are one of the largest growing food products on the market. In fact, nearly 1,500 foods are sweetened with sugar substitutes and 144 million Americans use sugar substitutes on a regular basis.
Are Sugar Substitutes Safe? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four sugar substitutes for use in a variety of foods which include saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame-K and sucralose. The commercial names for these types of sweeteners that appear on ingredient listing include:
• Saccharin = Sweet n’ Low • Aspartame = Nutrasweet or Equal • Acesulfame Potassium = Sunett or Sweet One • Sucralose = Splenda
Saccharin Saccharin and aspartame have been the subject of ongoing controversy due to their links to potential health threats. Saccharin is the grand-daddy of sweeteners and has been around since 1879. Controversy arose in the 1970s when rat studies showed that an over- consumption of saccharin could lead to bladder cancer. Following those studies, health risk labels were printed on products that contained saccharin, but in 2000, those labels were removed from products because the Food and Drug Administration deemed saccharin safe again.
Aspartame Aspartame was first discovered by accident in 1965 by chemist James Schlatter while working on a peptic ulcer drug. This type of sweetener consists of three components: amino acids phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol (aka wood alcohol). Methanol is toxic for humans even when consumed in small amounts. Although research studies have not yet been able to prove that aspartame causes neurological disorders, some documented side effects include headaches, migraines, seizures, dizziness, muscle spasm, heart palpitations and numbness. People who suffer from a disease known as phenylketonuria in which the body does not break down the amino acid phenylalanine should not consume aspartame, even in small amounts.
Acesulfame Potassium Acesulfame potassium was approved by the FDA in 1998. This product is gaining more and more popularity and is currently used in thousands of food items. Even though it is a popular choice, claims have been made against the safety of this product stating that the FDA’s approval of this product was based on flawed studies and that it may indeed cause cancer in animals.
