sweeteners

This week, the World Health Organization (WHO) advised that "non-sugar sweeteners should not be used as a means of achieving weight control or reducing the risk of noncommunicable diseases" such as diabetes and heart disease.Artificial sweeteners are either natural compounds or synthesized compounds that taste sweet like sugar – and are up to 400 times sweeter by weight – but provide no or negligible energy. As a comparison, sugar has 17 kilojoules (4 calories) per gram, so one teaspoon of sugar would have 85…

The key to beating superbugs may have been under our noses the entire time, a new study suggests. The study, which was led by Dr. Ronan McCarthy of Brunel University London, discovered that the artificial sweeteners found in many sugar-free foods can actually kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria. These pesky bacteria have been some of the most annoying for medical professionals to deal with in recent years. The bacteria in question are acinetobacter baumannii and pseudomonas aeruginosa, known for causing…

Diet soft drinks are a big dietary source of artificial sweeteners for many people.Sugar is a big problem. So much so that many countries now add taxes to sugary products to try and discourage people from buying them. Unfortunately, for people with a sweet tooth, sugar is also enjoyable, so the recommended advice from many health organizations is to replace added sugar with artificial sweeteners. However, adding sweeteners is not without its problems, and research is beginning to suggest that they may be making the…

A recent study conducted by The BMJ shows that the people who were higher consumers of artificial sweeteners had an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke compared to the non-consumers.  The researchers noted that three artificial sweeteners in particular were associated with higher risks. As per them, Aspartame intake was associated with increased risk of cerebrovascular events, and acesulfame potassium and sucralose were…

A new study has uncovered a potential direct association between higher artificial sweetener consumption and increased cardiovascular disease risk.These food additives “should not be considered a healthy and safe alternative to sugar,” argue researchers.A potential direct association between higher artificial sweetener consumption and increased cardiovascular disease risk, including heart attack and stroke has been uncovered by a large study of French adults published on September 7 by The BMJ.These food additives are…

Artificial sweeteners offer an answer for individuals who have a sweet tooth and don't need the overabundance calories of refined sugar or other regular sugars like honey, dates, and maple syrup. Since artificial sugars are generally man-made synthetic substances that are not tracked down in nature. Such synthetic substances can be hurtful to the human body. The study published in The BMJ indicates the same about these artificial sweeteners. The…

The study demonstrates that non-nutritive sweeteners have an effect on the human body.According to a controlled experiment, these sugar substitutes have a variety of impacts on people’s gut microbes and glucose metabolism.Artificial sweeteners and sugar replacements, also referred to as non-nutritive sweeteners, claim to provide all the sweetness of sugar without the calories. However, contrary to popular assumption, such sweeteners are not inert: They do have an impact on the human body, according to a controlled trial…

Just because an artificial sweetener has zero or very few calories doesn't mean there are zero (or very few) health consequences to consuming the sachet.A randomized controlled trial recently found that regular consumption of sucralose (marketed as Splenda) and saccharin (marketed as Sweet'N Low) can alter microbes in the gut and elevate the body's response to sugar.These non-nutritive sweeteners are presumed to be chemically inert, but that may not actually be true.The findings of the recent trial, conducted among 120…

Humans have an evolutionary preference for sweetness. Sweet foods, like fruit and honey, were an important energy source for our ancestors.However, in the modern world, sweetened foods are readily available, very cheap, and advertised extensively. Now, we are consuming too much sugar in foods and drinks – the kind that is added rather than sugar that is naturally occurring.  Consuming too much added sugar is bad news for health. It is linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay.Because of these health concerns,…