New Delhi, 12nd October 2018: Artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes are commonly found in a variety of food and beverages, including soft drinks, chewing gum, jellies, baked goods, candy, fruit juice, ice cream and yogurt. Marketed as “sugar-free” or “diet option”, these artificial sweeteners give a person the same pleasure as sugar but reduce the calories. But, are these popularly marketed sweeteners the right choice? If you think Artificial Sweeteners are safe, think again, say the experts.

Mr. Mohamad Yusuf N Shaikh, Founder of Kudrati Ayurved Health Center, said, “People who are weight conscious or suffering from diabetes or cardiac problems usually prefer artificial sweeteners over table sugar as are calorie-free. However, many would not know that these are made from chemicals and prolonged use of these sweeteners destroy your taste buds making your essential foods like nutritional fruits and vegetables unpalatable. Also, they increase craving for sweets and make people more inclined towards them. Later, precaution turns into the addiction to sweets, which leads to increased appetite and weight. So, if you take these sweeteners, consume them carefully.”

Dr. Pooja Chaudhary, Wellness Consultant, Healthians - a largest diagnosis/health check at home service said, “Most artificial sweeteners come with a bitter aftertaste. The top dangers of artificial sweeteners are: Migraines, Obesity, Dull taste buds, Change in vision, Nausea and vomiting, Hormonal imbalance, Insomnia / sleep problems, Increased hunger/ overeating, Abdominal and joint pains, Allergic reaction and Type 2 diabetes. Potential side effects linked to consumption of artificial sweeteners include Kidney damage, Gastrointestinal symptoms, Allergic reaction, low blood pressure and Endocrine disruption.”

“If a person eats too many sugar free foods, they can still gain weight if the food item contains other ingredients that are calorie loaded or may face other health complications. The case of diet soda or diet coke that contains sugar substitutes instead of sugar. The sugar substitute can lower one’s risk of tooth decay, but the acid in diet soda could contribute to dental erosion. The cookies are made from sugar substitutes, one may overeat. Though the sugar intake will be controlled, the consumption of total calories and carbohydrates will do more harm than good. Better replacements for sugar are always as the real stuff such as cane sugar, palm sugar, jaggery, honey. Research suggests that synthetic sweeteners like Aspartame, Sucralose, Saccharin, Acesulfame Potassium and even Stevia might not be a great alternative to sugar. They could have a negative effect on gut microbes and thus lead to a higher risk of diabetes cause kidney injury, cancer and endocrine disorders”, expressed, Dr. Manjari Chandra, Senior Nutritionist & Advisor, India Virtual Hospital.