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Question: I’m writing to you with a question about artificial sweeteners. I made the switch from Aspartame and Splenda to Stevia about a year ago, as I understand that Stevia is much better healthwise than Splenda & Aspartame, etc. How do you feel about these products?

Answer: Great question since artificial sweeteners have invaded the food and drink industries. Some examples include Aspartame (Nutrasweet and Equal), Saccharin (Sweet 'N Low), Sucralose (Splenda), and Stevia. Their primary appeal, is that they are low or no calorie sweeteners. As a result, we consume artificially sweetened foods feeling "guilt free" or at least "less guilty" about our choices. Unfortunately, the reality is that artificial sweeteners (of any type) do not help people lose weight. Some comparison studies show that women eating foods containing sugar (higher calorie foods) versus those eating foods containing artificial sweeteners (lower calorie foods) all wind up eating the same amount of calories at the end of the day...they just do it in different forms. Other studies have found that women eating artificially sweetened foods actually consume MORE calories than those eating sugar-containing foods and therefore that these sugar substitutes actually contribute to weight gain. Several proposed explanations for these results include: 1) sugar is better at satisfying our hunger drive than artificial sweeteners (so we eat more when we include artificially sweetened foods in our diet), 2) artificial sweeteners actually increase our appetite, and 3) artificial sweeteners may decrease our metabolism (so we burn less calories).

As far as your question about Aspartame and Splenda, we do support removing them from your diet. We recognize that these sweeteners have been deemed "safe" by the FDA. Unfortunately, a lot of the "safety" studies are done by the companies who make these sweeteners and for that reason you must be careful in accepting their results at face value. The reality is that studies show brain tumors and seizure rates increase when animals are exposed to some of these artificial sweeteners. Furthermore, brain tumor rates have increased in several industrialized nations after FDA approval of these same artificial sweeteners. To be fair, it has been argued by some that these studies show harmful effects at doses much higher than most humans consume. But if only a large amount causes cancer then is it fair to conclude that a smaller amount is safe? If a large amount of dynamite can cause a building to fall does that mean that putting a small amount of dynamite in the building is safe? Maybe it won't cause the building to fall but it will still likely cause damage. Similarly, maybe a small amount of artificial sweetener won't cause brain cancer but it may still cause damage. So why take that risk at all?

Stevia, although natural, does not lack toxicity and may come with its own risks - including being linked to kidney problems in animals. Unfortunately, there aren't many studies evaluating Stevia's safety in humans.

The point is that the evidence out there is equivocal at best. Some studies show that artificial sweeteners are safe for human consumption others show that they are linked to weight gain and cancer. The question then becomes, is it worth the risk?

We recommend sweetening foods with fresh fruits as they are not only sweet but they have the fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that are so important for optimal health. Chopped dates or date sugar is also tasty. If that doesn't work for you then use a more natural sugar (honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, brown sugar, etc.)...but use them as a seasoning rather than a major ingredient of the food you are consuming. Whatever you decide to do, the goal should be to eat the least processed and chemically manufactured foods. And if you must include an artificial sweetener, then Stevia is probably your better bet.

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