Hmm, maybe I'll just try to outsmart Mother Nature?

Now, I know what some of you are think, “I’ll avoid the pitfalls of sugar consumption by using artificial sweeteners instead.” I compare this line of thinking to the whole butter vs margarine debate or the removing of “unhealthy” yolk from eggs. People are wrongfully taught to be scared of saturated fat so they turn to a truly deadly manmade substitute instead.

Artificial sweeteners also generate a false sense of security amongst its users. Health concerns aside, artificial sweeteners may actually contribute to weight gain. Sure, artificial sweeteners are non-caloric, but they still stimulate the sweet receptors of your tongue. This in turn signals the body to prepare for sugar so the pancreas begins to secrete insulin. Your blood glucose level was at fasting levels before this surge of insulin and will now plummet to lower than normal levels. This will put you in a hypoglycemic state and you will crave more sugar and more than likely overeat while drinking that diet soda.

With those thoughts in mind, let’s take a look at your options:

Saccharine (Sweet ‘n Low)

This one was an original in the artificial sweetener game. It consists of an organic molecule made from petroleum. Animal studies conducted during the 1970s showed saccharine to cause cancer of the bladder, skin, uterus and overies, among other organs. Due to these findings, the USDA moved to ban saccharine, but a deal was struck. Instead, food products could contain saccharine as long as a label, warning against the possible cause of cancer, was used. In 2000, this requirement was removed. To this day, the true risk is still unknown. However, it is known now that saccharine does indeed cross the placenta during human pregnancy.

Aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal)

To create aspartame, one must combine two amino acids, phenlalanine and aspartic acid, with methanol. Women who are pregnant and individuals with liver disease or the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) may have an inability to metabolize phenylalanine. This is a problem because high levels can result in brain damage. This is why an FDA-mandated warning exists on the packaging.

Also of note is that aspartame, like MSG, is thought to be an excitotoxin. That is, a compound that overstimulates nerve cells in the brain until they die. Thus, each serving of aspartame has the potential to cause a little bit of brain damage. This damage can accumulate over time and eventually lead to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or some other neurological disease.
Sucralose (Splenda, etc.)

Sucralose starts out as sugar, but turns into something that has 600 times the sweetening kick that sugar does. This is accomplished through chemically adjusting sugar by swapping three hydrogen-oxygen groups with three chlorine molecules. This results in a non-caloric sweetener that you are unable to metabolize.

Relatively new to the scene, there have still been reports of some people experiencing allergic reactions from sucralose containing products.

Stevia

OK, so stevia is herb-based, making it an alternative to sugar and not an artificial sweetener, but I had nowhere else to touch on it. Stevia is similar to the artificial group only in that it is non-caloric. Like sucralose, it packs a very powerful punch. A few drops of liquid stevia have about the same sweetening power as an entire cup of sugar.

Stevia is currently banned in the US, Canada, European Union, Hong Kong, and China. Toxicologists claim that stevia consumption may cause reproductive problems, cancer, or even metabolism disruptions. More specifically, males may experience reduced sperm production, lighter seminal vesicles, and increased cell proliferation in the testicles while females may experience fewer and smaller offspring. Cancer concerns arise from the metabolizing of stevia which may produce a mutagenic compound. As for the metabolism concerns, stevia may interfere with your body’s absorption of carbohydrates and disrupt the conversion of food into energy.

Stevia is currently sold in the US as a dietary supplement. This is because stevia has the potential to interfere with your body’s absorption of carbohydrates and disrupt the conversion of food into energy. You can see how this would be popular amongst people looking to lose weight. This becomes a major concern though if it were to be used in such things as diet pop because children would also be put at risk.

Stay tuned for part 7 where we will wrap this all up.