Microbiome Diet ~ Harmful Foods - Artificial Sweeteners

Have you ever wondered if sugar-free soda is a healthier alternative to sugary soda? It's clear that consuming less sugar is beneficial for our health. But what about their substitutes? The consumption of artificial sweeteners has increased dramatically today, but how healthy are they really?

The science is still controversial, but some studies suggest that artificial sweeteners may not be the best solution for weight maintenance and glucose intolerance. The composition of our gut microbiome may also be affected by them.

What are artificial sweeteners and where are they found?

Artificial sweeteners are synthetic substitutes for sugar that are widely used to reduce calories in our diets while maintaining a sweet taste.

They are classified as food additives and are considered safe to use by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in doses not exceeding the acceptable daily intake (ADI).

Artificial sweeteners can be divided into two groups

1. Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) : are zero-calorie or low-calorie alternatives to nutritive sweeteners, such as table sugar. They have a sweet taste but provide almost no calories because our digestive system cannot fully absorb them.

2. Low-calorie sweeteners : are typically polyols or sugar alcohols, which are low-digestible carbohydrates with a lower calorie content compared to sugar.

These substitutes are becoming increasingly popular, and are being promoted as healthy alternatives . Only a small amount needs to be consumed to achieve the same satiating feeling as sugar. They have therefore become very popular in all sorts of diets and nutritional interventions for weight loss.

And they are everywhere! From ready-made meals and calorie-free drinks, to toothpaste, chewing gum and even some vitamin supplements.

Artificial sweeteners and health

Although non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are considered safe, their effects on certain aspects of our metabolism are still controversial. How they affect our natural glucose metabolism, how they interact with sweet taste receptors in our mouths, and how they alter the gut microbiome are questions that are still not fully understood.

This creates mixed messages for us as consumers, making it difficult to choose the right food in everyday life.

For example, it has been shown that artificial sweeteners can contribute to the development of a metabolic disorder that can potentially lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Artificial sweeteners cause changes in glucose metabolism. This may be because calorie-free foods and drinks that taste sweet affect the learned and automatic responses in the body that normally contribute to glucose and energy balance after consuming glucose (e.g. sugar).

After consuming sweet tastes, reactions are activated, such as the release of insulin or the activation of certain areas of the brain that are sensitive to energy or reward. This happens to maintain normal blood sugar levels in our bodies. However, the consumption of artificial sweeteners can potentially alter and reduce the ability of sweet taste to signal the caloric consequences of eating sweet-tasting foods. By reducing this ability, they can possibly increase appetite and stimulate food intake . This may explain why excessive consumption of artificial sweeteners can alter body weight regulation and have negative effects on our health.

Furthermore, a significant number of animal studies indicated that chronic exposure to artificial sweeteners causes adverse health effects, changes in the composition of the gut microbiome, neurobehavioral effects, induction of kidney damage, and cancer .

Although the existing clinical data are still inconsistent, it is important to be aware of these potential effects.

Artificial sweeteners and the gut microbiome

Although some sweeteners such as sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol are often associated with gastrointestinal disturbances such as bloating or diarrhea, most non-caloric artificial sweeteners are considered metabolically “inactive” because they are excreted unchanged from our bodies. However, this lack of metabolism does not necessarily mean that these compounds have zero interaction with the gut microbiome.

Some studies indicate that saccharin, sucralose, and stevia may affect the composition of the gut microbiota. Preliminary observations have shown altered metabolism associated with glucose tolerance and dysbiosis in humans after saccharin consumption.

Other effects have been observed after polyol consumption. In patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), they can induce dose-dependent flatulence. While in healthy individuals, they can potentially modify the population of bifidobacteria .

Although we still know little about the health effects of artificial sweeteners, we can suspect that their impact on our metabolism, like many other foods, is highly individual. Some studies show changes in glucose metabolism, while others do not; and the same applies to changes in the microbiome. This is still a new area of ​​research, and we await more rigorous studies in humans to understand more.

Our take on the matter: Re-educating your sweet tooth

Cutting back on sugar or its substitutes isn't always easy. But instead of looking for alternatives to satisfy our sugar cravings, there's a need to shift to a more mindful way of eating. Choose to eat real food whenever possible.

Occasional consumption of artificial sweeteners probably won't do any harm, but that doesn't mean they're necessarily beneficial to your health.

Since the science is still controversial in this field, we advise against consuming these products in large quantities. Rather, we encourage drinking water to quench your thirst and eating natural alternatives (like fruit!) to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Summary

• Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are significantly sweeter than sugar, and provide only small amounts of calories.
• Artificial sweeteners are food additives that can be found in a wide range of foods and beverages, but also in pharmaceutical products such as dietary supplements.
• Regulatory bodies such as The Parenteral Drug Association (FDA) consider the consumption of most common artificial sweeteners safe and tolerable.
• Some studies suggest that artificial sweeteners may negatively affect glucose metabolism and potentially alter the composition of the gut microbiome. This topic is a growing area of ​​research.
• Most studies have been conducted on animals, so further research into the effects of sweeteners on the human gut microbiome is needed.

Author:  Cecilia Clausen (Clinical Dietitian)