Posted on 05/07/2025 7:38:07 AM PDT by Red Badger
Sugar – sweet, satisfying, and everywhere. From fresh fruit and honey to processed table sugar and drinks, it sneaks into nearly everything we eat.
While delicious, sugar delivers what nutritionists call "empty calories" – energy without any essential nutrients. And with overconsumption linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and dental problems, it's no wonder health authorities are urging us to cut back.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting added sugar to less than 10% of daily calorie intake, while the BMJ suggests even lower: no more than six teaspoons (25g) per day for women and nine teaspoons (38g) for men.
In response, many people are turning to non-nutritive sweeteners – sugar alternatives that deliver sweetness without the calories. These include popular options like aspartame, sucralose, stevia and monk fruit extract.
Found in many diet drinks, sugar-free snacks and low-calorie foods, these sweeteners are designed to help manage weight and blood sugar levels.
But not all that tastes sweet is sweet in effect. Let's zoom in on one of the most controversial sugar substitutes: aspartame.
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that was discovered in 1965 and is 180–200 times sweeter than sugar. It was first regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1974 and approved for use in dry foods in 1981.
Today, it's estimated to be found in over 6,000 food and drink products and 600 pharmaceutical items.
Aspartame was initially embraced as a tool to help reduce obesity and support diabetics, offering a sweet fix without the sugar spike. But despite decades of use, its safety is still the subject of intense scientific and public debate.
Potential benefits Aspartame has a similar taste to sugar, albeit much more intense, but comes with almost no calories, making it attractive for those who're weight-conscious. With obesity rates soaring globally, even small calorie savings can matter.
Aspartame does not raise blood glucose levels, making it a preferred choice for those managing type 2 diabetes.
However, other research has found potential associations with metabolic syndrome and diabetes risk, suggesting that aspartame should be used as part of a controlled diet rather than a straight swap for sugar.
While assessments suggest that aspartame is safe within current intake guidelines, concerns persist.
Potential risks Some people may experience side-effects like headaches, dizziness, or mood changes. There's emerging evidence linking aspartame to neurodegeneration, strokes and even dementia.
Aspartame can increase levels of phenylalanine and aspartic acid in the brain, which is a serious concern for people with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare inherited disorder where the body cannot break down phenylalanine.
This causes it to accumulate in the blood and brain, potentially leading to brain damage. People with PKU must avoid aspartame completely.
One study reported symptoms after consuming aspartame including irritability, migraines, anxiety and insomnia, especially with excessive consumption.
In 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified aspartame) as "possibly carcinogenic", though it remains approved for consumption within existing safety limits. Some studies suggest a link to cancer, but conclusions remain mixed.
It's also advised that pregnant women avoid aspartame, as research suggests it may affect the placenta's structure and function.
Artificial sweeteners, despite being calorie-free, may trick the brain into craving more sweetness. This could lead to increased appetite and weight gain rather than weight loss. In fact, several studies have found a positive correlation between artificial sweetener use and obesity.
Gut health matters Emerging evidence suggests that aspartame and other sweeteners may disrupt the gut microbiome, the community of bacteria that play a key role in digestion, immunity and even mood.
This disruption can negatively affect digestive health and immune function, potentially increasing the risk of infections and other health issues.
Aspartame may offer a tempting sugar-free fix, but it's not without its risks. The World Health Organization advises against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control and research continues to reveal complex links between aspartame and chronic diseases, from neurological issues to gut health concerns.
Hazel Flight, Programme Lead Nutrition and Health, Edge Hill University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
”Abby someone....”
If something has cane sugar as an ingredient, I’ll buy it, but if it says high fructose corn syrup, I stay away as much as possible. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that in the body it does the same thing, but maybe it takes longer to convert? I don’t know.
I don’t drink soda anymore, so I wouldn’t know about the taste, but I’m sure the Mexican version would taste different/better. If you’re a Coke person, then it’s neat that you’ve found it.
I buy local honey. Where I live, it’s not hard to find. You just have to look for it.
Brought to you by the people who make sugar.
I’ve switched to xylitol at home and stevia whenever possible when I eat out.
Stevia can be dangerous, just ask Heisenberg
Just stop eating sweets and you’ll lose the taste for them.
xylitol will kill your dog...............
TDS
I can find local honey easily where I live.
yesterday the office complex where I work put up a poster saying they were going to have tours of their beehives on some day next week.
It said you may not be aware that our office complex has 4 bee hives and we are proud to do our part to help natural pollination
Humans are quite tough in some ways.
I don't have a dog.... or a doghouse.
Does that make me gay?
(old Norm MacDonald joke)
That’s great!
bkmk
If people ate real food, their tastes would change and sweet stuff would be far less appetizing to them.
Our tastes are corrupted by a high salt and high sugar diet from a very young age.
My neighbor is a Professor of Logic!
I get that many people have an axe to grind with Aspartame. Or with Donald Rumsfeld. That kind of thing.
Like Freepers Sequoyah101, Jerod (and others) it is always good to ask yourself "cui bono?" (who benefits?) when reading these things. It is good to keep in context where these kinds of "science" articles come from, and why they publish these kinds of things. I doubt that Red Badger is onboard with all these kinds of things being pushed by this website, and it may be true that.Red Badger may have reasons for not liking Aspartame or any other kind of artificial substance. Which is perfectly fine, even good.
So this post is not against Red Badger who I greatly respect...it is just information to consider the source!
That is true. I worked with a lot of immigrants who could not take the sweetness of Cola. They had such good diets of real food, they couldn’t take sweets. The wildest they got with beverages was unsweetened ice tea.
I had a prolonged sickness where I didn’t eat much over two weeks time. I felt better and had an apple. It was the best tasting apple I ever had, not because it was so good but because my taste buds had recalibrated back to a more normal state from the rich food I usually ate and so became accustomed to.
Did the makers of aspartame finance the research?
Yup. Fruit should be sweet enough for us.
I’ve heard of others who said the same thing. Some time off sweets and fruit tasted wonderful again and was far more satisfying than before.
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