The World Health Organization recommends against using sugar substitutes to help with weight loss or to reduce the risk of diet-related diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
There is no evidence that sugar substitutes help people reduce body fat, and they may even help increase the risks of diabetes or cardiovascular problems, WHO experts said.
Replacing free sugars with [non-sugar sweeteners] does not help with weight control in the long term. People need to consider other ways to reduce free sugars intakes, such as consuming food with naturally occurring sugars, like fruit, or unsweetened food and beverages,” Francesco Branca, MD, PhD, director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at the World Health Organization, said in a statement. “[Non-sugar sweeteners] are not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value. People should reduce the sweetness of the diet altogether, starting early in life, to improve their health.”
The sweeteners that the WHO now advises against using are “all synthetic and naturally occurring or modified non-nutritive sweeteners that are not classified as sugars,” the new guideline stated. They include the sweeteners acesulfame K, aspartame, advantame, cyclamates, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia, and stevia derivatives.
Sweeteners are used to reduce the sugar content and lower the energy content of the food. They can help to reduce tooth decay and to manage energy and sugar intake. Food manufacturers utilize these sweeteners to make diet drinks, baked products, frozen desserts, candy, light yogurt, and chewing gum.
Sweeteners impart a strong sweet flavor. They are becoming increasingly popular as individuals seek alternative ways to fulfill their sweet desire. Artificial sweeteners, also known as non-nutritive sweeteners, are chemical additives that are sweeter than sugar but contain zero calories. Acesulphame K (additive number 950), Alitame (956), Aspartamine (951), Cyclamate (952), Neotame (961), Saccharin (954), and Sucralose (955) are the most widely used artificial sweeteners. Other forms of sweeteners include nutritive sweeteners, which have less energy than sugar but are not calorie-free, and natural sweeteners like Stevia, which is derived from a plant and has no energy.
The majority of sugar comes from energy-dense, nutrient-deficient discretionary foods, and drinks. Sugar is connected to a variety of potential poor health outcomes, including weight gain, dental cavities, type 2 diabetes, and maybe even depression. Because drinks account for over half of our added sugar intake, limiting our consumption is important.
Non-sugar sweeteners are often added by manufacturers to beverages and packaged foods and are also added to foods and beverages directly by consumers, such as adding a packet to a cup of tea or coffee.