“Cleveland Clinic study finds common artificial sweetener linked to higher rates of heart attack and stroke,” announced the press release in February. Until then, the low-calorie sugar alcohol erythritol had appeared to be safe. But the new evidence isn’t as conclusive as it may seem. Here’s a closer look.
As people cut back on added sugars, low-calorie sweeteners are stepping in. They add sweetness with few or no calories to sodas and sports drinks, yogurts and ice creams, cookies and candy, toothpaste, and more. Are they safe? It depends on the sweetener. Here are some key findings on the most popular ones. To learn more, check out our guide to sweeteners and other food additives.
Want to try a low-calorie sweetener? Stevia or monk fruit extract, erythritol, and allulose won’t turn cupcakes into cantaloupe (see No. 3), but they’ll sweeten your coffee, tea, oats, yogurt, and more without empty calories. (As for taste...that’s up to you. Some people detect an aftertaste; others don’t.) Here’s what to know.
In three of the best studies, male and female rats and male (but not female) mice that were fed aspartame along with their food had higher rates of several cancers.
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener used in thousands of products worldwide. Questions about a possible link between aspartame and cancer have persisted for decades. However, compelling evidence now indicates that aspartame is a carcinogen. This fact sheet summarizes the evidence on aspartame and cancer, including important new evidence, and makes recommendations.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest filed these comments with the Food and Drug Administration about the standard of identity for frozen cherry pie.
Aspartame (sometimes marketed under the brand names Equal, NutraSweet, or AminoSweet) is a chemical combination of two amino acids and methanol. Questions of cancer and neurological problems, such as dizziness or hallucinations, have swirled around aspartame for decades.
Artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes are used in a wide range of foods and especially beverages to provide sweetness with fewer or no calories. The question is: are they safe? The short answer: it depends on the sweetener.
Maltitol, a sugar alcohol, is made by hydrogenating maltose, which is obtained from corn syrup. Large amounts (above 20 to 30 grams) may have a laxative effect.
