They seem so harmless. In most cases they offer no additional calories, provide the sweetness we are looking for and therefore satisfy that craving.
However, numerous recent studies are building mounting evidence that these substitute sweeteners are not as healthy as we once were lead to believe.
Some sugar substitutes are natural and some are synthetic. The synthetic ones are referred to as artificial sweeteners. In the US, five have been approved for use. Saccharin, aspartame (NutraSweet, AminoSweet or various other names), sucralose, neotame and acesulfame potassium. Even though only five have been approved, many more are added that have not been tested or approved. According to the data I could find (and it is already outdated) over 3,900 products containing artificial sweeteners were launched in the US between 2000 and 2005. Artificial sweeteners cost the food industry only a fraction of the cost of natural sweeteners, which means extremely high profit margins.
It has become common knowledge that aspartame has a profound effect on our nervous system. Over 90 different documented reactions have been reported to the FDA regarding NutraSweet. Things like: headaches, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.
A study by the University of Texas in 2005 indicated that rather than promoting weight loss, the use of diet drinks was a marker for increasing weight gain and obesity. In the study, those that consumed diet soda were more likely to gain weight than those that consumed naturally sweetened soda. Animal studies have indicated that artificial sweeteners cause body weight gain. Weight gain caused by artificial sweeteners is now commonly known in the food industry.
There has been no research to find out what the effects of these cumulative neurotoxins would be when consumed in far greater amounts and concentrations than anyone thought possible. No one knows what happens when they are heated in storage or in cooking. And long-term use with or without combinations of other additives has yet to be investigated.
Erythritol is often seen in products that also contain stevia. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol, but is neither sugar nor alcohol. It is not completely absorbed in your body so symptoms like diarrhea, headache and stomachache have been reported.
Truvia is another ingredient taken from part of the stevia place and is being touted as a “natural sweetener.” However, erythritol is also added to products containing truvia. As you can see, it gets confusing.