From Splenda to Truvia, artificial sweeteners are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. You’ll find them in yogurts, ice creams, sodas and almost everything tasty in between. But are they healthy? It’s a hard question to answer because scientific research on America’s favorite sweeteners still has a long way to go.
To dieters’ dismay, a new study has suggested that sucralose — a calorie-free sugar substitute — might increase an eater’s appetite. It’s far from the first eyebrow-raising scientific study on artificial sweeteners, so The Atlanta Journal-Constitution spoke with a local registered dietitian to break down the recent findings and to offer some up-to-date guidance.
“Whether or not people should or shouldn’t be using [sucralose], I always like to say things aren’t always that cut and dry,” said Emory Healthcare’s Michelle Gooden.
To understand why it’s a complicated question, we’ll first have to take a bite out of history.
What is sucralose, and is it safe for you?
Artificial sweeteners, like sucralose, are regulated by the FDA as a food additive that was approved in 1998 for use in 15 food categories, then as a general-purpose food sweetener in 1999.
According to the FDA, it’s found in a variety of foods these days — including baked goods, beverages, chewing gum, gelatins and frozen dairy desserts. It’s stable at higher temperatures, making it an advantageous artificial sweetener for bakers.
Credit: Bill Boch
Credit: Bill Boch
After reviewing 110 studies on potential toxic effects and assessing human clinical trials on metabolism and diabetes, the FDA determined that sucralose is safe to consume — as long as people consume no more than 23 packets a day.
The BMI conundrum of artificial sweeteners
Scientific studies on sucralose and other artificial sweeteners have raised some eyebrows along the way, sometimes leading to major health organizations taking action.
In 2023, for instance, the World Health Organization advised people to avoid nonsugar sweeteners (NSS) for weight control after assessing a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and observational studies.
“Replacing free sugars with NSS does not help with weight control in the long term. People need to consider other ways to reduce free sugars intake, such as consuming food with naturally occurring sugars, like fruit, or unsweetened food and beverages,” Francesco Branca, WHO director for nutrition and food safety, said in the press release. “NSS 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.”
Comparatively, the American Heart Association advises eaters turn to artificial sweeteners, which they include as a form of low-calorie sweetener (LCS), in order to reduce their real sugar intakes and maintain a healthy weight.
Among major health care organizations, there is no shared, uniform policy on artificial sweetener consumption.
In 2023, the University of Minnesota published study findings that “raise concerns” about the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association’s stances on artificial sweeteners. The study suggested long-term consumption of aspartame, saccharin and diet beverages was linked to an increase in body fat, leading to other potential health consequences.
So do artificial sweeteners make people gain weight? Gooden is not convinced.
“I would shy away from saying that definitively,” she said.
Do artificial sweeteners make you hungrier?
Last month, Nature Metabolism published a new study on artificial sweeteners. The study, featuring 75 young adults, showed that sucralose could stimulate an eater’s appetite through its delivery of an unnaturally sweet taste lacking the “post-ingestive metabolic signals” needed to suppress hunger.
It’s suggestive, but probably not concrete enough to compel any major health care policy changes anytime soon. That’s not to say the study isn’t a step forward for health and nutrition researchers.
“Some preliminary findings seem to suggest that people are eating more when they consume artificial sweeteners. They feel as if they sort of crave more sugar, and so they’re reaching for additional options,” explained Gooden.
The registered dietitian then suggested that more research is needed, a common throughline in the world of artificial sweetener health policy.
Do artificial sweeteners cause cancer?
There is one topic of artificial sweetener research that scientists have come to more wholly agree upon: They don’t cause cancer.
According to Gooden, cancer is a concern artificial sweetener and moderate real sugar users can cross off their list of direct causers.
“I know that there is a prevailing narrative with some patients that sugar, in and of itself, sort of drives or feeds cancer,” she said. “We try to debunk that, particularly when we’re talking about the other more salient health issues that people with cancer can encounter.”
The American Institute of Cancer Research states that there is no clear evidence that the sugar in your diet preferentially feeds tumors over other cells.
Should you consume sucralose?
Artificial sweeteners research still has a long way to go, but scientists are making progress day by day with each new study. There’s always more to learn — sometimes that means advising moderation, rather than a definitive verdict on consumption.
“Over consumption of sucralose, or any artificial sweetener, is never going to be a great thing. But, for some people, it may drive a health benefit,” Gooden said. “It’s about having regular communication with your health providers: your doctors, your nurses, your dietitians and just being mindful.”
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