University of Washington experts are now saying artificial sweeteners are not healthy.
This comes after the World Health Organization had conflicting research on a possible carcinogen in them.
UW Medicine family doctor, Dr. Debra Bell, said eating any food with artificial sweeteners is bad for your health.
“It’s always a personal decision, but I think it should be an educated decision,” said Bell.
The WHO said a daily intake of between nine to 14 cans containing artificial sweetener for a 154-pound adult is safe but advised against it as a weight loss strategy.
“There is messaging to the brain that something tastes sweet but there is no physiologic bump in glucose and that interferes with the body’s messaging on hunger, or to stop feeling hungry,” said Bell. “We know that artificial sweeteners do not reduce calorie intake, and now there is pretty sound data in humans showing that it is not effective for helping with weight loss.”
Instead of artificial sweeteners, Bell recommends using maple syrup, honey, molasses, applesauce, or fruit concentrate.
The health impacts of artificial sweeteners go beyond possibly causing cancer. Studies have also shown links to negative health effects with the heart, brain neurons, and microbiome in your gut. They also may be linked to irritable bowel syndrome. The artificial sweetener erythritol was linked in one study to an increased risk of heart attack, according to the UW.
But doctors said much of that data comes from animal studies.