These days almost every food and drink item, from soft drinks, chewing gums, jellies and baked products and candies, to even fruit juices, and frozen delicacies like ice-cream and yogurt, are made with artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes. Such products are promoted as “sugar free” or “diet option” and to our tea-loving nation, these sweeteners have found a special place as a sugar substitute, added fondly every time a cup of tea is served.

Artificial Sweeteners: What are they?

Artificial sweeteners stand out from other sugar substitutes due to their unique traits and frequent usage. This is due to the extremely low caloric addition they cause to the daily allowance. Also, to achieve the same degree of sweetness with sugar, only a small amount is used. They can range from 30 to 8,000 times sweeter and thus, have a much lower caloric value than sugar.

Time to take out diabetes and dieting's worst weapons: sugar and carbs. When we compare sugar to its substitutes, we find that sugar has 4 calories for every gram, while sugar substitutes have traces of calories, almost to the point of zero calories.

As per GMI Research, the Artificial Sweeteners Market is forecast to reach USD 11.2 billion in 2030

These sweeteners can typically be found in various foods such as candy, puddings, dairy products, and dozens of beverages. They can also be found in more complex foods such as baked goods, soft drinks, mixed powdered drinks, and even canned goods.

There are many types of sugar substitutes, but the Authorisation of Saccharin, Sucralose, Acesulfame, and Aspartame types of sweeteners by the FDA means that these are the most basic ones.

Not everything that saves you calories is good. Non-nutritive sweeteners have the potential to lower sugar intake, however, must be used correctly.

It is true that honey and table sugar are both processed to sweet glucose and fructose, but honey offers greater nutritional benefits over table sugar, while natural sweeteners provide little.

Other effects of consuming artificial sweeteners include:

• A change in heart rate

• An increase in depression

• An increase in memory loss

• Possibility of a seizure

Besides these underreported effects, sweetened beverages are also heavily sweetened. The abrupt sweetener changes befuddles the brain and results in unending cravings, which ultimately worsens the diabetes, increased slimness, (=lowering the body fat heavily) diabetes type 2, knee injuries, and other chronic ailments.

Where are Artificial Sweeteners Concealed?

The unaccounted harm these people are completely unaware of. Artificial sweeteners and their defaming are about as easy to see as a concrete wall in a mine. They are everywhere, often camouflaging in plain sight, like “sugar free” tablets used to sweeten drinks.

Eating sugar free food will have zero effect on weight loss as long as the food item has other ingredients that are calorie-dense or other underlying health issues are present. Take the case of a diet soda or diet coke. These drinks have sugar substitutes instead of sugar. The sugar substitute lowers the risk of tooth decay but the acid in diet soda can contribute to dental erosion. Likewise, when people see the cookies that have sugar substitutes, they tend to overeat. Yes, the total sugar intake will be controlled, however, the total calorie and carbohydrate intake will still do a ton of damage.