What’s the best artificial sweetener to use? I’ve heard that Splenda is better than the others. What’s the deal?
Sticky Sweet in SoPo
Dear Sticky:
I’ve got a shocker for you. When you’re reaching for the yellow and pink and blue packets on the restaurant table, know what the best sweetener is? Sugar! Before you go sour on me, please let me explain …
Many people have turned to artificial sweeteners as a way to lose weight. That “0 calories” label is really appealing when we’re scratching our heads at the soda machine. However, a growing body of evidence shows these chemicals may not be so sweet.
For example, aspartame (manufactured as NutraSweet by Monsanto) is commonly used in many foods. Once on a Department of Defense list of chemical warfare agents, aspartame was eventually approved by the FDA as a food additive. But 98.8% of independent research not funded by the industry or run by the FDA linked aspartame to adverse health effects. Animal trials show it may cause cancer, infertility and other nastiness. In humans, it’s been linked to many effects ranging from fibromyalgia to brain tumors. Interestingly, Donald Rumsfeld headed the FDA task force that looked into whether industry-sponsored safety testing was flawed. (He had been the CEO of the company that invented aspartame.) You can read about the history of aspartame and make your own conclusions about industry and government conspiracies.
But this is Ask the Doc, not “X-Files,” so let’s look at what it actually does: First, it is an excitotoxin, meaning it can over-stimulate the brain through its action as an NMDA receptor antagonist. It’s not good for people with ADHD, those prone to headaches, pregnant women and children with developing brains. Second, it blocks the production of serotonin in the brain. You probably know serotonin is an important brain chemical that makes us happy; low serotonin equals depression. Low serotonin also means our brains can’t tell when we’re full.
Wait a minute — if we can’t tell when we’re full then how are “diet” foods sweetened with aspartame helpful in losing weight? (I’ll give you a hint: since diet foods became so popular, have Americans been losing or gaining weight?) If you want to achieve a healthy weight, avoid aspartame like a box of doughnuts.
How about Splenda? This is made from sucralose and is touted as a more “natural” artificial sweetener. Unfortunately there have been no good studies proving safety (or harm) in humans. A nonprofit health advocacy group called Citizens for Health has documented several side effects from Splenda ranging from stomachaches to headaches to rashes. It has petitioned the FDA to withdraw approval of Splenda until safety has been proved. For the time being, I advise my patients to avoid the stuff and stick to the natural sweeteners.
OK, enough doom and gloom. What is safe? My favorite non-caloric sweetener is stevia. Made from an herb that is 200 times sweeter than sugar, only a tiny amount is needed to make your favorite beverage tastier. Read more at www.holisticmed.com/sweet. Other newer alternatives that seem safe are tagatose and erythritol. If you don’t see any of these on the dinner table and you still need that sweet rush, reach for a packet of good old-fashioned sugar. It’s only 15 calories per teaspoon, and nature made it. Remember: everything in moderation, including moderation!
Sean McCloy, MD, MPH, MA is the medical director at Maine Integrative Wellness in Portland. He is dual board-certified in family medicine and holistic medicine. He specializes in integrative family medicine and can be seen walking around the Old Port with his therapy dog, Hershey. Send questions for Sean to editor@themaineswitch.com.