The World Health Organization isn’t sweet on non-sugar sweeteners, the agency announced. It advised against using sugar substitutes like Splenda, stevia and Sweet’n Low for weight loss — and warned about potential long-term health risks of too much intake. The recommendation applied to everyone except those with diabetes.
Artificial sweeteners have grown in popularity, largely because consumers consider them a healthier alternative to sugar. However, the WHO advisory adds to growing concern about the potential negative long-term health impacts of sugar substitutes.
The WHO recommendation comes on the heels of the agency’s review of studies on non-sugar sweeteners, which found no clear consensus on whether they are effective for weight loss or maintenance. The review referenced small-study data on the possible connection between sugar substitutes and an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death.
Another article published in February suggested that the keto diet-friendly artificial sweetener erythritol could elevate cardiovascular health risk, but “it’s not clear if it’s actually the sweeteners causing the increase or another variable that wasn’t controlled for,” said registered dietitian Alissa Rumsey , author of “Unapologetic Eating.”
That study follows other recent ones on artificial sugar that have raised concerns about glycemic response and heart disease.
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