I have a theory, and that theory is that God created smart people on this earth so that they could find ways to combine substances that sweeten like sugar but don't add the calories of sugar. Why? I think heaven is a place full of sweet treats without diet consequence, and - voila!- why not share a piece of this magic on earth? Diabetics and waistlines everywhere would rejoice! Chewing gum companies could expand with a billion options without the government hassling them about causing tooth decay! I could allow myself to enjoy a cup of hot cocoa every now and again!
I think a large part of the problem with artificial sweeteners stems from the belief that they are made in a lab with dangerous, volatile substances. Maybe people picture some crazy Dr. Jeckyl starting with rat intestines and adding formaldehyde and then POOF Sweet N' Low is created!
The truth is that artificial sweeteners have been under such scrutiny for decades, and the clinical trials have clearly demonstrated that proper use of artificial sweeteners poses no harmful side effects. The FDA has even established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for approved artificial sweeteners. An ADI is the amount of artificial sweetener a person can safely consume (per kilogram of body weight) on average, every day, over a lifetime without incurring any health risks. This includes a 100-fold safety factor, meaning that the ADI is 1/100th of the actual amount that is considered safe for daily consumption. So how much artificial sweetener can an adult safely consume each day, according to these ADIs established by the FDA? Here's an example: To reach the ADI for aspartame (which is 50 mg/kg body weight per day), a 150-pound adult would need to consume 20 (12-ounce) cans of diet soda OR 42 (4-ounce) servings of sugar-free, diet gelatin OR 97 packets of tabletop sweetener in a single day.
According to the Mayo Institute, artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes that may be derived from naturally occurring substances, including herbs and sugar. Here is a recap of the current FDA-approved sweeteners:
1. Acesulfame Potassium: Sunett, Sweet One
2. Aspartame: Equal, NutraSweet
3. Neotame
4. Saccharin: SugarTwin, Sweet 'N Low
5. Sucralose: Splenda
Anyone who knows me knows that my favorite on this list is good old Saccharin, and for no particular reason other than I actually kind of like the metallic aftertaste and I find that it sweetens my coffee better than anything else. Splenda is a close second, as it is great for baking. PLUS -- I met the creator of Splenda!!!! (At least he said he was. Abbey, if you're reading this, you can vouch for this story). He was a crazy man and he apparently now works for the Franklin County (Columbus, Ohio)WIC program. Odd.
My big beef stems from a larger picture than just artificial vs. natural sweeteners, and that is the overarching topic that I want to address next. In this "health food craze", I have noticed more and more commercials and advertisements aimed at marketing products as "natural" and "wholesome". Don't get me wrong, I love natural and wholesome foods. I enjoy eating whole fruits and vegetables and nuts all the time! However, while I guess technically your Coca-Cola with 150 calories per 8 oz cup is natural - sweetened with REAL SUGAR - it is not healthy. Seriously, if I have to watch another Sierra Mist commercial talking about "All natural Sierra Mist" I am going to go into cardiac arrest. (And so eventually are the children of yuppies who now think soda is healthy). No matter if it's sweetened with high fructose corn syrup or real sugar, the calories are the same.
One last topic: Stevia. Ohmygosh do the yuppies love Stevia!! I hate to break it to you, I really do. Stevia isn't approved to be sold in it's pure form. What you buy at the store is actually an extremely refined and processed form of stevia (i.e, TruVia). Maybe it's me, but it seems kind of hypocritical to be all about natural foods and then bash Sucralose (from Sugar) and love Truvia (from Stevia), since they are both extremely processed versions of their natural counterpart.
You probably don't agree with me on this one, and that's fine. I just hope the take-away message is there: Artificial sweeteners are okay in moderation. Natural sweeteners are also okay in moderation Let's not go crazy with either choice. If you're baking, why not use Splenda for at least 1/2 of it? What's the worst that could happen? I have a brilliant idea..how about we stick to eating whole fruits and vegetables, adding in low-fat/fat free dairy, whole grains, and lean proteins? Best yet, how about we get off our butts and start moving (we have arms and legs for that reason!) How about we stop eating when we stop feeling hungry? Just sayin'. :)
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