The Good, The Bad, The Verdict

Do you drink diet soda? Substitute Splenda for sugar in your coffee? If so, have you ever wondered if you might be doing more harm to your body than good? We asked White-Wilson Medical Center's Nancy King to give us her take.

The Good

Artificial sweeteners, also known as non-nutritive sweeteners and sugar substitutes, are chemicals 30 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar (sucrose). When used in foods, a tiny amount of these sweeteners takes the place of the calorie-laden sucrose and the result is sweet-tasting, sugar-free foods.

Some foods sweetened with artificial sweeteners have fewer calories than their sucrose counterpart, making "dieting" easier for many individuals. Further, artificial sweeteners do not affect blood sugar levels, making them a sweet alternative for patients with diabetes.

Artificial sweeteners are regulated and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as food additives only after research studies have demonstrated that the sweetener is safe and would not be harmful to humans. There are five artificial sweeteners approved for use in the United States: saccha-rin (Sweet'N Low, Sugar Twin), aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), sucralose (Splenda), acesulfame-K (Sunnet, Sweet One), and neotame.

The Bad

The use of artificial sweeteners and their safety are highly controversial. Much research has been done; much more is needed.

The findings/conclusions of a single study do not make or break the case. Most sweeteners have flaws - some insignificant, others critical. For instance, aspartame breaks down during cooking, losing its sweetening power; aspartame is harmful for people with phenylketonuria (a rare genetic disorder); some artificial sweeteners have an aftertaste; aspartame may cause headaches on some individuals; saccharin causes cancer in rats; and so on.

Most sugar-free foods are not calorie-free (read the Nutrition Facts panel on the food labels). A diet soda, regardless of its size, cannot counteract the calories of a double bacon cheeseburger and french fries consumed at the same meal. Also, too many diet sodas could damage your pearly whites because the acidity of soft drinks erodes tooth enamel, promoting tooth decay.

The Verdict

In spite of all the controversy spawned by artificial sweeteners, there is no sufficient scientific evi-dence linking them to weight gain, cancer, or any other health hazard in humans. However, albeit the FDA efforts, there is no way to predict with certainty the long-term effect of these chemicals. When it comes to foods, nutrition, and health, moderation is truly the best advice - use artificial sweeteners sensibly.

Nancy King, Ph.D., is a clinical dietitian at White-Wilson Medical Center. She can be reached at 863-8100.