Nutrition Quarterly Fall 2022

eatrightchicago.org/artificial-sweeteners-and-sugars 1 www.eatright.org Artificial By Carrie Gerencher MA, RDN, LDN All About Don’t you just love a sweet treat? The sweet treat doesn’t become all that sweet when it can cause dental cavities and excess weight due to excess calories. Many Americans are striving to cut back their sugar intake. Some are doing it to help maintain or lose some unwanted pounds while others are trying to live a healthier lifestyle. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), women should limit their sugar intake to just 6 teaspoons per day and men to 9 teaspoons a day. One teaspoon of sugar is equal to about 16 calories. The AHA is reporting to consume no more than 100 calories worth of sugar for women and no more than 150 calories for men per day. On any given day, an average person could drink a 20 ounce bottle of regular soda. There are about 17 teaspoons of sugar in that 20 ounce bottle of regular soda. That is almost 2 – 3 times the amount of sugar the AHA recommends for the entire day. One way to reduce our sugar intake is to use artificial sweeteners that are several times sweeter than traditional table sugar. The Food and Drug Administration has approved several artificial sweeteners to use in place of table sugar. Using non-nutritive sweeteners, as they are sometimes referred as, are one way to reduce calories from added sugar. They have no nutritional value and you get the sweet taste of sugar without all the calories. Some artificial sweeteners used in foods are aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, acesulfame potassium, and neotame. There has been abundant scientific research documenting that artificial sweeteners are generally regarded as safe for humans to ingest. In fact, artificial sugars are the most researched ingredient in America. Most Americans consume artificial sweeteners in amounts that are well below the set Acceptable Daily Intake. One would have to ingest 23 packets of sucralose or Splenda or 75 packets of Equal daily to reach the point of the possibility of adverse effects. 1 Beverages, such as diet sodas, zero calorie sports drinks, light juices and flavored waters, account for the majority of products purchased containing non-nutritive sweeteners. You can also find artificial sugars in flavored drink mixes such as Crystal Light & MiO Water Enhancer, yogurts, desserts such as sugar free puddings and Jello, chewing gum, and nutrition bars. Water and milk continue to be the most recommended beverages of choice to maintain a healthy eating pattern. Replacing a diet soda with a glass of milk will give you added nutrition such as protein, vitamins and minerals. If you keep your added sugars low, you can focus on foods that pack a nutrient punch. The bottom line is to eat a healthy, overall balanced diet focusing on whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and low fat dairy products. Fruits contain natural sugars as does milk. There is a place for non-nutritive sweeteners in your diet for those Americans who want to watch their sugar intake or count their calories to maintain a healthy weight. Nutrition Quarterly · Series 3 – Volume 4 19 Featured Articles