Low-Calorie Sweeteners: Sweet and Safe

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Diet soda tastes sweet and has virtually no calories. But is the soda's artificial sweetener safe to consume?

Yes, says the May issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.

Widely circulated reports have suggested that some sweeteners, such as aspartame and saccharin, carry serious health implications, including an increased risk of cancer. But the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the American Dietetic Association, the National Cancer Institute and others agree that no evidence supports these claims.

The FDA regulates low-calorie sweeteners as food additives. They require that agency's safety approval before being marketed. Currently, the FDA approves these low-calorie sweeteners:

• Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet). However, aspartame isn't safe for people who have phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare hereditary disease.
• Sucralose (Splenda)
• Saccharin (Sweet'N Low)
• Acesulfame potassium (Sweet One, Sunett)
• Neotame (currently not sold as a stand-alone sweetener in the United States)

The safety of low-calorie sweeteners does not necessarily mean that they benefit a healthy diet or weight-loss efforts. Many foods and drinks made with low-calorie sweeteners — soda, candy and cookies — offer few healthy nutrients. New studies have raised concerns that consuming foods with low-calorie sweeteners may result in an overall increase in calorie intake and weight gain.

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