Artificial Sweeteners vs. Sugar: Which Is Best?

When you’re trying to cut back on calories, it’s tempting to replace some of the sugar-laden treats in your diet with artificially sweetened ones.  But whether this is a good idea or not is highly debated, as there are many kinds of alternative sweeteners, few of which have been researched extensively.  Below are the facts about some of the sweeteners on the market, so you can review them and make the decision that’s best for you.  If you want more advice, see my recommendations at the bottom!

SWEETENER	ALSO CALLED	WHAT IT IS	HOW ITS USED	IMPORTANT INFO
Sugar	Sucrose	Natural substance from sugarcane or sugar beets	Baked goods, flavored yogurt, ice cream, bottled dressings and sauces	Nutritionally equivalent to brown sugar, honey; 16 calories per tsp
High Fructose Corn Syrup	HFCS	Very sweet liquid derived from cornstarch	Soda, processed foods, condiments	Just like sugar, may cause you to overeat b/c of effects on blood sugar and hunger-regulating hormones.
Agave Nectar	Agave Syrup	Sweet liquid extract from agave plant	Bottled, in some “natural” baked goods & processed foods	Sweeter than sugar, so when adding it to food you can use less to achieve the same taste
Sucralose	Splenda	Chemically altered sugar with no calories	In “Less Sugar” cereals, baked goods, some sodas/drinks	600X sweeter than sugar; recognized as safe but no long-term studies have proven its safety
Aspartame	Equal, Nutrasweet	Synthetic sweetener with no calories	Diet sodas, “light” yogurt and processed foods, diabetic candy, sugar-free gum	Causes headaches in some people, research on whether it’s safe is mixed, not safe if you have phenylketonuria
Stevia	Truvia, PureVia, Enliten, Rebiana	Natural sweetener derived from leaf of stevia plant	In packets, protein-shake mixes, some “natural” soft drinks	Currently considered safe in small amounts, but no long-term studies have proven its safety. May cause gas or bloating.
Saccharin	Sweet ‘N Low	Synthetic sweetener with no calories	In toothpaste, in packets, and Tab diet soda	300X sweeter than sugar. Has been linked to cancer in rats, research on relationship to cancer in humans is inconclusive.

So….now what?

My Recommendations

• When you want a treat, eat a real one, sweetened with sugar or another regular old natural sweetener.  If you eat sweets occasionally and in moderate portions, the sugar won’t cause cavities or weight gain.
• Avoid artificial (and zero-calorie “natural”) sweeteners most of the time.  Even if they end up being proven safe for long-term use, they may interfere with your body’s ability to judge whether it’s still hungry or not.  Plus, these sweeteners are only present in processed, packaged foods, which should be eaten occasionally anyway.
• None of these sweeteners will kill you if eaten in small portions, according to the evidence we have today.  So if you aim to eat mostly real, nutritious foods that you make yourself, it probably won’t matter which of these you decide to ingest – if only once in a great while.