Question:

Are sugar-free foods actually healthy?

Answer from registered dietician Kimmie Sharp, RDN:

Artificial sweeteners, beginning with saccharin in the late 1880s, have been around for over a century. Still, despite their lengthy history, artificial sweeteners remain misunderstood. 

What are artificial sweeteners?

Artificial sweeteners have molecules similar enough to sugar molecules so they can fit on our sweetness receptors and give us the same sense of sweetness. Some of them contain calories, but the amount needed for a good degree of sweetness is so small, they essentially don’t add any calories to food. 

There’s a lot of misinformation about artificial sweeteners. But all the artificial sweeteners the FDA has approved, like aspartame, sucralose or xylitol, have undergone decades of research and are generally regarded as safe. 

Are sugar-free foods healthy?

In addition to being safe, foods and drinks with artificial sweeteners can help people lose weight and have a healthier overall diet. It’s a good idea to replace sugar-sweetened products with artificial sweeteners. However, you still want to make sure you don’t go overboard and add them to everything you consume.

There’s a belief that artificial sweeteners may increase sweet cravings or overstimulate sugar receptors, but research hasn’t consistently supported that claim. Likewise, some believe artificial sweeteners are linked to an increased risk of cancer, but this idea has been debunked.

This link between artificial sweeteners and cancers stems from studies in which they gave rats extremely high doses of artificial sweeteners. However, there have been no reputable studies since that have shown a connection. 

Consumers should be aware that sugar-free foods may impact their gut microbiome, though further research is needed. Similarly, sugar alcohols like xylitol can cause stomach discomfort in high doses. For example, some people have experienced this after eating Halo Top ice cream because of too much sugar alcohols.

Ultimately, we know added sugars increase the risk of weight gain and health conditions like obesity, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

In 2012, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics stated that non-nutritive artificial sweeteners are safe based on the research.

Accordingly, I often recommend subbing out foods and drinks with added sugar for sugar-free or artificially sweetened versions. We frequently use these products to assist patients with weight loss, and they can be part of a healthy diet.