HEALTH

Are sugar-free alternatives really better for you?

1 November, 2022 . 0

Sugar-free has become a buzzword in marketing, but is artificial sweetener all it’s cracked up to be, or are you better off with the real thing?

Since artificial sweeteners burst on to the scene, they have popped up in everthing from drinks to lollies, yoghurt, biscuits and gum – promising all the pleasure without the calories.

At the same time, natural sugar has been demonised, leaving some people so keen to quit the sweet stuff that they’re swearing off nutritious foods like fruit.

So, the big question is: Should we stick with real sugar or reach for the sugar-free option?

Not so sweet: Why you shouldn’t quit sugar completely

Real sugar versus sugar-free

Traditional sugar can come from things like sugar cane, honey or fructose corn syrup and, while they might taste different, these are generally considered “real sugar”.

Regardless of where it comes from, there are many health issues associated with eating too much sugar.

“Often people do not realise how much sugar they’re eating,” UniSA Professor of nutrition Peter Clifton says.

“There’s no doubt that lots of sugar, especially liquid form in soft drinks, will lead to weight gain and type 2 diabetes.”

Excess sugar can also lead to other problems such as heart disease, tooth decay, and fatty liver.

On the other hand, people can choose sugar substitutes that promise the sweetness without the glucose.

Common types approved by Food Standards Australia New Zealand include acesulphame K, saccharin, sucralose and purified stevia extracts.

These are often considered a healthier option and to date, research says sugar substitutes are generally not bad for your health.

But it’s worth noting that how much you can safely eat daily is still being determined by the World Health Organisation.

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Do sugar-free options help weight loss?

One of the main reasons people choose sweeteners over sugar is to shrink their waistline.

However, this is not a foolproof strategy.

Early research showed people switching to low-calorie alternatives slimmed down at first.

But other studies found fake sugars may actually make you fatter in the longer term.

“In one study, it was pretty clear that when you replace sugar with artificial sweeteners of any sort, you will lose weight,” Prof Clifton explains.

“But of course, outside the study, for free-living people, it’s much more difficult to reduce caloric intake and most people actually end up putting on weight.

“Basically, using sweetness does not change the overall behaviour.

“So there was a whole lot of conflicting behaviours that people were doing like when people take artificial sweeteners in their coffee, but then they have a piece of cake because they think they’ve been good.”

There’s no doubt that lots of sugar, especially liquid form in soft drinks, will lead to weight gain and type 2 diabetes.

Can sugar-free sweeteners cause cancer?

Cancer Council nutrition, alcohol and physical activity committee chair Clare Hughes says consumption of too much sugar has been proven to lead to weight gain, which “increases the risk of 13 different cancers including cancers of the oesophagus, pancreas, bowel, breast (post-menopausal), endometrium, kidney and liver”.

But when it comes to sugar-free products the risks are unknown.

“We often hear concerns about the link between consumption of certain intense sweeteners and increased risk of cancer,” Clare says.

“But there is no evidence that the intense sweeteners permitted in the food supply cause cancer or are unsafe in the doses typically consumed.”

The last word: Should you dodge sugar and sugar-free sweeteners?

Prof Clifton says the best approach is to not fill your diet with sweeteners and diet foods, but instead focus on healthier eating habits.

“Really you’re probably better off reducing the amount of sugar you eat overall, but, if you need to have any sweeteners because you’re just desperate to have something sweeter, then products with aspartame or stevia are probably OK.”