Sugar Substitutes

Do you have an artificial sweet tooth? Many people are choosing sugar substitutes instead of sugar. But why, and are they safe?

There are three main reasons why people use low-calorie sweeteners, like Equal, Sweet 'n low, and Sweet One:

1. To save calories: one teaspoon of sugar contains 16 calories, whereas there are fewer than 4 calories per teaspoon in sugar substitutes;
2. For dental health: sugar substitutes do not cause cavities; and
3. To help prevent health problems: diabetics need to limit foods sweetened with sugar in order to control their blood sugar.

No matter what your reason, low-calorie sweeteners are commonly purchased staples. Nearly 1500 foods are sweetened with sugar substitutes.

Leading health authorities, including the American Dietetic Association and the American Diabetic Association, agree that all available sugar substitutes are safe for most people. Those who need to be concerned are pregnant women (consume in moderation) and individuals with Phenylketonuria (PKU).

In regards to the concern about saccharin causing cancer, all research was conducted on rats. A human would have to consume 850 cans of diet soda daily in order to ingest the same amount of saccharin researchers used in their studies.

The Food and Drug Administration and the American Medical Association also found no correlation between Aspartame causing headaches and mood swings.

No matter what you consume, remember to monitor portion sizes. Too much of anything is not a good thing. Rather, opt for some calorie-burning activities… one passionate kiss burns about 12 calories!!!

Each year, Medical College of Wisconsin physicians care for more than 180,000 patients, representing nearly 500,000 patient visits. Medical College physicians practice at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, and many other hospitals and clinics in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin.