The Truth About Sweeteners

There are lots of sweeteners on the market today, and they go by many names including:

You might be wondering, how are they different?

Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols are low-calorie, and tend to be much sweeter than regular sugars (about 200-800 times sweeter!) They “bypass” metabolism, which is why they are able to be labeled as zero or low calorie sweeteners. I know being able to enjoy something sweet with no calories sounds very appealing, but the reality is: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Our liver and kidneys do most of the work when processing artificial sweeteners. In general, I recommend avoiding these types of sweeteners, and here is a quick breakdown of why:

• Recently, erythritol and other related sugar alcohols (specifically polyols) have been associated with risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (also known as MACE, which includes heart attack or myocardial infarction, stroke, and death), increased formation of blood clots and blockage of arteries, and elevated blood levels of erythritol of 1,000-times higher for hours and up to several days after ingestion.

• Artificial sweeteners may negatively impact:
  • Satiation and hunger cues, causing cravings and overeating.
  • Gut microbiota. This is a big one. We are only as healthy as our gut, so it’s important to be mindful of anything that may be attributing to poor gut health.
  • Body weight, and may result in greater risk for obesity, and other metabolic diseases.
  • Reward centers in the brain. They “hijack” our taste buds making naturally sweetened foods, like fruits, taste much less pleasurable. This creates more dependency on the artificial sweeteners by activating our dopamine receptors in the brain, making it hard to give them up. (hint hint: you become addicted!)

Amount Of Sweetener

The American Heart Association has established recommendations for daily added sugar consumption (this applies to regular sugars, not including artificial or non-nutritive sweeteners):

To put this in context, one 12-oz. serving of regular cola has about 33 grams of added sugar, so this would exceed the recommended daily intake for women, and is 92% of the daily intake for men.

Use my quick sugar guide below to see where your sweetener stacks up. 

Quick Sugar Guide

Breakdown of above guide

I created this quick sugar guide to provide recommendations regarding different types of sugars, allowing you to make mindful choices in your everyday life. The least processed type of sugars are honey and maple syrup. While they are natural, it is important to remember that they still count as sugar. You should balance your intake by limiting consumption to 1.5-2 tablespoons a day or 26-34 grams of sugar.

Sugar alcohols, plant-based sweeteners, table sugar, brown sugar and raw turbinado are best to enjoy in small amounts. Sugar alcohols, such as xylitol and sorbitol, should be limited to less than 10 grams daily, but this amount will vary based on the individual’s tolerance. For example, sugar alcohols may cause loose stools in some people, especially if consuming too much.

For monk fruit and stevia, it’s recommended not to exceed 2 packets per day. Similarly, table sugar, raw turbinado, and brown sugar should be limited to 6-9 teaspoons daily (24-36 grams).

High fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and the sugar alcohol erythritol should be consumed sparingly or avoided. 

Whenever you find yourself craving something sweet, my top recommendation is to grab some fruit! Consume 2-3 fruits per day to increase your nutrient intake and curb a sweet tooth. Fruits can satisfy your cravings in the most wholesome way due to their natural sweetness.