Americans are consuming less sugar and more sweeteners, but experts say that's not necessarily an improvement
- Americans are eating less sugar and more artificial sweeteners, according to new research.
- Specifically, stevia and sucralose have grown in popularity. Aspartame, while it's falling of out favor, is still by favor the most common artificial sweetener.
- Experts say that artificial sweeteners are generally regarded as safe, but aren't necessarily healthier than sugar, and moderation with all kinds of sweets is key.
Americans' love affair with sugar may be losing its spark, data suggests. But that's not necessarily a good thing, since the sweet stuff is being replaced by artificial sweeteners, which carry their own set of health implications.
Over the past decade, more consumers have been buying products made with artificial sweeteners instead of sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, according to a new study, published July 29 in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
In that same time period — 2002 to 2018 — sales of products sweetened with sugar slumped, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found, looking at Nielsen data on Americans' purchasing habits.
It signals health-consciousness, since too much sugar is linked to a whole host of medical issues. However, while artificial sweeteners can be a good thing for people with diabetes, experts worry there's a misconception that sweeteners are much healthier than sugar.
Americans perceive some sweeteners as 'natural'
Aspartame is still the most popular artificial sweetener in the US based on per capita consumption, used in products like diet soda, sugar-free candy, and chewing gum. But sales of products containing aspartame and a similar sweetener, saccharin, have declined in recent years.
Instead, sucralose (Splenda) and rebaudioside A (more commonly known as stevia) have dramatically grown in popularity, the data show.
Stevia, a zero-calorie sweetener derived from a South American plant, is likely becoming more popular as Americans prioritize foods perceived as more natural, researchers theorized.
Bonnie Taub-Dix, registered dietitian nutritionist, author of Read It Before You Eat It — Taking You from Label to Table, told Insider that while stevia is perfectly fine to use, it's a misconception to think of it as a whole, natural plant food.
"Stevia seems as if it's all natural, but the reality is it's a white powder. That's not how it's grown," she said. "Unless you're cutting up the leaf and putting it in your dessert, it still is processed."
Sugar may be better for a one-off sweet treat
The most popular source of sweeteners in the American diet is beverages such as fruit drinks, energy drinks, sodas, tea, and coffee, according to the research. In foods, yogurt, granola bars, and dairy desserts like ice cream were the biggest sources of both types of sweeteners.
That's fine in moderation, Taub-Dix said, but not if it represents too much of your diet. "It's not whether it's artificially sweetened or not, it's about whether a food is something that's devoid of any nutritional value," she said.
For a one-off indulgence, sugar can be a better bet. In some research, artificial sweeteners have been shown to increase cravings and hunger, potentially defeating the purpose of using them to cut calories.
"Let's not forget that when we choose food, taste rules," Taub-Dix said. "A small amount of sugar could satisfy more than a whole mountain of artificial sweetener. It really depends on you, your family, and your taste buds."
Artificial sweeteners are generally safe
Hundreds of studies have shown all these sweeteners to be safe for human health, and they're incredibly efficient at flavoring foods and beverages, explained Caroline Apovian, director of the Nutrition and Weight Management Center at Boston Medical Center.
There is some research to suggest saccharine, a less common artificial sweetener, is linked to cancer in rats and mice, but no evidence that humans a risk. Some studies have also linked aspartame, the most common form of artificial sweetener, to health risks, though more than 100 studies suggest it is safe for the general population, according to the FDA.
"High intensity sweeteners are used as sugar alternatives because they are many times sweeter than sugar and contribute little to no calories so you can use less much less to get sweetness. In order to be in the food in the US they must be considered safe," Apovian told Insider.
Sweeteners may be a healthier option for some people
Replacing sugar with calorie-free substitutes can have benefits for certain people, particularly people trying to lose weight, Apovian said, but only in small amounts.
"If you have obesity and metabolic syndrome, you should avoid sugar," she said. "And if you have to have sweetness, any of [sweeteners like stevia, aspartame, and sucralose] are OK."
It can also be a boon for people trying to manage their blood sugar, such as people with diabetes.
"If you have diabetes and it's replacing sugar, it can be a really good thing," Taub-Dix said. "If there are foods you enjoy that contain a lot of sugar, artificial sugars can help you have a variety of foods you otherwise couldn't."
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