Artificial Sweeteners & Sugars

Cake, chewing gum, ice cream, soda, cereal, and candy! All those delicious treats and many others contain one thing in common- sugar. A new trend in healthy living is for companies to use artificial sugars in their snacks. The artificial sugars are sometimes made from natural sugar, such as Splenda. However, some sweeteners, such as Equal, are made with ingredients that may not be healthy to humans.

            Dr. Goodner, director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics here at Winthrop, explained the risks and benefits of several types of sugars. Dextrose and corn syrup, high fructose or not, are both made from corn and are common sweeteners. Both can cause tooth decay and have no nutritional value, but are healthy in moderation. While saccharin, the sugar found in Sweet ‘n’ Low, or Equal made with aspartame, must be ingested with caution as there are serious health risks including cancer.

            However, the amount of artificial sugars it takes to cause the damage is incredibly large “12, 2 liter bottles of equal sweetened soda” is still below the dangerous levels that may cause health risks. Dr. Goodner concluded the interview by stating, “Any actual damage is inconclusive”.

            When the body is processing the nutrients and chemicals ingested, artificial sugars are “perceived as sweeter” by the taste buds. Dr. Hurlbert, professor of chemistry explained. At the beginning of the digestion process, a person may enjoy the artificial sugar more. However, during the remainder of the process, the artificial sweetener is not as beneficial.

The artificial sugar is “not broken down by the body” due to the sugar being “slightly different” than the natural sugar. Dr. Hurlbert continued. A natural sugar such glucose, which has a particular shape on a molecular level that the body’s bacterium recognize and digest. Artificial sugars have a different shape that, though recognized as a sugar, cannot be digested. The sugars pass from the system, without providing the body with the sugar required for energy production and other functions.