Dr. Didem Gunduz

Are Sweeteners Harmful?

Are sweeteners, which are used excessively by diabetics and preferred for diet and weight loss, harmful? In this article, we inform you about natural and artificial sweeteners.

What is Sweetener?

Artificial sweeteners are substances that contain less energy and taste like sugar. They are substances that are used instead of sugar and give a sweet taste due to the necessity of limiting the sugar rate in diabetics or in the fight against obesity.

There are also herbal sweeteners of sugar substitutes, which are widely used today and the number of users is increasing day by day. These substances, which are mostly used by diabetes patients, are also used by people who have weight problems to lose weight. Types of artificial sweeteners are substances known as aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose. It can trigger the insensitivity of diabetes, that is, glucose intolerance, which can lead to the formation of diabetes.

Are Sweeteners Harmful?

flavoring effects
Are sweeteners harmful?

In previous human studies, consumption of artificial sweeteners has been linked to higher rates of obesity, diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure. After all the researches, all kinds of sweeteners are not safe. The sweetening chemicals used in place of sugar, sucralose, which is the trend sweetener of recent times, have not been proven to be safe.

Problems Caused by Sweeteners

Harms of artificial sweeteners The most well-known among them is that it negatively affects sugar metabolism. It is important to use sweeteners that negatively affect blood sugar in tea and coffee for a short time and in low doses.

Although using sweeteners does not disrupt the diet, it causes an increase in appetite and can lead to weight gain. It can even affect the formation of cardiovascular diseases. For this reason, tea and coffee (see: Is coffee an acid or a base??) natural sweeteners, that is, the sweeteners we call herbal sweeteners can be preferred.

These substances, which have effects that trigger glucose insensitivity, cause health problems related to nutrition as well as diseases targeted by the immune system such as allergies. Sweeteners should not be preferred for continuous use unless necessary. It is important to be followed by a doctor after using it for a short time and at low rates, on the recommendation of a doctor, in order not to experience health problems.

Are Splenda or Stevia Sweeteners Harmful?

Splenda Sweetener: It is the most commonly used sweetener based on sucralose. It can be used instead of sugar as a low-calorie sweetener. It does not contain Aspartame and Saccharin. It can also be preferred instead of sugar in hot and cold drinks, granulated splenda meals or in pastries such as cakes and cookies.

Stevia Sweetener: sugar grass It is a plant that grows in South America. The extracts found in the leaves of this plant are used as a sweetening natural sweetener and have a much sweeter flavor than sucrose.

natural sweeteners
Are natural sweeteners harmful?
photo of author
Born in 1984, Dr. Didem Gündüz completed her education at the Faculty of Medicine. After specializing in internal medicine, she completed her higher education in dermatology. Didem worked in various public hospitals for many years and is currently serving her patients in a private clinic.

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