Mary, a Facebook friend from Spartanburg, South Carolina, asks… 

     There are a variety of artificial sweeteners on the market. I’ll discuss Splenda as a general example.  What are some of the issues? 

     Most of white powder you see when you rip open a package of Splenda, or any other artificial sweetener, is not the “active ingredient” (what makes it sweet). The powder is there as a “carrier,” only to make the product easier to use and look more like sugar. The artificial sweetener part of Splenda is called “sucralose” and there is an extremely small amount of that present, since sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar. 

     So, I think that what you are really asking about when you talk about any artificial sweetener is the active ingredient, which, for Splenda is, sucralose. Sucralose looks a lot like table sugar on the molecular level, except that it also contains some chemically-bound chlorine atoms.  Because of the attached chlorine, sucralose cannot be metabolized like sugar. It tastes sweet, like sugar, but has no calories. The reason people like using products with sucralose, is because sucralose, unlike other artificial sweeteners, retains its sweetness when it is heated (up to 450 degrees F); that means you can bake with it and it still tastes sweet. 

     Is sucralose safe? I would say the answer to this question is “yes, it is safe.” BUT, “safe” doesn’t automatically mean, “healthy.” The idea that an artificially-sweetened soft drink, a “diet” drink, is “healthy” and “diet” is a brilliant marketing ploy. Many studies have shown that, overall, people who use “diet” drinks do not necessarily weigh less than other people and they are not “healthier” than other people. How many times have you seen someone putting artificial sweetener in coffee and then eating a donut with it? How many times have you heard a person ordering a hamburger, fries, and a “diet” soft drink? Really? Advertising has led generations of Americans into thinking that artificially-sweetened drinks and foods labeled “diet,” MUST be healthy. 

     The issue with artificial sweeteners is really a health issue. One of the big problems with kids (or adults) drinking “diet” drinks is that these drinks take the place of more important and more physiological liquids in the diet (like skim milk or water). In addition, they may contain significant amounts of caffeine and other stimulants which are problematic in children. Did you know that kids who drink diet drinks have a lower bone density and are more prone to hairline bone fractures? This is not due to “leeching” of calcium from the bones by “diet” drinks, but rather because, artificially-sweetened drinks are taking the place of skim milk and other calcium-containing "milks" in a kid’s diet. 

     The second concern with the use of any artificial sweetener in children is the idea that foods and drinks need to taste very sweet, all the time. Remember this…there are many emotional and physical “flavors” in life, not just sweetness. For example, “taste” is comprised of salty, sour and bitter, as well as sweet. It is the combination of these tastes that give foods (and life) its great flavor. Emphasizing the sweet taste, out-of-proportion to all the other tastes, is not “healthy.” Is a kid really going to eat veggies and other complex-tasting non-sweet foods, after the constant exposure to the artificial and ultra-sweet tastes of modern foods? Probably not. We owe it to our kids to help them discover ALL the wonderful flavors and tastes of food. 

         The third issue with artificial sweeteners, relates to a child’s (or adult’s) weight. Parents who think that using artificial sweeteners will help an overweight person loose weight...well, it’s just not so. Children and adults who use artificial sweeteners do not weigh less than other children and adults. Weight issues in children (and adults) usually relate to 1) what is being eaten {the quantity and quality of the food} 2) a person’s activity level, and 3) what parents, siblings, relatives, teachers and friends are eating {the food culture}. I would say that one of the reasons to routinely use artificial sweeteners with a child is if the child has insulin-dependent diabetes and artificial sweeteners help with blood glucose control. 

         What is the “No-Nonsense Nutrition" advice for today? First, there is a big difference between a food or drink being “safe” and being “healthy.” Second, there is no doubt that kids AND adults need to face and taste life in all its complexity, not just seek out the sweet things in life. 

 by Dr. Warren Karp