Are they as harmless as you think?

On the packaging, the mention “sugar-free” has become a marketing argument. It is true that a high consumption of sugar is harmful, both for the waistline and for the heart. But do health-conscious people who are overweight or diabetic have anything to gain from these “sugar-free” products? Nothing is less secure. Because they often contain various sweeteners.

These food additives are supposed to replace sugar (taste, substance) without causing its effects on metabolism (calorie intake, insulin secretion, impact on blood sugar, etc.). In short, butter and butter money? But the reality is not so idyllic.

Called aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame, sucralose, the intense sweeteners are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. “We use them in such small quantities that they provide negligible calories. However, they have no effect on metabolism,” specifies Dr. Houda Lazrak, a diabetes specialist. “Studies have shown that some of these sweeteners affect the production of hormones that stimulate insulin secretion, increase glucose transporters and/or induce changes in the intestinal flora. All of these changes are involved in regulating blood sugar levels,” he explains.

“We found that people who consumed more sweeteners had a higher risk of diabetes. This does not mean that sweeteners are responsible for diabetes, but it reminds us that their consumption has no proven beneficial effect on weight control or diabetes”, adds the specialist.

Empty molecules that contain no nutrients

Derived from the transformation of chemical compounds (such as sucralose), these artificial sweeteners are used for their sweetness. “That of aspartame is 200 times greater than that of sugar. Problem: they are empty molecules, i.e. non-food, because they do not contain nutrients and the body will hardly recognize them,” says Dr. Lazrak.

On the other hand, when the body realizes you’re trying to cheat it by taking a sugar substitute that doesn’t raise blood sugar, then you’ll eat more and throw your diabetes out of balance. “It is therefore better to opt for real sugar, for example replacing white sugar with cane or coconut sugar, richer in fiber and nutrients, rather than taking substitutes that can be harmful to health”, recommends the diabetologist.

Promote weight gain

When it comes to dieters, consuming sweeteners has also revealed counterproductive consequences. The benefit of aspartame is that it would be low in calories and could therefore help you lose weight or avoid complications from diabetes. But be warned, this argument has been proven false. “When a person on a diet consumes more products containing sweeteners, they eat more, which promotes weight gain,” informs Dr. Lazrak.

Furthermore, the consumption of sweeteners also has a deleterious effect on the intestinal microbiota which they alter. “However, an unbalanced microbiota will have a major impact on other diseases: obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease… To preserve your health, it is therefore better to prefer real sugar,” he points out.

Sweeteners and neurological problems

According to Dr. Lazrak, isolated reports have suggested that intense sweeteners like aspartame are associated with various behavioral and neurological disorders such as headaches and seizures. However, controlled clinical trials have found no evidence of neurological or behavioral effects of aspartame in healthy adults or children, no effects on cognition or behavior in children with deficiency disorders, and no link between sweeteners and seizures in individuals with seizure disorders.