Walk into any big box grocery store and you’ll find that artificial sweeteners are everywhere.
They’re tucked into soft drinks, baked goods, and fruit juices to make them taste sweet without the extra calories.
Most products that contain artificial sweeteners are usually labeled as “diet” or “reduced sugar,” but not all are (you can even find some in foods that claim to have “natural” ingredients).
Because they’re not always clearly labeled on food packaging, consumers may not realize that they’re eating them.
These include sweeteners such as sucralose (Splenda®), aspartame (NutraSweet®, Equal®), and acesulfame-K (Sunett®, Sweet One®).
It’s worth noting, however, that although many artificial sweeteners have gotten a bad rap, most are FDA-approved and don’t appear to be bad for you in moderation.
The approval process means that these compounds gone through a series of scientific tests that suggest they’re safe for human consumption. But there’s still a lot we don’t know about how they affect the body.
For instance, they’re marketed toward those trying to lose weight, but some studies suggest that consuming artificially-sweetened foods long-term is linked to weight gain & cancers. It’s also unclear how eating these super-sweet compounds for years can affect children, so it’s best for young people to avoid them.
Sucralose, the main ingredient in Splenda®, is structurally very similar to sugar except for one slight modification that allows it to pass through the body without getting broken down. It’s 600 times sweeter than sugar and was FDA-approved in 1999.
Acesulfame potassium, also known as acesulfame K (K is the symbol for potassium) or Ace K, is a calorie-free sugar substitute (artificial sweetener) often marketed under the trade names Sunett and Sweet One. Ace K is an older, more bitter sweetener that hasn’t been as extensively studied as other artificial sweeteners. It’s usually paired with sucralose to cut down the bitterness and is often found in soft drinks. Acesulfame Potassium contains methylene chloride, a known carcinogen.
Aspartame has many studies that linked it to cancer. Plus those with a rare disorder called phenylketonuria (PKU) may be sensitive to the chemical.
We went to a local grocery store to see where these ingredients are popping up. Here are just a few food products we found artificial sweeteners hiding in. (Click the photo to zoom in & details are in the caption)
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- Starting your morning with these whole grain english muffins seems like a clean, artificial-flavor-free choice, right? Wrong. That whole wheat is cut with sucralose to make it a little more easy on the taste buds.
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- When you’re craving a snack, this kettle corn seems like a healthy alternative to the buttery stuff. The box even says that it’s 100% whole grain and 94% fat free. But lo and behold, it contains sucralose!
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- Hot chocolate with only 80 calories per serving? Don’t mind if I do. Sucralose again!
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- So what about Pedialyte? It’s great for replenishing fluids after a stomach illness or a hangover, but it’s specifically designed to help children replace vital minerals and nutrients after diarrhea and vomiting … But this and other flavors contain sucralose and acesulfame-K — also called Ace K.
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- Okay there can’t be an artificial sweetener in ketchup, right? “Reduced sugar” just means it’s not as sweet as regular ketchup, right? Sugar, salt, and acid are what make ketchup delicious, and this “low-sugar” version replaces some of that sweetness with sucralose.
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- Vanilla wafers without the sugar. Delicious! These not only contain three different artificial sweeteners, but they may also loosen your stool. Damn you, sorbitol.
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- The side of this yogurt proudly advertises that it doesn’t contain aspartame. Still, Yoplait just replaced aspartame with two other dangerous artificial sweeteners, sucralose and Ace K, instead.
So what did we learn? A ton — and I mean, a ton — of processed low-calorie and diet foods contain artificial sweeteners, but we also found it in unexpected places!
It’s always good to be informed about what you eat. Read labels. Shop along the perimeter of the grocery store where the vegetables are. Eat real food. Amen.