180K Deaths Worldwide May Be Connected to Artificial Sweeteners

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

US Ranked 3rd Worldwide in Deaths Related to Sweetened Beverages

Take this as a warning that what we think we may be drinking is healthy may actually be harmful to our health.  According to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions suggests drinks that contain sugar and artificial sweeteners may be to blame for over 180,000 deaths worldwide each year.  This includes those with diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Dr. Mercola at Mercola.com states this:

I’ve been warning you of the dangers of soda since I started this site over 16 years ago, and the list of reasons to avoid this beverage just keeps getting longer. Americans in particular get most of their daily calories from sugar, primarily in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in soda and other sweetened beverages.

Half of the US population over the age of two consumes sugary drinks on a daily basis,¹ and this figure does not even include 100% fruit juices, flavored milk or sweetened teas, all of which are sugary too, which means the figure is actually even higher. 

Types of Artificial Sweeteners

There are five artificial sweeteners that are approved for use in the US.

• acesulfame K – Found in brands like Sunett, Sweet One, and Sweet & Safe
• aspartame – Found in brands like NutraSweet, Equal and Sugar Twin brands
• neotame – Used in the same foods and beverages as aspartame and acesulfame K
• saccharin – Found in brands like Sweet ‘N Low, Sweet Twin and Necta Sweet
• sucralose – Found in brands like Splenda

Artificial sweeteners are used in two ways. They may be used processed foods or they may be mixed with one or more starch-based sweeteners for sale to consumers.

Artificial sweeteners are so sweet that dextrose or maltodextrin, or both, must be added to dilute their intense sweetness in order to imitate the sweetness of a sugar.

Artificial sweeteners can not be sold directly to consumers since only infinitesimally small amounts are required to mimic sugar’s sweet taste.

The Dieter’s Dream – Artificial Sweeteners?

No – Absolutely not.  Again Dr. Mercola says:

Sweetened beverages, whether it’s sweetened with sugar, HFCS, naturally-occurring fructose, or artificial sweeteners, are among the worst culprits in the fight against obesity and related health problems…

Also the Food and Drug Administration regulations permit any food product that has 5 or fewer calories per serving to be labeled as containing “0″ calories.  So when artificial sweeteners are mixed with dextrose or maltodextrin to dilute it they are actually adding calories to it.

What does that mean to dieters who are drinking a “no calorie drink” that could contain one of these artificial sweeteners?

It means that not only do the artificial sweeteners packaged for sale to consumers have calories, they don’t even have the same clean sweet taste of pure, natural sugar.

What about Fructose?

Fructose has been identified as one of the primary culprits in the meteoric rise of obesity and related health problems…

 – Dr. Mercola

Check out this infographic and discover the fructose content of common foods, beverages, sauces, and even sugar substitutes.

My advice whether you choose to take it is yours but with anything in life do it in moderation!

Making it Happen,

Sandra

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