Stevia, aspartame, saccharin and other complex sweeteners widely used in the food industry are not harmless, the statement emphasizes. World Health Organization. The recommendation, according to the WHO, is based on the results of a systematic review of available evidence indicating that the use of NSS (sugar-free sweeteners) does not provide long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults and children. Not only do they not help with weight loss, “they may have potential side effects from long-term use, such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and adult mortality.”

“Consumption of artificial sweeteners is discouraged primarily because lead, especially young children, to an addiction to the sweet taste, while our goal should be to reduce our need for sugary sweets,” Dr. Emilia Vasilopoulou, Associate Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at the International University of Greece (DIPAE) in Thessaloniki, tells K. “It has also been shown that artificial sweeteners do not promote weight loss.” It is stated that the daily intake of sugars should be below 10% of our daily energy intake. Remember that honey and agave are natural sweeteners, just like sugar. Therefore, the WHO recommendation does not apply to this category. “Because honey also includes other nutrients, we want it to be present in our eating habits,” explains Dr. Vasilopoulou.

The recommendation applies to all people, except those with pre-existing diabetes, and includes all synthetic and natural or modified non-nutritive sweeteners not classified as sugars, found in manufactured foods and beverages or sold separately to consumers for addition to foods and beverages. as acesulfame potassium, aspartame, avantame, cyclamic acid, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia and stevia derivatives. Personal care products and hygiene products containing synthetic artificial sugars are excluded from the recommendation.

dangers

The food industry, relying on the fact that stevia, for example. does not increase the glycemic index, is introduced into food in excess. “The risk of consuming artificial sweeteners increases due to the processing that the sweetener itself and the formulation as a whole are subjected to in order to balance the taste and be attractive to consumers,” explains Dr. Vasilopoulou. And adds: “Highly processed foods have been linked to chronic disease.” Processed foods interfere with the normal development of the gut microbiome, “which in turn is directly linked to our body’s immune system.” Thus, those who regularly consume processed foods with sweeteners may be more susceptible to infections, “at the same time, they have been found to frequently experience gut dysfunction due to a lack of microbiome biodiversity.” She recommends always reading the label of products before buying them. “Then we find that even the ingredients listed on the labels of vegan products are not clear where they came from,” she says. “It’s best to buy minimally processed ingredients or fresh fruits and vegetables.”

However, at the moment when our brain “asks” for sweets, what should we answer? “It is preferable to eat a “classic” sweet that contains sugar in a small amount than to constantly eat processed snacks that include sweeteners,” he emphasizes, “that is, baklava once a week or a spoonful every day is better than a packaged sweet snack.” . Artificial sweeteners are often added to drinks. “Let’s get used to drinking our coffee with less sugar.”

As he reminds “Prohibitions don’t make us healthier, but good eating habits can.” Since good eating habits are acquired at an early age, Dr. Vasilopoulou encourages us to offer our children a variety of foods and many alternatives, especially when it comes to sugar cravings. “Our first choice is fruits, but if at some point they get bored, it’s good to have dried fruits and nuts at home; don’t let cake be the first choice, even if it contains stevia.”