artificial sweetener

16 Stories

Those 'Diet' Drinks May Boost Risk of Heart Condition

High consumption of sweetened beverages accompanied by increased risk of atrial fibrillation

(Newser) - If there's one takeaway from a new study analyzing health data from people who consume lots of sweetened beverages, it's that those beverages should be avoided, researchers say. "Do not take it for granted that drinking low-sugar and low-calorie artificially sweetened beverages is healthy—it may pose...

WHO Declares Aspartame a Possible Carcinogen

But keeps current intake guidelines the same

(Newser) - As expected , the World Health Organization on Thursday declared aspartame, one of the world's most most widely used artificial sweeteners, a possible carcinogen. But, in a possibly confusing addendum, it also kept the current intake guidelines the same. As the Guardian explains, two different WHO panels have been...

Report: WHO to Deem Sweetener as Possible Carcinogen

Meanwhile, the FDA, nearly 100 nations have greenlit aspartame

(Newser) - Last month, the World Health Organization released new guidelines that cautioned people against using artificial sweeteners for weight control, citing findings that suggest long-term use ups the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other issues. Now the agency is signaling it may soon issue a new warning on one of...

WHO: Don't Use Sugar Substitutes to Lose Weight

Artificial sweetener industry argues the findings

(Newser) - Reducing the amount of sugar in diets is a good idea for everyone, especially those trying to lose weight, the World Health Organization says—but using a sugar substitute is not. A review of available data shows that the use of non-sugar sweeteners "does not confer any long-term benefit...

Artificial Sweeteners May Not Be Sugar-Free Bliss We Hoped For

Scientists find they lead to biochemical changes in rats signaling diabetes, obesity down the road

(Newser) - Guzzling diet soft drinks may seem like an easy workaround if you can't kick soda but want to fend off health problems spurred by sugar. A new study presented at the Experimental Biology conference over the weekend suggests otherwise—specifically when it comes to diseases like Type 2 diabetes....

Artificial Sweeteners Don't Seem to Help Weight Loss
Artificial Sweeteners
May Cause Weight Gain
NEW STUDY
Jul 18, 2017 10:57 AM CDT

Artificial Sweeteners May Cause Weight Gain

Though one expert warns there's not enough info to place all blame on artificial sweeteners

(Newser) - If you think you're avoiding artificial sweeteners because you don't put them in your coffee or tea, think again. These additives are found in everything from yogurt and baked goods to sauces and diet colas, per the CBC , with "a lot of people ... consuming them in foods...

A Diet Soda a Day May Raise Dementia Risk
Daily Diet Soda May Take
Toll on Your Brain
NEW STUDY
Apr 21, 2017 1:20 PM CDT

Daily Diet Soda May Take Toll on Your Brain

Study suggests an increased risk of stroke and dementia

(Newser) - Diet soda might help with the waistline, but a new study suggests it's bad for the brain. Researchers in Massachusetts found that those who drank at least one artificially sweetened beverage per day were about three times as likely to experience a stroke or dementia compared to those who...

Diet Coke Is Not as Bad as Everyone Seems to Think

It's certainly not killing you, writes Yvette d'Entremont

(Newser) - Yvette d'Entremont loves her Diet Coke, which is why it's troubling for her to read the myriad articles telling her the aspartame-sweetened beverage is killing her—or at the very least, making her fat. "If I give it up, my tastebuds will come to life, and my...

Scientists: We've Fixed Stevia's Bitter Aftertaste

They think it could make the sweetener much more popular

(Newser) - Researchers at Cornell say they've figured out a way to conquer one of the big drawbacks of the sugar substitute stevia—its bitter aftertaste. They zeroed in on the component in stevia that triggers two bitter receptors on the human tongue and were able to modify it through non-chemical...

Your Chewing Gum Is Making Your Dog Sick
 Your Chewing Gum Is 
 Making Your Dog Sick 
in case you missed it
Nov 7, 2015 7:02 AM CST

Your Chewing Gum Is Making Your Dog Sick

Common sugar substitute xylitol can even be fatal to pups

(Newser) - If Snopes and scientific studies aren't enough, perhaps reports at the Wall Street Journal , CBS News , and Nature World News can sway you: A sugar substitute found in chewing gum and other everyday food and household items can make dogs sick and even kill them. Veterinary experts say xylitol—...

There's a Way to Get Aspartame in Your Diet Pepsi

PepsiCo will keep old recipe for fans while selling sucralose version in stores

(Newser) - PepsiCo announced in April it was dumping aspartame from its Diet Pepsi recipe, replacing it with sucralose, but the company now says it will keep the artificial sweetener for customers who prefer its taste—they'll just have to buy the drink online, the Wall Street Journal reports. In an...

Artificial Sweeteners May Raise Your Blood Sugar
Artificial Sweeteners May
Raise Your Blood Sugar
study says
Sep 17, 2014 6:34 PM CDT

Artificial Sweeteners May Raise Your Blood Sugar

Study suggests that it's true for at least some people, thanks to gut bacteria

(Newser) - If you're drinking diet soda or consuming other products with artificial sweeteners to cut your risk of obesity and diabetes, a new study published in Nature has some bad news: You might be doing more harm than good. Researchers found that sweeteners such as saccharin, sucralose, and aspartame can...

Diet Pepsi Changes Ingredients
 Diet Pepsi Changes Ingredients 
Dec 17, 2012 1:00 PM CST

Diet Pepsi Changes Ingredients

It now features a mix of 2 artificial sweeteners

(Newser) - Diet Pepsi has quietly changed its sweetener. Previously, Diet Pepsi used only aspartame, which is sensitive to heat and breaks down more easily. But beginning this month, cans hitting shelves feature what PepsiCo says is a "very small amount" of a second artificial sweetener: acesulfame potassium. The ingredient will...

How Jamba Juice Ruins Smoothies
 How Jamba Juice 
 Ruins Smoothies 
OPINION
Feb 28, 2011 1:31 PM CST

How Jamba Juice Ruins Smoothies

Make your own: It's better for you

(Newser) - You already know how McDonald's makes oatmeal bad for you —now let Mother Jones educate you about how Jamba Juice does the same thing with smoothies. Here's how to make an easy, relatively low-calorie smoothie at home: Fruit, ice, skim milk, blender. Here's how Jamba Juice makes their smoothies,...

Is Diet Soda the Devil?
 Is Diet Soda the Devil? 
OPINION
Sep 5, 2010 10:55 AM CDT

Is Diet Soda the Devil?

Don't be too quick to believe the studies saying so

(Newser) - You've probably read about the studies claiming that artificial sweeteners, like those found in diet soda, do more harm than good . But the studies that indicate those types of sweeteners cause weight gain were done with rats (click here or here for two examples), whereas a study done with actual...

Why Sugar-Free Sweets Are a Bad Move

They won't help your waistline or your teeth

(Newser) - A growing number of Americans are turning to sugar-free cookies, soda, gum, and candy to help them lose weight. But unless you're diabetic, sugar-free sweets are probably a bad dietary move, the LA Times reports. Here are some of the reasons why:
  • In most cases, the calorie difference is negligible:
...

16 Stories