But are artificial sweeteners bad for you?
The FDA’s reviews concluded that all six artificial sweeteners are safe for human consumption.
How Are Artificial Sweeteners Made?
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Artificial sweeteners are a processed food created by combining and/or extracting chemicals.
Chemical makeups vary between sweeteners.
Bad News About Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are made from chemicals in a lab.
The results of these studies are inconsistent.
The agency cites “limited evidence” that aspartame is possibly carcinogenic in humans.
Digestive Issues
Thegut microbiomeconsists of healthy and potentially unhealthy microbes that flourish throughout the digestive tract.
But, again, more research is needed.
Aspartame has been linked to numerous behavioral cognitive problems, including anxiety, irritable moods, depression, andinsomnia.
Females who want to get pregnant are therefore advised to reduce or eliminate aspartame consumption.
Artificial sweeteners are also associated with a risk ofearly menstruation(before age 11).
The increased risk has been seen in girls who consume one or more artificially-sweetened soft drinks per day.
Does Consuming Artificial Sweeteners During Pregnancy Cause Autism?
Who Should Avoid Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners have been deemed safe to consume by the FDA.
Even so, the FDA warns that artificial sweeteners should still be used in moderation, especially aspartame.
Aspartame contains an amino acid called phenylalanine.
High levels of phenylalanine in body fluids can cause brain damage.
Most people’s bodies break down phenylalanine without problems, but some people can’t.
People who are pregnant should not use saccharin, as it contains a weakcarcinogenthat crosses the placenta.
Splenda is made by replacing three of the oxygen atoms in sugar molecules with chlorine atoms.
So, yes, Splenda does contain chlorine.
However, the use of chlorine during sucralose production does not impact the product’s overall safety.
Artificial sweeteners are deemed safe by the FDA, but should still be consumed in moderation.
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