We can taste many kinds of flavors. A sweet flavor is one of them, and maybe one of the favorite tastes in our world. That’s why the production of artificial sweeteners is increasing every year to make a lovely sweet product with few or if possible no calories at all. Indeed, let’s take a look of the list of artificial sweeteners you should avoid.
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- Aspartame
The first list of artificial sweeteners you should avoid is Aspartame.Aspartame is an artificial sweetener factory used to make diet soda or other low calories foods. Some side effects of aspartame are headaches, or in general feeling unwell after you drink or eat this sweetener compound. A test from the University of Liverpool discovered that aspartame can become toxic to brain cells if it mixed with a common food color ingredient we usually eat or drink.
Aspartame chemical formula is C14H18N2O5. It has 294.32 g/mol molar mass and 1.347 g/cm3 density. It is soluble in water and ethanol, to some point. Since 1981, the use of Aspartame is approved by the FDA, after nearly 20 years of its first production in 1965 under the brand name NutraSweet. This artificial sweetener is approximately 200 times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose). Because of this, the amount of aspartame required to produce the same taste as sugar is so small, and at the same time, a number of calories come from it is nearly negligible.
Other research found another side effect or potentially dangerous effects of aspartame. Scientists found that drinking two diet sodas which contain aspartame for a day can lead to increase in our waist size up to 500% from our current waist size. In addition to that, studies in animal found that aspartame increases blood glucose levels. It gave similar effects like sugar did, which could explain why there is an association between diabetes and drinking diet soda or other related aspartame products.
Last but not least, researchers also found that the breakdown product of aspartame is formaldehyde. It is a known carcinogen for our body. That’s why you should avoid aspartame at any cost.
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- Sucralose
Sucralose is an artificial sweetener derived from natural sugar. However, its end product is nowhere near of natural. Sucralose is processed using chlorine. It is about 320 to 1000 times sweeter than table sugar, making it three times sweeter than aspartame and twice as sweet as sodium saccharin. Because of this, the amount to produce a sweet taste is nearly negligible.
Sucralose chemical formula is C12H19Cl3O8 with approximately 397.64 g/mol. It appears as if it is a white powder with no odor. It has 1.69 g/cm3 molecular density and also soluble in water. In the market, brand names such as Splenda, SucraPlus, Candys, are one of the artificial sweeter which use sucralose as their main compound.
A recent research found that sucralose is passing through our bodies and reached it ends in wastewater treatment plants. After this, sucralose can’t ever be broken down. In addition to that, a study in Sweden and Norway found that sucralose might be harmful toward organisms. It can change the organisms feeding habits and also interfere with photosynthesis, which is quite dangerous for the entire food chain. This compound is one of the list of artificial sweeteners you should avoid.
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- High-fructose corn syrup
High-fructose corn syrup, or simply HFCS is one of the main artificial sweeteners which cause massive waistlines growth since 30 years ago. It has a higher level of fructose than sugar, and it is added to a lot of processed foods such as bread, ketchup, salad, or yogurts. Americans ingest at least 2calscal of HFCS a day.
HFCS is a sweetener that factories made from corn starch. The corn starch is processed first by glucose isomerase to convert its glucose into fructose. HFCS went to the market since early 1970 by the Clinton Corn Processing Company. In its structure, HFCS is composed of around 53 percent glucose, 5 percent polysaccharides, and 42 percent fructose.
A study in 2009 published in the journal Environmental Health discovered that factories sometimes laced HFCS with mercury, a heavy metal linked to autism and heart disease. So it might be possible that you can have the side effects of mercury poisoning if you consume too much HFCS. Other related side effects might include obesity, metabolic disorder, liver disease, and other health problems.
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- Acesulfame potassium
Acesulfame potassium, also known as acesulfame K, is an artificial zero-calorie sweetener. It is approximately 200 times sweeter than table sugar, often marketed under the names of Sweet One. Acesulfame potassium is derived from the acetoacetic acid and fluoro sulfonyl isocyanate, which will work by stimulating insulin secretion that could lead to reactive hypoglycemia.
Acesulfame potassium chemical formula is C4H4KNO4S. It has 201.242 g/mol molar mass and 1.81 g/cm3 density. This artificial sweetener is soluble in water. You might see it as a white crystalline powder in its solid forms. Because its melting point is 225 degrees Celcius, acesulfame potassium is more stable under heat or moderate acid or basic conditions, which in turn could make it become useful in baking as a food additive.
Even though FDA approved its use, it is not free from controversy and health issues. Center for Science in the Public Interest of America even believes that we need to do further research before we conclude that acesulfame K is safe. It is possible that acesulfame K is a carcinogen. In a study on lab rats, acesulfame K has caused breast, lung, rare organ tumors, chronic respiratory disease, and also various forms of leukemia. Because acesulfame K also contains mercury, long-term exposure might cause serious health issues for a lot of people, such as visual disturbances, mental confusions, nausea, depression, liver and kidneys damage, and so on.
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- Alitame
Alitame is an artificial sweetener that is (don’t be surprised) 2000 times sweeter than sugar! It beats sucralose and maybe other artificial sweeter that we’ve covered so far. This artificial sweetener is an aspartic acid which contains dipeptide sweetener. Pfizer developed alitame in the early 1980s. After that, he marketed it under the name ‘Aclame’.
Alitame chemical formula is C14H25N3O4S with 331.431 molar mass. This chemical compound is ten times sweeter than aspartame, has a longer life during hot or acidic conditions compared to aspartame but not as stable as saccharin or acesulfame potassium. Alitame does not contain phenylalanine, therefore, people with phenylketonuria can use it safely (if they really need to consume it).
Because it is sweeter than aspartame or sugar, there might be a high possibility that alitame can cause diabetes, obesity, and other health issues.
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- Aspartame-acesulfame salt
Aspartame-acesulfame salt is an artificial sweeter also known as Twinsweet in the market. This sweetener is composed of 36 percent acesulfame potassium and 64 percent aspartame. It is the non-caloric sweetener that is 350 times sweeter than sugar. Which also increases the risk of diabetes, obesity, and other health issues.
Aspartame-acesulfame chemical formula is C18H23O9N3S with 457.46 molar mass. It looks like a white crystalline powder, just like an ordinary sugar. Dr. John Fry was the one who synthesized aspartame-acesulfame salt in 1995 while working for the Holland Sweetener Company or HSC. At 2003, European Parliament and Council Directive approved its use as an artificial sweetener. Other countries such as Russia, Australia, New Zealand, also approve its use.
Factories produced this sweeter by heating aspartame and acesulfame potassium together, which in turn will remove potassium and leaving only aspartame and acesulfame. Therefore, during the digestion process of aspartame-acesulfame, they will be broken down into its two separate ingredients. Leaving you exposed to the risk of aspartame and acesulfame potassium in the same time.
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- Cyclamate
Cyclamate, or also known as sodium cyclamate is a zero-calorie artificial sweeter which is 35 to 50 times sweeter than sugar. This sweetener is one of the cheapest artificial sweeteners out there. Factories often used it with other artificial sweeteners such as saccharin to mask the off-tastes of the sweeteners.
Cyclamate chemical formula is C6H12NNaO3S with 201.22 g/mol molar mass. It is the sodium or calcium salt, of cyclohexane sulfamic acid. Michael Sveda discovered it in 1937 at Illinois University while he works on the synthesis of anti-fever medication.
In a lab rats studies, scientist discovered that cyclamate could cause cancer. In a long-term study, the effects of cyclamate to the monkeys were quite terrible, leaving them with health issues such as cancerous tumors, reproductive system atrophy, and so on. While on the other hand, the monkeys which did not consume cyclamate were fine.
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More Harmful Sweeteners
Other dangerous list of artificial sweeteners that you should avoid in addition to those seven artificial sweeteners we have talked about are:
- Neohesperidine dihydrochalcone, which is is roughly 1500 to 1800 times sweeter than sugar.
- Neotame, which is 13,000 times sweeter than sugar and is non-caloric.
- Saccharin, which is about 300 times sweeter than sugar and is very low in calories.
- Sugar alcohols refer to any of the following artificial sweeteners: erythritol, glucitol/sorbitol, glycerol/glycerin, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, or mannitol.
- Advantame
- Neohesperidine dihydrochalcone
- Acesulfame potassium
- Alitame
- Cyclamate
- Dulcin
- Equal
- Glucin
- Kaltame
- Mogrosides
- Neotame
- NutraSweet
- Nutrinova
- Phenlalanine
- Saccharin
- Splenda
- Sorbitol
- Sucralose
- Twinsweet
- Sweet ‘N Low
- Xylitol
Indeed, there are many food that contain that list of artificial sweeteners you should avoid.
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Common Food with Harmful Sweetener
After knowing the list of artificial sweeteners you should avoid, now let’s check what food that dangerous to eat.
- Candies
- Cereals
- Gums
- Salad Dressings
- Snacks
- Cough syrup and liquid medicines
- No-calorie waters and drinks
- Frozen yogurt and other frozen deserts
- Yogurt
- Prepared meats
So, those are the list of artificial sweeteners that you should avoid if you wanted to keep your body to be healthy. If you really like sweet, then you should consume another sweetener which is safe and does not bring such harmful effects toward your body. Be healthy and be safe!
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