Natural vs Artificial Sweeteners and How They Impact Your Gut
A stroll down the aisles of any grocery store will show you just how many foods contain some sort of sweetener. Not only can you find various sweeteners in sodas and candy, but you can also find them in yogurt, cereal, bread, and many other foods and drinks that we all consume regularly.
However, have you ever stopped to consider whether or not these different sweeteners are good for your health? Many of us assume they are safe simply because they are allowed to be sold at grocery stores, but the truth is that not all sweeteners are the same, and many of them can be harmful to different areas of your health, especially your gut health. Let us break it down for you.
Breaking Down Sweeteners
Let’s start with a fact: the human body needs sugar, at least to a certain extent. Your body breaks down all carbohydrates into a form of sugar known as glucose, which then enters your bloodstream and acts as a source of energy for your body.
With that being said, it’s important to understand that most foods naturally contain sugars like glucose along with a variety of other nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy. And since your body only needs sugar in small amounts, fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods easily provide your body with all the sugar it needs. This means that consuming food or drinks that contain added sugar can easily cause you to take in much more sugar than your body needs in a single day, and as we all know by now, having too much sugar in your diet is associated with several different health concerns.
In an attempt to lower your sugar consumption, it can be tempting to sweeten your food with sugar substitutes; however, sugar substitutes, whether they are artificial or natural, aren’t as healthy as you may think, especially when it comes to your gut microbiome. But before we get to that, let’s explore the difference between artificial sweeteners and natural ones.
What are artificial sweeteners?
Artificial sweeteners are substances that have been chemically modified to provide a sweetening effect with minimal or no calories. While they give a taste similar to regular sugar, they are often referred to as ‘intense sweeteners’ because they are much sweeter than sugar.
The artificial sweeteners are non-nutritive (not containing nutrients) and include saccharin, sucralose, acesulfame-K, and aspartame.
Most of the different artificial sweeteners out there can be purchased under various brand names, such as Sweet’N Low and Splenda, but if you start paying attention to food labels you will also notice that they are commonly used in items like baked goods and carbonated drinks.
In addition to those we just listed, there is also a type of artificial sweeteners that are known as sugar alcohols, which are compounds that are derived from sugar. Sugar alcohols contain minimal calories, tend to be better for your dental health, and are less sweet than other artificial sweeteners.
What are natural sweeteners?
On the other end of the spectrum are natural sweeteners, which are exactly what their name suggests—sweeteners that come from natural whole foods, such as the glucose and fructose that are found in fruits and vegetables. While it’s possible to get natural sweeteners in liquid or powder forms that have been highly processed, some of the most popular options include foods that go through minimal processing such as maple syrup, agave nectar, dates, and raw honey.
The Divide
While there has long been a debate and the safety and health benefits of consuming artificial sweeteners over natural ones, there is one big difference between the two that you should be aware of, and it’s that they are processed by the body differently.
When you consume sweeteners from natural food sources, whether they be a fruit, vegetable, maple syrup, or honey, you are also consuming a variety of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients that your body will break down and assimilate in addition to the glucose or fructose. Some of these nutrients, namely fiber, help slow down the rate at which your body digests food, which results in the sugar molecules being absorbed into your system at a slower rate. However, artificial sweeteners don’t have any nutritional value, which means that they are not digested by the body, which is where the role of your gut comes into play.
Impact Of Artificial Sweeteners On Your Gut
Research on the impact of artificial sweeteners on the gut microbiome is still ongoing, but some effects have already been discovered. Sweeteners like saccharin and sucralose have been found to alter the proportions of the bacterial populations in the gut microbiome, which in turn affects their functionality. For instance, one study showed that consuming sucralose regularly can lead to a dramatic decrease in gut microbes. In particular, this study found that friendly gut bacteria like bifidobacteria were reduced significantly while harmful bacteria were much less affected. This same study also found that gut bacteria did not return to normal levels even after the consumption of artificial sweeteners was stopped.
There is minimal research on the impact of sugar alcohols on the gut, but the studies that have been done indicate that they may have a generally positive effect and have the potential to support healthy colonies of friendly bacteria. However, the jury will remain out here until more research has been conducted.
Impact Of Natural Sweeteners On Your Gut
When it comes to natural sweeteners, the effects look more promising for your overall gut health. For example, one study found that using honey as a sweetener may help improve the gut microflora by stimulating the populations of friendly bacteria like bifidobacteria and lactobacillus. Additionally, maple syrup contains a compound known as inulin, which serves as a probiotic that supports the growth of friendly gut microbes.
As with artificial sweeteners, the research on how natural sweeteners impact gut health is still incomplete; however, the results we have already seen make natural sweeteners look much more promising.
Live the #NewEarthLife
Sweeteners of all kinds are a part of our daily lives, and it is no secret that the information surrounding them can seem complicated and confusing. However, once you do your research and are armed with the right information, you will be prepared to live the #NewEarthLife by making well-informed decisions about which sweeteners to include in your gut-healthy diet.
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