Episode #101 - Do sweeteners help with weight loss?

VGS   Whether you're popping the sweeteners to tame your waistline or to simply fight off those sugar cravings, here are five things you need to know about non-sugar sweeteners. So, Jason, tell us, what is the number one thing we need to know about this WHO report  that says non-sugar sweeteners are not all that sweet for our health?

JM   So if you're using non-sugar sweeteners as a way to manage body weight or to improve your health, you may not get the results you're hoping for. The scientific evidence suggests that long term use of non-sugar sweeteners may not help with body weight control and may increase your risk of developing type two diabetes or cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease or stroke.

VGS   So, Jason, aren't all sweeteners different? What about the sweeteners that are marketed as plant based sweeteners or natural sweeteners? 

JM  So although all non-sugar sweeteners have unique chemical structures, we do not make the distinction in our guidance between individual sweeteners or between natural so-called natural  and artificial sweeteners. Our guidance covers both. This is because all sweeteners, including sugar, use the same biological pathway when it comes to how we sense them as being sweet and consequently how they use might impact body weight and risk of disease.

VGS   So how does this WHO guideline apply to people with diabetes?

JM   So our guidance is for preventing the development of disease, not for treating or managing existing disease and this includes diabetes. In terms of the process, making recommendations for preventing disease is very different from making recommendations for managing disease. So different evidence needs to be reviewed and a different assessment in terms of the potential risks and benefits need to be made. And this all has to be done in the context of a larger plan of treatment, which may also include medication and other lifestyle changes. With that said, individuals with diabetes certainly can manage their disease without the use of non-sugar sweeteners. But such decisions need to be made on an individual basis and only in consultation with one's health care provider.

VGS   So hang on. What are we saying here? Can we go back to sugar?

JM ;   No, that's not what we're saying. Sugar is... it's not okay to go back to sugar. And we're not saying that sugar poses less of a health concern than non-sugar sweeteners. Too much sugar in that diet still poses a significant health risk. And in this context, when we talk about sugar, what we actually mean is free sugars or what others refer to often as added sugars. So WHO recommends that: less than 10% of daily calories come from such sugars, and less than 5% is even better. So what this would mean for a person consuming 2000 calories per day would be less than 50g of sugar or better yet, less than 25g of sugar, respectively.

VGS   So I'm trying to reduce sugar in my diet and it's not easy, but I find that with time my body is craving sugar less and less. Talk to us about the steps we can take to reduce sugar or added sugar in our diet.

JM   So more foods and beverages than ever contain free or added sugars, non-sugar sweeteners, or both. Much of which are hidden in foods that don't necessarily taste sweet, such as bread, soups, salad dressings, potato chips or crisps, and many others. So while it's not always easy, you can reduce your sugar intake without the use of non-sugar sweeteners by reducing the overall sweetness of your diet. So read the nutrition information on packaged goods. Try to introduce more unsweetened foods and beverages into your diet. Replacing sweetened beverages with water or unsweetened beverages is a great start and easy start. And also opt for foods that contain naturally occurring sugars such as fruit. When you do need feel the need for something sweet. If you do this, it's likely over time that the cravings you have for sweet things, intensely sweet things, it will diminish. And as a bonus, because foods and beverages that contain added sugars or non-sugar sweeteners are often highly processed and have little nutritional value, avoiding these items will actually improve the overall quality of your diet.

VGS   Okay, so there you have it, 5 things you need to know about sweeteners. Stay healthy, stick with us and stick with science.