Ditch the Diet Cola: Why using sugar alternatives won't help you lose weight

Restricting sugar while trying to lose weight can be difficult.

Many people may even switch to artificial sweeteners to satisfy their taste buds.

However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that substituting sweeteners for sugar does not aid in long-term weight management.

According to the global health body, it may increase the risk of a number of illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.

Also read: Explained: Why India is likely to  ban sugar exports

“Don’t use sugar substitutes”

The use of NSS, or non-sugar sweeteners, “does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children,” WHO claimed after conducting a thorough evaluation of the existing evidence.

“Replacing free sugars with non-sugar sweeteners does not help people control their weight long-term. People need to consider other ways to reduce free sugars intakes, such as consuming food with naturally occurring sugars, like fruit, or unsweetened food and beverages,” said Francesco Branca, director of WHO’s Department of Nutrition and food safety.

“We did see a mild reduction of body weight in the short term, but it’s not going to be sustained. NSS are not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value. People should reduce the sweetness of the diet altogether, starting early in life, to improve their health.”

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Branca said the guidance applies to all people except those with pre-existing diabetes because none of the studies in the review included people with diabetes, and an assessment could not be made.

The review also indicated that there might be “potential undesirable effects” from the long-term use of sugar substitutes such as a mildly increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

However, “this recommendation is not meant to comment on the safety of consumption,” Branca said.

“What this guideline says is that if we’re looking for a reduction of obesity, weight control or risk of non-communicable diseases, that is, unfortunately, something science has been unable to demonstrate. It’s not going to produce the positive health effects that some people might be looking for,” he said.

Both artificial and ’natural’ sweeteners are ineffective

According to the report, low or no-calorie artificial sweeteners and naturally occurring extracts, some of which may or may not have undergone chemical modification, were also recommended.

These included acesulfame K, aspartame, advantame, cyclamates, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia and stevia derivatives, and monk fruit.

“Stevia and monk fruit are newer sweeteners so so there’s less published research in the scientific literature. However, they probably work in the body with a similar physiological mechanism as other sweeteners. We cannot say they are different from the others based on the data we have — they play the same role," Branca said.

Since stevia products are made from stevia plants, many people believe they are more “natural.” To reduce their sweetness and increase bulk for baking, some natural and artificial sweeteners add bulking sugars to their goods.

Erythritol, which is used to bulk up or sweeten stevia, monk fruit, and keto-reduced-sugar products, has been related to blood clotting, stroke, heart attack, and early death, according to CNN which cited a recent study by scientists at the Cleveland Clinic in the US. The study discovered that individuals with the highest blood levels of erythritol were twice as likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke as those without established risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes.

The guidelines on sugar intake

Non-sugar sweeteners are frequently used as an ingredient in prepared meals and beverages. Consumers will sometimes occasionally add them directly to food and beverages.

In 2015, the WHO released guidelines on sugar consumption, advising both adults and kids to keep their daily intake of free sugars to less than 10 per cent of their total calorie intake. After the review, interest in sugar substitutes increased.

Nutrition researcher Ian Johnson, emeritus fellow at Quadram Institute Bioscience, formerly the Institute of Food Research, in Norwich, United Kingdom said in a statement, “This new guideline is based on a thorough assessment of the latest scientific literature, and it emphasises that the use of artificial sweeteners is not a good strategy for achieving weight loss by reducing dietary energy intake. However, this should not be interpreted as an indication that sugar intake has no relevance to weight control."

Instead, Johnson advised reducing the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and attempting to use “raw or lightly processed fruit as a source of sweetness.”

According to Branca, the recommendations are intended for government health organisations in nations that might choose to use scientific findings to adopt policy changes for their citizens.

“That will likely depend on the way that which sweeteners are consumed in a specific country. For example, in a country where consumption patterns are high, those countries might decide to take action in a way or another," adding that just as many people have learned to cook and eat without salt, they may also learn to rely less on free sugars and artificial sweeteners.

“We need to target children in early life. For example, why do parents typically use sweeteners as a reward for children and after almost every meal? We need to recommend to parents to avoid building that sweetness Interest in young children — that’s a very important action to take.”

According to registered dietitian, Lisa Drayer. one may experience fewer sugar cravings if she/he progressively reduces intake of sugar, including artificial sweeteners, and increase your intake of meals high in protein and fibre.

“When we consume protein and fibre, it slows the rise in blood sugar if we consume it with a sugar-containing food. It can help satisfy us and help us reduce our sugar intake as well,” CNN quoted Drayer as saying.

Additionally, checking the nutrition information labels can be helpful to check the sugar level in the product.

With inputs from agencies

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