There is such a lot of talk around avoiding sugar, but is replacing sugar with a sweetener a better idea?
The statistics surrounding obesity and chronic disease have got even worse since the introduction of sweeteners, which are often used as substitutes for sugar to reduce calorie intake, so this talk will look at why sweeteners are not necessarily better than sugar. This week we will talk about the general impact of sweeteners on our health and in the next couple of weeks we’ll talk about the impact of sweeteners on our brains and the differences between various sweeteners.
The impact of sweeteners on our health include:
- Metabolic effects – artificial sweeteners can alter the body’s response to glucose and insulin, potentially leading to metabolic issues like insulin resistance, which can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Gut effects – certain sweeteners can disrupt the gut microbiome, which may affect digestion, immunity, and overall health.
- Impact on appetite and weight – despite having fewer calories, some sweeteners may increase cravings for sweet foods, leading to overeating and weight gain in the long run. They can also confuse the body’s regulatory systems, causing it to crave more high-calorie, sugary foods.
- Potential Cancer Risk – while most research has not conclusively linked artificial sweeteners to cancer in humans, concerns persist, and more long-term studies are needed to fully understand their safety.
- Cardiovascular Risks – there has been a correlation between the frequent use of artificial sweeteners and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Our genetics can influence our desire for sugar and whether we are more likely to have a sweet tooth.
Taste is an important determinant of food acceptance or rejection behaviour. Interindividual variability in bitter taste sensitivity can strongly influence food preferences, nutritional status, and health. The TAS2R38 gene encodes the taste receptor responsible for the sensitivity to bitter compounds.
If someone has a ‘medium-taster’ phenotype it means that they are able to taste the bitter compounds in food more easily. Because of this, medium tasters generally have a preference for sweet foods and are more likely to consume less vegetables, especially dark green leafy vegetables. There has also been a link with medium tasters and an increased risk for having a higher BMI, and possibly colon cancer.
Listen to my interview with Brad Kirsten from Radio Cape Pulpit on 7 November 2024 to learn more. Listen to my next interview on Thursday at 7.45am.