Recent research found even more evidence that artificial sweeteners can harm you.
Scientists at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, analyzed how FDA-approved artificial sweeteners and sport supplements could affect E. coli bacteria. Published in Molecules on September 25, the study revealed that they could have toxic effects on E. coli, and therefore on human health.
“Artificial sweeteners have become increasingly controversial due to their questionable influence on consumers’ health. They are found in most foods, and many consume this added ingredient without their knowledge,” Ariel Kushmaro, a professor at Ben-Gurion University and author of the study, told Newsweek.
The team looked at six artificial sweeteners: aspartame, sucralose, saccharine, neotame, advantame and acesulfame potassium-k. They also analyzed 10 sport supplements containing those sweeteners to determine their toxicity.
Many popular foods contain artificial sweeteners, even when they are assumed to be healthy, according to Business Insider. For example, some whole wheat breads at grocery stores contain sucralose, which is the main ingredient in Splenda, to help sweeten the taste of whole wheat. Pedialyte contains acesulfame potassium-k, and aspartame is used to sweeten some diet drinks.
Those artificial sweeteners are also found in microwave popcorn, fruit juice, yogurt and many other items, even when the label reads “natural sweeteners,” since the FDA doesn’t have a legal definition of the word “natural.” As we know, an excess of sweetners are detrimental to oral health and should be limited. This can easily be achieved by reading our food labels and watching overall consumption.
SOURCE/ CREDIT: https://www.newsweek.com/artificial-sweetener-supplements-toxic-bacteria-1147051
