Artificial Sweeteners: Perceptions and Realities

Artificial sweeteners (AS) were first introduced as food additives or sugar substitutes more than a century ago with the intention of supplying sweet taste without the high caloric content of sugar. AS are employed in place of sucrose (table sugar) with the view of providing sweetness to foodstuffs and bottled drinks. The end-users, along with producers of canned food and drinks, have long been captivated by the idea of replacing sugar in food items with AS. Foods that use AS in place of sugar have become increasingly common during the past decade. Artificial sugars are normally many folds sweeter than normal sugar possessing low or zero calories, which confers to their public appeal for the management of overweight issues. Due to this, they are, at present, employed by many individuals all over the world, without knowing the potential hazards associated with them. The use of AS in obese, diabetic, and/or heart patients or patients with metabolic syndrome has been approved with caution by The American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association (ADA) as a low-calorie option for normal sugar. Judicious use of sugar substitutes can help in maintaining blood glucose, calories and body weight, thus automatically minimizing the risk factors of diabetes and heart disease. Since the day of their discovery and approval, their safety issue has been quite controversial and debated extensively. The article follows an exhaustive review discussing the history, uses, and chemical features of a wide variety of sweeteners with a focus on their association with diabetes and potential adverse effects on the body.