I discuss aspartame & artificial sweeteners vs sugar debate as it pertains to the pros, cons and controversy around health and nutrition.
When it comes to the question of what to sweeten your coffee with each day, there is a lot of confusion and noise. Is sugar the root cause of all human disease? Are artificial sweeteners toxic? Should I reach for something more trendy like Stevia or Agave? WHY DO I NEED TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS BEFORE I’VE HAD COFFEE!?
Well, the following infographic will hopefully become something you will bookmark as your one-stop-shop for everything about sugars and artificial sweeteners like aspartame and splenda. Led by two of my fantastic Ryerson Nutrition student volunteers, Olivia Maida and Alexis Silver- we’ve compiled all of the information you may be curious about into one place. All of the following sugars and artificial sweeteners are approved by Health Canada as safe (at least below the recommended intake levels) but they each present their own unique set of pros, cons and controversy.
Sugars vs Artificial Sweeteners – the Facts
Is Aspartame Really Poison?
So I would say that is using some super strong language but it’s not something I consume a lot of thanks to the impact on gut microflora which I think we will start to see is the KEY to a lot of chronic disease.
So then which sugars or artificial sweeteners do I think are best?
Honestly, it’s a tough call. Originally, I wanted to rank them for you but after going through the literature myself, I quickly realized it would be an arbitrary order. The recommendation I can stand behind is this: whatever sweetener you choose, whether they be caloric sugars or artificial sweeteners, just try to choose less of it. I’m not saying you should never have a Diet Coke again and should start drinking your coffee black. I’m just saying that it’s in all of our best interests to try to ease ourselves off our dependence on “sweet”. With less added sweet in our lives, we will actually start to appreciate the natural sweetness inherent in fruits, grains, and even vegetables. Yep, Brussels sprouts can actually start to taste sweet when you cut down on the amount of Splenda you throw in your tea.
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.