How bad are artificial sweeteners?

Health organizations give a cautious nod to artificial sweeteners in place of sugar to combat obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. ... The FDA has approved five artificial sweeteners: saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame, neotame, and sucralose. It has also ... Maybe sugar isn't too bad after all. read more

Today artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes are found in a variety of food and beverages; they're marketed as "sugar-free" or "diet," including soft drinks, chewing gum, jellies, baked goods, candy, fruit juice, and ice cream and yogurt. read more

In addition, another study on the effects of artificial sweeteners on atherosclerosis found that daily consumption of drinks with artificial sweeteners creates a 35 percent greater risk of metabolic syndrome and a 67 percent increased risk for type 2 diabetes. read more

Artificial sweeteners, or sugar substitutes, are chemicals added to some foods and beverages to make them taste sweet. People often refer to them as "intense sweeteners" because they provide a taste that is similar to table sugar but up to several thousand times sweeter. read more