What's the verdict on artificial sweeteners?

Aspartame, sucralose, saccharin … Oh my!

If you've eaten anything that's diet or low calorie, chances are you've eaten some form of artificial sweetener. And there are a lot from which to choose. To date, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has approved acesulfame potassium (Sunett, Sweet One), aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), neotame, saccharin (SugarTwin, Sweet'N Low), and sucralose (Splenda) as sugar alternatives. In addition, stevia, agave nectar, and even maple sugar can be found in your grocer's aisles, further complicating the issue.

According to the FDA, these approved alternatives are classified as food additives. They are not considered weight-loss options. If you're loading your diet with aspartame-sweetened sodas, yogurt tinged with sucralose, and other low-calorie foods, you may doing your body a disservice and wondering why you still can't lose those pesky few pounds from your mid-section.

In addition to the lack of weight-loss benefits associated with ingesting too many sugar alternatives, what about the serious health risks? No doubt you've heard of or read about lab rats acquiring cancer after eating large doses of aspartame. Do all of these alternatives come with a health warning? Is there truly an option for sweetening foods without adding calories?

Total Lifestyle Chiropractic has the answers! Join us on Tuesday, April 10 at 6:15 pm for our presentation Know the Facts about Diet Drinks and Artificial Sweeteners. Click here to RSVP to our Facebook event or call the office at 480-368-2639.