We’ve all been there - reaching for a “sugar-free” soft drink or tossing a sweetener into our coffee, thinking we’re making a healthier choice. But are we actually making the healthier choice? It turns out that these choices could be wreaking havoc on one of the most important parts of our health - our gut microbiome.
The role of the gut microbiome has become increasingly popular in the wellness space over the last decade - and with that - the spotlight has turned to artificial sweeteners and their impact on our gut microbiome. These sugar alternatives might help you cut back on sugar, but they could also disrupt the delicate balance of bacteria that keep our gut (and body) happy.
What are artificial sweeteners?
Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes that are used to sweeten foods and beverages while providing little to no calories. They are much sweeter than regular sugar, so smaller amounts are needed to achieve the desired sweetness. These sweeteners are commonly used in low-calorie and "diet" products.
Artificial sweeteners, like saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose, are everywhere. Often labelled as "guilt-free”; they’re in our drinks, our snacks and even our kids' sweets! They’re designed to give you sweetness without the calories. But research is now showing that they could come with some unfortunate downsides, especially when it comes to gut health. Let’s take a look at the different types of artificial sweeteners and where they are found:
Non-Nutritive Sweeteners
These are sweeteners that provide little to no calories because they are not metabolised by the body in the same way as sugars.
Examples:
- Saccharin: About 300-400 times sweeter than sugar.
- Aspartame: Around 200 times sweeter than sugar.
- Sucralose: Approximately 600 times sweeter than sugar.
- Acesulfame Potassium: About 200 times sweeter than sugar.
Sugar Alcohols
Sugar alcohols are a type of carbohydrate that provide fewer calories than regular sugar and are often used in sugar-free candies and gums. They can have a mild laxative effect when consumed in large quantities.
- Examples:
- Sorbitol
- Xylitol
- Mannitol
- Erythritol
Natural Low-Calorie Sweeteners
These are derived from natural sources like plants and often used as alternatives to artificial sweeteners.
Examples:
- Stevia: Derived from the Stevia plant, 200-300 times sweeter than sugar.
Novel Sweeteners
These are newer, low-calorie or no-calorie sweeteners that often blend various types of sweeteners to achieve a more sugar-like taste.
Examples:
- Advantame: A newer sweetener derived from aspartame, about 20,000 times sweeter than sugar.
- Neotame: Similar to aspartame, approximately 7,000-13,000 times sweeter than sugar.
The reason artificial sweeteners are so popular is because they offer a way to enjoy sweetness with fewer calories, making them attractive to those with specific lifestyle or weight management goals. However, emerging research on their potential effects, particularly on gut health and long-term metabolism, has sparked more debate about their overall benefits.
How do artificial sweeteners affect your gut microbiome?
Your gut microbiome is home to trillions of bacteria that do so much more than just help digest your food. These little bugs (or “little pets” as my 3 year old likes to call them) are involved in everything from regulating your immune system to managing your mood and metabolism. But artificial sweeteners, as convenient as they may be, can throw this system out of balance.
While there is still quite a lot of debate around this topic, a 2023 study in Frontiers in Microbiology found that common artificial sweeteners like saccharin, sucralose, and aspartame may lead to gut dysbiosis in some. Dysbiosis can reduce the amount of good bacteria, making room for more harmful ones. This shift isn’t just bad news for your digestion; it could also set the stage for more serious metabolic issues like weight gain, insulin resistance, and more.
Another review in Molecules highlights how regular consumption of these sweeteners can reduce the diversity of your gut microbiome. In particular, they showed how the ingestion of saccharin by animals and humans showed alterations in metabolic pathways linked to glucose tolerance and dysbiosis in humans.
So, while artificial sweeteners might seem like a good way to keep the calories down, they could very well be sabotaging your unique gut health - and when your gut isn’t happy, neither is the rest of your body.
What can you do?
While the research around artificial sweeteners and gut health is still evolving, there is enough information out there suggesting we should rethink our excessive use of artificial sweeteners. While it’s tempting to swap sugar for a zero-calorie alternative, it might be better to go for more natural options like monk fruit or raw honey, which seem to have less impact on gut bacteria.
If you’re trying to keep your gut happy, focus on feeding it what it loves—whole, fiber-rich foods like veggies, fruits, and legumes. These are the foods that support gut diversity, keeping your microbiome balanced and resilient. Important to note, the ingestion of artificial sweeteners is only one of the multiple factors that can have a significant impact on the composition and variety of the gut microbiota. Lifestyle, stress, diet and environment also play a significant role.
The takeaway…
Your gut is the foundation of your health, and excessive use of artificial sweeteners may disturb the very ecosystem that keeps everything running smoothly. While they might seem like a harmless shortcut to cutting calories, they could be doing more harm than good in the long run. So next time you’re tempted to reach for that sugar-free treat, remember to listen to your gut…literally.
In the end, it's all about balance. Nourish your body with real, whole foods, and give your gut the care it deserves. You’ll feel the difference in your energy, your mood, and your overall well-being.
Written by Megan Lagerwey
