7 Artificial Sweeteners You May Want to Avoid
That zero-sugar soda in your fridge might not be as straightforward a healthy swap as you think. From diet drinks and protein bars to sugar-free gum and flavored yogurt, artificial sweeteners have become part of everyday American eating.
They promise sweetness without the extra calories, but scientists are still investigating their long-term effects.
In 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) advised against relying on non-sugar sweeteners for long-term weight control, citing limited evidence of lasting benefits and possible health concerns. However, the FDA still considers approved artificial sweeteners safe when consumed within established limits.
Here are seven sweeteners to know before your next grocery run.
Aspartame
If you regularly reach for Diet Coke or a packet of Equal, you’ve probably consumed aspartame.
This sweetener is approximately 200 times sweeter than ordinary sugar and is widely used in low-calorie beverages and other sugar-free products.
In July 2023, the WHO’s cancer research agency classified aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” based on limited evidence.
That sounds frightening, but there’s important context. The WHO’s expert food-additives committee maintained its acceptable daily intake of 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.
For a 154-pound adult, exceeding that limit could require drinking more than 9 to 14 cans of diet soda daily, depending on the aspartame content.
The classification doesn’t establish that normal consumption causes cancer, but it gives frequent consumers a reason to review their habits.
Sucralose
Known by the brand name Splenda, sucralose is roughly 600 times sweeter than sugar.
You’ll find it in everything from flavored drinks to sugar-free desserts.
A 2022 study published in Cell examined 120 healthy adults and found that consuming sucralose for two weeks altered gut bacteria and affected glucose responses in some participants.
The findings suggest that artificial sweeteners may not be biologically inactive for everyone.
However, the experiment was relatively small and short, so it doesn’t establish that everyday sucralose consumption causes lasting harm.
Related: 5 Foods to Skip If You Have High Blood Pressure
Saccharin
Those familiar pink Sweet’N Low packets contain saccharin, one of the oldest artificial sweeteners.
Once surrounded by cancer concerns stemming from animal experiments, saccharin remains FDA-approved for use in food.
More recent research has focused on its potential effects on metabolism.
The same 2022 Cell study found that saccharin affected glucose responses in participants during the two-week trial.
Although scientists haven’t established whether these changes translate into long-term disease, the findings challenge the assumption that every calorie-free sweetener works identically in the body.
Acesulfame Potassium
Acesulfame potassium, often shortened to Ace-K, is frequently combined with other sweeteners in packaged drinks and foods.
A 2022 study published in The BMJ followed 103,388 French adults and found an association between higher consumption of certain artificial sweeteners, including Ace-K, and cardiovascular disease.
Across the study, higher consumers of artificial sweeteners experienced approximately 346 cardiovascular events per 100,000 person-years, compared with 314 among nonconsumers.
Importantly, this was an observational study. It couldn’t prove that the sweeteners caused those events.
Still, Ace-K is an ingredient worth recognizing when checking labels.
Neotame
Neotame isn’t a household name, but it’s impressively sweet.
According to the FDA, it is approximately 7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than table sugar.
Approved in 2002, it can be used in various processed foods, including baked products.
Unlike some better-known sweeteners, neotame has relatively limited long-term human outcome research available.
That doesn’t mean it has been proven dangerous. The FDA evaluated more than 110 animal and human studies before approving it.
For shoppers trying to reduce dependence on intensely sweetened processed foods, however, neotame is another ingredient to watch.
Advantame
Imagine a sweetener approximately 20,000 times sweeter than ordinary table sugar.
That’s advantame.
The FDA approved it in 2014 after reviewing toxicology and other safety data.
Because such tiny quantities produce intense sweetness, advantame can help manufacturers reduce added sugar without sacrificing flavor.
There isn’t convincing human evidence that normal approved consumption causes disease. The concern is broader: replacing sugar with intensely sweet alternatives isn’t necessarily a reliable long-term weight-management strategy.
That’s one reason the WHO recommends reducing overall dietary sweetness rather than depending exclusively on sugar substitutes.
Cyclamate
Unlike the other six ingredients, cyclamate isn’t permitted in the American food supply.
The FDA removed cyclamate compounds from its list of generally recognized as safe substances in 1969 after animal research raised concerns.
Cyclamates remain prohibited as food sweeteners in the United States, although they are permitted in some other countries.
Americans generally won’t encounter cyclamate in legally marketed domestic groceries, but it may appear on labels when comparing international products.
Its regulatory history reminds us that sweetener safety assessments can differ across countries and change as scientific evidence develops.
So, Should You Give Up Artificial Sweeteners Completely?
Not necessarily.
The strongest conclusion isn’t that all artificial sweeteners are dangerous. It’s that replacing sugar with zero-calorie alternatives doesn’t automatically guarantee better long-term health.
The WHO’s recommendation is conditional, and it doesn’t apply to people with pre-existing diabetes. Meanwhile, FDA-approved sweeteners remain considered safe under their authorized conditions of use.
For everyday Americans, a practical approach is to check ingredient labels, moderate heavily sweetened drinks and snacks, and, when convenient, choose unsweetened alternatives.
After all, the smartest grocery-store swap might not be finding another way to make everything sweeter. It might be getting comfortable with a little less sweetness in the first place.
