How2Day: Pros for Artificial Sweetener

About 180 million Americans use artificial sweeteners to replace real sugar, whether due to health issues or a desire to shed unwanted pounds, according to AOL Health. Although some in the medical field have expressed concern over a link between artificial sweeteners and cancer, the Food and Drug Administration has approved five sweeteners: aspartame, saccharin, sulacrose, acesulifame K and neotame.

A 1999 study by the Mayo Clinic found that you can increase your metabolism while chewing sugar-free gum. The experiment showed that when an individual chewed this gum at a rate of 100 times per minute, his metabolism rose by 20 percent. Chewing gum all day could cause a drop of 11 pounds per year. In another study, Harvard University researchers followed two groups of women: one group consumed artificial sweetener, while a control group did not. The women who used the sugar substitute lost more weight and regained it at a slower rate than those who did not.

Because the sweetness of some sugar substitutes are more intense, the body will crave less of it. As a result, the diabetic will not have to worry about a spike in his blood sugar due to over-consumption. This is also welcome news for a person who merely wants to increase his likelihood of losing more pounds.

Replacing sugary foods with artificial sweeteners has the potential of preventing cavities, according to the American Dietetic Association. The act of chewing sugarless gum a mere 20 minutes a day can neutralize the acids that lead to dental caries, which are tooth decay agents present in sodas, energy drinks, tart candies, and vinegar-containing foods such as vinaigrette salad dressings.

Though diabetics must still monitor their intake of sugar substitutes, their bodies receive artificial sweeteners quite well when they consume such foods in moderation. Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, xylitol, and maltitol have half the calories of traditional sugar.

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