The United States Department of Agriculture released a report citing what is healthy and not healthy in regard to artificial sweeteners. CNN summarized the results:
With an increase in obesity, chronic inflammation, Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, researchers linked sugar to their manifestations. With many Americans taking to heart these studies, they’ve compensated their diets to a switch from high sugar consumption to artificial sweeteners as a substitute. The problem the USDA says, is Americans have been inundated by results of legitimate studies as well as poorly designed research. Hence, Americans have been told the artificial sweeteners aren’t healthy either. The Food and Drug Administration, however, maintains artificial sweeteners are healthy as long as they are abused. The FDA has approved five forms of artificial sweeteners: acesulfame potassium (Sunett and Sweet One), aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet, and Sugar Twin), neotame (Newtame), saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low, Sweet Twin, and Necta Sweet), and sucralose (Spenda.) Cyclamate, which is the most used throughout the world, is banned in the United States. The FDA maintains all the artificial sweeteners are safe in moderation, which equates to no more than 23 packets of Splenda, Sweet One, or Newtame; 45 packets a day of Sweet ‘N Low; or 75 packets a day of Equal.