Artificial sweeteners and their health effects (original) (raw)

Sugar plays an important role in our daily life. Sucrose is extracted from Saccharumspp and Beta vulgaris and is highly metabolically active and results in weight gain and type II diabetes. Due to these side effects companies launch various synthetic sweetening agents that have very low calories but are highly sweeter than normal table sugar, known as alternative sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, non-caloric sugars. These low nutrition synthetic compounds are part of soda drinks, chocolates, cakes and other baked products. Acesulfame-K, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, stevia and sucralose have been approved by the FDA for use in foods and/or drinks. People are moving toward artificial sweetener without being aware of their harmful effect. Many long term and short term studies have been performed regarding the deleterious effects of these artificial sweetners on health. Frequent consumption of high-intensity sweetners may dampens physiological responses, metabolic activities. The aim...