Editor’s Note: In “Hey, Health Coach,” Sarah Hays Coomer answers reader questions about the intersection of health and overall well-being. Have a question? Send her a message (and don’t forget to use a sleuthy pseudonym!).
Hey, Health Coach,
For years I’ve been putting Splenda in everything from homemade cookies to my morning coffee. I thought it was the best low-calorie option, but I’m trying to make less processed choices as much as possible these days. I’m confused and unsure of the best choice at this point. Which is healthier in the long run: sugar or Splenda?
— Sweety
Dear Sweety,
I don’t know about you, but I came of age in the early 2000s when Splenda (sucralose) was the newly-minted sweetener de jour. It was touted as being healthier than other artificial sweeteners because it’s derived from sugar. It seemed like a miracle—all the sweetness without any of the calories, and you can bake with it, too.
The question you’re asking has plagued researchers (and bakers) for decades, with many coming to wildly different conclusions. Some are concerned with preventing glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, others prioritize taste and many avidly avoid synthetic compounds altogether. Ultimately, the answer to this question depends on the criteria you’re using.
Recent research has cast doubt on the wisdom of using excessive amounts of sucralose in our food, but, of course, most of us know that excessive sugar can be damaging for our health as well.
Let’s look at the evidence so you can decide what’s best for you.
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Pros and Cons of Sugar
The human desire for sweets is rooted in our survival. Sugar is the purest energy available to us. It’s a simple carbohydrate that offers the primary fuel for brain function and the quickest source of energy for physical activity.
Sugar contains 4 calories per gram. Notably, protein and complex carbohydrates also provide 4 calories per gram while fat contains 9 calories per gram. These other macronutrients are metabolized slower than simple sugar.
Sources of Refined and Natural Sugar
Refined sugar can be found in powdered form, granulated white and brown sugars, corn syrup and evaporated cane juice, among others. Natural sugars are found in honey, molasses and maple syrup. Beyond the energy they provide, most of these sources of sugar don’t provide any significant nutritional value. Blackstrap molasses is an exception—it’s still mostly sugar, but it’s also a rich source of iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium.
Fruit
Fruit also contains natural sugar, but it provides many vitamins and minerals, as well as water and fiber, which slows digestion and is less likely to trigger spikes in blood glucose. The higher the fiber content, the lower fruit falls on the glycemic index (GI). A few examples of low-GI fruits include apples, oranges, bananas and pears. Juicing removes the fiber, but blending can leave some of it intact.
A Core Component of Baking
For many, sugar also represents comfort, joy and simple pleasure. In baked goods, it locks in moisture and creates a wonderful effect of browning and caramelization.
Effects of Too Much Sugar
Excessive consumption of added sugar (in combination with unhealthy fats and lack of physical activity) is linked to chronic health conditions like obesity, inflammation, heart disease, diabetes and fatty liver disease. It can affect mental health as well. According to a 2019 study in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, a high-sugar diet is linked to cognitive impairment, negative neuroplasticity and emotional disorders like anxiety and depression. The same review notes how sugar can increase impulsive eating[1]Jacques A, Chaaya N, Beecher K, Ali SA, Belmer A, Bartlett S. The impact of sugar consumption on stress driven, emotional and addictive behaviors. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 2019;103:178-199. . Of course, excess sugar can cause tooth decay, too, especially if you’re not brushing regularly.
So, the following are all true:
- Sugar tastes amazing.
- It’s essential for life.
- Eating too much of it can be unhealthy, especially in conjunction with an otherwise unhealthy lifestyle.
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Pros and Cons of Sucralose
Sucralose is a synthetic sweetener made by replacing three hydrogen-oxygen groups in a sugar molecule with chlorine atoms. It’s about 600 times sweeter than sugar and contains zero calories.
According to the FDA, sucralose was approved for use as a general-purpose sweetener for foods in 1999. It’s found in baked goods, beverages, chewing gum, gelatin and frozen dairy desserts. It’s also heat stable, which means it stays sweet when exposed to high temperatures during baking and can serve as a suitable sugar substitute in baked goods.
Advantages of sucralose include the possibility of reducing calories in your favorite foods, and—for people with clinical reasons to reduce the amount of sugar in their diets (like diabetes)—sucralose offers a way to enjoy sweets without added carbohydrates.
However, in the past 20 years, research has raised concerns about how too much sucralose might affect our health. Many of the studies were conducted on rodents, so they’re far from definitive or representative, but human studies are beginning to show concerning results as well.
Altering the Microbiome
Numerous studies show that sucralose can significantly reduce levels of healthy gut bacteria significantly in rats. On human subjects, a 2022 study of 120 healthy adults found similar alterations of the microbiome in people who consumed doses of sucralose below the accepted daily limit (5 milligrams for each kilogram of body weight) for two weeks[2]Suez J, Cohen Y, Valdes-Mas R, et al. Personalized microbiome-driven effects of non-nutritive sweeteners on human glucose tolerance. Cell. 2022;185(18):P3307-3328. . Such findings suggest sucralose could have unwanted effects on digestion, inflammation or bowel health. What’s more, it might not be the best choice for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or Crone’s disease.
Blood Sugar Management
The same 2022 study also observed impacts on the microbiome that were causally linked to an elevated glycemic response in some participants. Furthermore, a 2013 study in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health noticed the same effect of sucralose on blood sugar, noting that sucralose may alter glucose, insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) levels in both humans and rodents[3]Schiffman SS, Rother KI. Sucralose, A Synthetic Organochlorine Sweetener: Overview of Biological Issues. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. 2013;16(7):399-451. .
Cooking With Heat
Research shows that cooking sucralose above 350 degrees Fahrenheit can release chemicals called chloropropanols, which can be carcinogenic. Studies also suggest that toxic fumes can be released when sucralose is added to liquids at boiling temperatures. However, the FDA has not reclassified sucralose or found any evidence that it causes cancer.
Cravings for More Sweets
According to a 2021 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, sucralose can trigger increased appetite and thus a greater likelihood of eating a higher total number of calories than sugar among women and people with obesity. The researchers didn’t observe the same tendency in men[4]Yunker AG, Alves JM, Luo S, et al. Obesity and Sex-Related Associations With Differential Effects of Sucralose vs Sucrose on Appetite and Reward Processing: A Randomized Crossover Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(9):e2126313. .
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Which Is Better: Sugar or Sucralose?
As I mentioned, sucralose has been deemed safe to consume for over 20 years. The decision about what to use in your coffee and baked goods, however, is entirely up to you, and there’s no reason why you can’t choose a little of both. Like most things in life, moderation is usually the key to health and longevity.
Many people use artificial sweeteners because they’re trying to cut back on calories and lose weight, but recent research in Frontiers in Nutrition suggests that artificial sweeteners don’t have any significant effects on body weight and glycemic control in clinical settings[5]Pang MD, Goossens GH, Blaak EE. The Impact of Artificial Sweeteners on Body Weight Control and Glucose Homeostasis. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2021;7:598340. .
If weight loss is your goal and there are “no significant effects” either way, consider the following questions:
- Do you have a preference in taste?
- Do you feel different after eating one or the other?
From there, you can choose what’s best for you.
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