AmiSight 2/9: The Sweetener Showdown: Are Zero-Sugar Drinks Hiding Real Health Risks?

Federal health officials are not only advising Americans to limit sugary drinks, they are also warning against artificial sweeteners, too.

The Wall Street Journal reports that new federal dietary guidelines recommend limiting artificial sweeteners, which include aspartame, acesulfame potassium and sucralose. A government report released in conjunction with the guidelines cited research linking the sweeteners to conditions such as cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.

U.S. food and beverage makers, which rely on artificial sweeteners for a majority of their zero-sugar products, are pushing back on the proposed guidelines as well as the studies showing they cause health problems. 

The American Beverage Association said the alternative sweeteners are safe, and the  guidelines’ suggestions are based on weak science, relying heavily on observational research.

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