Non-nutritive sweeteners risks, appetite and weight gain

Abstract

Artificial sweeteners are substances that provide energy and are added to foods to provide sweetness, increasing the pleasure of eating. The aim of the following review is to report on the current literature regarding artificial sweeteners, risks related to consumption, and possible effects on appetite and weight gain. Since the introduction of the artificial sweeteners, the media have reported the potential risks of cancer, which has undermined the sense of public safety. The role of sweeteners on cancer risk has been widely debated in recent decades. Recent studies indicate no adverse effects on the consumption of saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame k and other sweeteners. This includes data on cancers of the stomach, pancreas and endometrium. Today many artificial sweeteners are combined in current products, the carcinogenic risk of a single substance is difficult to assess. Consumption of sweet flavors in the absence of calories produced significantly different effects compared to the consumption of sweet flavors associated with calories, and over time these effects may contribute to a positive energy balance and increased body weight gain.