There are various types of artificial sweeteners, some are dangerous

Many foods, drinks and diet products today use artificial sweeteners. This sugar substitute material is known to have benefits that are considered to support people who are on a diet to lose weight. But don't forget, this artificial sweetener also has a negative impact on health if it is overused. Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes. The sweetener can come from natural ingredients, such as herbal plants and processed processed sugar (refined sugar). Artificial sweeteners are also known as a strong sweet taste enhancer because they taste much sweeter than ordinary sugar. This sugar substitute chemical is an additional ingredient that mimics the effect of sugar with lower calorie counts. The food and beverage industry is increasingly replacing sugar or corn syrup with artificial sweeteners in a series of its products. This is due to the profits from the sale of products with artificial sweeteners is very high. Some artificial sweeteners that are often used in food and beverage products:
  • Aspartame. This ingredient is used as a sweetener in chewing gum, breakfast cereals, gelatin and carbonated drinks. The sweet taste reaches 220 times sweeter than ordinary sugar. The daily intake is 50 mg / kg body weight. Aspartame content consists of amino acids, aspartic acid, phenylalania, and a little ethanol.
  • Saccharin. The sweet taste produced reaches 200-700 times higher than ordinary sugar. The use of saccharin in a single serving for processed food should not exceed 30 mg, while for drinks also no more than 4 mg / 10 ml of liquid.
  • Sucralosa, produced from sucrose and has a sweet taste 600 times compared to sugar. This ingredient is commonly used in baked or fried food products. The ideal daily consumption of sucralosa is 5 mg / kg body weight.
  • Acelsufam potassium, this material is very stable in high temperatures and easily dissolves so that it is suitable for use in many food products. The recommended daily intake limit is 15 mg / kg body weight.
  • Neotam The neotam content is fused and forms a unique sweet taste. This artificial sweetener is widely used in low calorie foods and flavor enhancers in other foods. Chemically, the ingredients are almost the same as aspartame, but it tastes 40 times sweeter than aspartame. Compared to refined sugar, the sweetness level of neotam is 8,000 times higher. Neotam can be consumed up to 18mg / kg body weight in a day.

Are There Adverse Effects of Artificial Sweeteners on Our Food and Beverages?

During this time, artificial sweeteners continue to be bombarded by criticism because of the allegation that the addition of artificial sweeteners can cause various health problems. Saccharin is thought to contain carcinogens that cause cancer, although this has not been proven with certainty. Saccharin is declared a weak carcinogen that is safe for humans. Another possible danger of saccharin is an allergic reaction from the content in it, sulfonamides. Sulfonamides can also be found in some types of antibiotics and in some people who consume them can cause allergies with symptoms such as skin rashes, dizziness, diarrhea, and difficulty breathing. Meanwhile, artificial sweetener aspartame is the most controversial sugar substitute. When the temperature of aspartame is very high, the wood alcohol in aspartame turns into formalin which is harmful to the body. Aspartame will be digested in the stomach so that it will be released later in a form that is not the same as the initial structure. This is the reason why aspartame cannot be consumed by someone who has a metabolic disorder because it is feared it will not be digested properly. The suspicion of health problems due to consumption of sucralose, neotam, and acelsufame potassium artificial sweeteners is also being investigated by many researchers. So far, research has not yielded certainty so that natural sweeteners are still declared safe for human consumption even for pregnant women. Artificial sweeteners are an attractive alternative to sugar as they do not add calories to food. This is a good choice especially for controlling weight and for diabetics. But we must know that there is still debate about the dangers. Therefore, we need to follow the rules of daily intake for artificial sweeteners so that our health is maintained. If you suspect you have symptoms due to the use of artificial sweeteners, stopping the addition of these substances into food is the best way to be sure.

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