What Are the Benefits of Using Artificial Sweeteners?

There are many benefits to using artificial sweeteners.

Some of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners are sucralose, aspartame, stevia, and saccharin.

The biggest benefit of using artificial sweeteners instead of sugar is that they can help you to reduce your sugar intake without sacrificing sweet foods altogether.

In this article, I’ll discuss the biggest benefits that I noticed when I used artificial sweeteners instead of sugar.

And, I’ll also discuss the biggest issue that people face with artificial sweeteners, and how to solve it.

1.) Artificial Sweeteners Can Help You to Reduce Your Sugar & Carb Intake

Artificial sweeteners are a simple solution for those who want to cut down on their sugar intake but can’t seem to kick their sweet tooth. 

They carry almost no calories and provide a sweeter taste than sugar. 

They’re also useful for diabetics who’re looking for a low-carb alternative to sugar. 

Not only are artificial sweeteners calorie-free, but they also have no effect on blood sugar, which makes them an ideal substitute for regular sugar. 

For me and many others who don’t consume sugar due to its health concerns, this is a big deal.

2.) Artificial Sweeteners Can Help You to Enjoy Sweet Foods Without Adding Calories

One of the most common reasons people use artificial sweeteners is to enjoy sweet foods without adding any calories. 

Whether you have diabetes or are just trying to lose weight, artificial sweeteners are a great way to enjoy your favorite sweets without adding any extra calories. 

Just by replacing sugar with zero-calorie sweeteners, you can enjoy your favorite desserts without the extra calories.

Personally, artificial sweeteners helped me to lose weight since I could satisfy my sweet tooth without eating any actual calories.

3.) Artificial Sweeteners Can Help You to Feel Included

Artificial sweeteners can help you to feel included whenever you’re eating with others because they allow you to eat a more diverse range of foods, like drinks and desserts, which you couldn’t otherwise.

For me, this helped me to feel better whenever I ate with my friends since I could find or make a sugar-free alternative to whatever they were eating.

This helped me to feel more included whenever I ate out with friends or family.

However, even though artificial sweeteners have many benefits, they also cause harm.

The Problem With Artificial Sweeteners

The problem with most artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose, is that they cause neurotoxic effects on the brain. This means that if you regularly consume artificial sweeteners, over time you may develop some health problems like Alzheimer’s.

For example, in one study with around 3,000 people, they found that those who regularly consumed artificial sweeteners increased their risk for stroke and dementia by 3x!

Because of this reason, even though artificial sweeteners are calorie-free and are commonly used to reduce one’s sugar intake, they might not be as healthy as we once thought.

But, that doesn’t mean that all hope is lost for people who want to still eat sweet foods without taking on the toxic effects of artificial sweeteners.

*Note: Some of these links are Amazon affiliate links which I earn a small commission from if you decide to buy from them*

Natural, Zero-Calorie Alternatives to Artificial Sweeteners And Sugar

Natural zero-calorie sweeteners, like stevia, erythritol, and monk fruit, don’t cause the toxic effects that artificial sweeteners cause, but they also don’t have any calories.

Stevia

Stevia is a popular zero-calorie sweetener that comes from the leaves of the Stevia plant, which has been used in South America for hundreds of years.

Stevia is around 200x sweeter than sugar, so you only need to use a little bit of it at a time.

But, since stevia is so sweet, most brands mix stevia with other artificial sweeteners.

This could cause you to take on the dangerous effects of artificial sweeteners, so you should make sure to avoid these “stevia blends” when possible.

But, fortunately, some brands of stevia, like this one, are 100% stevia, meaning they don’t contain any harmful additives. 

You can usually tell the stevia you’re buying is 100% stevia if it’s really small because that shows that it’s pure stevia, which is always around 200x sweeter than sugar.

So, whenever you do buy stevia, just make sure that it’s 100% stevia.

Erythritol

Erythritol is one of the most common natural zero-calorie sweeteners, even though it’s a sugar alcohol.

Most sugar alcohols, which are the sweeteners that end in “ol,” like maltitol, xylitol, etc, cause the bad bacteria in your gut to grow, and they can also cause diarrhea.

But, unlike other sugar alcohols, erythritol is actually natural because it comes from the inside of birch trees.

Erythritol has around 75% of the sweetness that sugar has, so it’s usually used as an addition to other sweeteners in a blend to balance the sweetness of the other sweetener.

And one small thing to remember with erythritol is that it has a cooling effect on the mouth when you eat.

For some people, this can be bothering, but if you’re anything like me, you probably don’t care.

If you want to buy erythritol, my favorite brand of erythritol is this one.

Monk Fruit

Monk fruit is another natural zero-calorie alternative to sugar.

Monk fruit sweetener comes from the inside of the melon-like Lan Hao Gao plant.

The Lan Hao Gao plant has been used for over a thousand years in China as a sweetener, but it’s only gaining popularity in the rest of the world for its health benefits.

Monk fruit extract is around 200x sweeter than sugar, like stevia.

So whenever you use it, make sure to only use a little bit of it at a time.

But, some brands, like this one, are blended with erythritol, so its sweetness balances until it reaches a 1:1 replacement for sugar, which can be helpful for whenever you’re sweetening something.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the biggest benefit of using artificial sweeteners is that they can help you to lose weight by cutting sugar out of your diet. 

But, since artificial sweeteners are well-known for their toxic effects on the body, which can lead to diseases, you should avoid them.

Instead, use natural zero-calorie sweeteners, like stevia or monk fruit, so you can still enjoy the benefits of artificial sweeteners without experiencing their toxic effects.

If you want to learn more about the toxic effects of artificial sweeteners & why they cause stroke & dementia, you can read my article here where I go more in-depth.