Hi, thank you for your question.
Artificial sweetener is a type of synthetic sugar substitute, which is made of naturally ocurring substances like herbs or sugar. It is also known as intense sweetener because it is much sweeter than sugar.

You only need a small amount of artificial sweetener to make something sweet. It is commonly found in soft drinks, chewing gum and “sugar-free” products. Diabetic patients often choose artificial sweetener as an alternative to enjoy the sweetness without the negative side effects because it does not raise blood sugar levels. Artificial sweetener may also help with weight control since it has virtually no calories. Examples of artificial sweeteners are aspartame, stevia, neotame, acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) and saccharin.

Aritificial sweeteners are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as food additives. FDA declares a substance “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) if qualified professionals deem the substance safe for its intended use on the basis of scientific data, or if the substances have a long history of common use in food that they are considered generally safe.

FDA has also established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) (maximum amount considered safe to be consumed every day) for each artificial sweetener.
Critics claimed that artificial sweeteners can cause many health problems. Some users reported having headaches after taking aspartme.

FDA declared stevia as GRAS, but it is not approved in Canada. There are studies that concluded that stevia can affect the male reproductive system, promote cancer, affect the absorption of carbohydrates and disrupt the conversion of food into energy.

However, there is not enough studies to conclude whether taking artificial sweeteners in large amount is safe or not. Numerous studies confirm that artificial sweeteners are generally safe if taken according to their ADIs, even for pregnant women.

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