Sweetener safety in spotlight after study links stevia to gut microbial imbalance

December 9, 2020

“Dr. Courtney Gaine, president and CEO of the Sugar Association, asserts that this study highlights a significant issue that needs to be addressed by the industry: sugar replacement. “The use of artificial and low- and no-calorie sweeteners in food and beverages has surged more than 300 percent in the last five years,” she states. However, Gaine is concerned that the impact of reducing sugar on the food supply has not been adequately studied and modeled. “Sugar can’t easily be removed or reduced from products because one to several ingredients are needed to replace it and replicate its taste profile and functionality. So, the short- and long-term effects of the added sugars labeling requirement in the US is entirely unknown.” Ultimately, reduced sugar doesn’t necessarily mean reduced calories, Gaine emphasizes. “Many times, it has the opposite effect. We need to stop and think: ‘What is the goal of reducing added sugars?’ and if there is an agreed-upon goal, ‘What is the best way to get there?’”

Read the full article at: https://www.nutritioninsight.com/news/sweetener-safety-in-spotlight-after-study-links-stevia-to-gut-microbial-imbalance.html