Don ’t Use Artificial Sweeteners for Weight Loss, WHO Says

Artificial sweeteners may not help people lose weight, the World Health Organization said in new guidelines that warned against products like diet sodas. The WHO’s advice is based on a scientific review that found products containing aspartame and stevia—often marketed as diet foods—likely don’t help reduce body fat in the long term. “People should reduce the sweetness of the diet altogether,” Francesco Branca, WHO director for nutrition and food safety, said Monday. Artificial sweeteners were also linked with higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as of dying, according to the WHO. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] The new guidance applies to all non-sugar sweeteners, including stevia derivatives and sucralose. Such products have become widely used and are commonly added to processed foods and beverages, like diet soda, or sold on their own. ‘Not essential’ Artificial sweeteners “are not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value,” Branca said. They are also often used to replace sugar in highly processed foods and drinks, and therefore may encourage low-quality diets. Popular consumer products like Diet Coke and Diet Snapple, rebranded last year to Zero Sugar Snapple, contain aspartame. Keurig Dr Pepper Inc., the maker of Snapple, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The Coca-Cola Co. referred Bloomberg to a statement from the Calo...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized bloomberg wire Diet & Nutrition healthscienceclimate Source Type: news