1. What are sugars?
2. What are sweeteners?
Sweeteners are substances that provide a sweet taste with few or no calories. Among the most widely used we find: sucralose, stevia, aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame K and all polyols with -itol endings (xylitol, maltitol, etc.).
They are commonly used in soft drinks, yoghurts, desserts, chewing gum, protein drinks and many products labelled as «sugar-free» or «light».
Over recent years, the use of sweeteners by the food industry has increased significantly and has generated numerous doubts and myths. However, despite the bad reputation they have acquired on social media, the most recent scientific reviews show that, consumed within recommended amounts, they are safe for the general population.
Do sweeteners increase hunger?
To date, available evidence does not show that sweeteners significantly increase hunger in most people.
In fact, when they replace sugar, they can help to reduce total calorie intake and facilitate weight management in some situations.
However, cravings and constant hunger depend on far more factors than just one ingredient.
Do sweeteners harm the microbiota?
Currently, there is no robust evidence showing that the regular consumption of sweeteners within recommended amounts harms the microbiota of healthy people.
However, when there is abdominal pain, gas, bloating or frequent loose stools, some types of sweeteners, especially certain polyols, can cause or worsen symptoms. In these cases, the ideal approach is to remove all sweeteners from the diet and assess for improvement.
Do sweeteners maintain the taste for sweetness?
Both sugar and sweeteners activate sweet taste receptors. And our taste buds constantly adapt to what we consume.
When we’re used to very intense flavours, naturally sweet foods may seem a bit bland to us:
- Fruit may seem less sweet to us.
- A plain yogurt can feel a bit dull.
- Coffee without sugar might seem impossible.
Not because there is anything wrong with those foods, but because our sweetness threshold has shifted.
3. Which are better, sugars or sweeteners?
This is probably the most frequently searched question on the internet. And the answer is: it depends on the context.
When it comes to blood sugar control or cutting calories, sweeteners can be a useful tool. But when it comes to improving your relationship with food, managing cravings or learning to listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues, swapping sugar for sweeteners doesn’t usually solve the underlying problem.
The most important question is not which sweetener you choose, but why you feel the need to consume sweet foods so frequently.
4. Do I have a sugar addiction?
Many people believe they have a sugar addiction when, in fact, they have one or more factors that contribute to and explain their cravings for sweet things:
- Your diet is not balanced: When your diet is lacking in protein, fibre or minimally processed foods, it’s easier to feel hungry shortly after eating. And when hunger strikes, sweet foods tend to be particularly tempting.
- You don't sleep muchPoor sleep alters appetite-related hormones. As a result, hunger increases, along with the desire for highly palatable, high-energy foods.
- You live with constant stressChronic stress encourages the pursuit of quick rewards. And the sweet taste is one of the easiest and most accessible ways to obtain that feeling of momentary well-being.
- You use food to manage your emotionsSometimes we don't look for sugar because we're hungry. We look for relief, distraction, pleasure or calm. And the more we turn to sweets to manage emotions, the harder it is to break that pattern.
- Dietary restriction: Having a list of «forbidden foods» increases the desire to eat them and may explain why you crave them. The most common restriction is «carbohydrates».
- Daily underfeeding: A large calorie deficit increases feelings of hunger and cravings in order to compensate for the lack of nutrients and energy.
- High consumption of sweet foods: The more we are exposed to intensely sweet flavours, the more we need them to feel the same level of satisfaction; and the reverse is also true: as we gradually reduce that level of sweetness, less sugary foods begin to taste more pleasant.
5. My conclusion as a dietitian and nutritionist
I do not consider sugar to be an enemy, nor do sweeteners to represent a problem for the majority of people when consumed regularly and within the context of a balanced diet.
Nor do I believe that swapping one for the other is the magic solution to cravings, food-related anxiety or difficulties with weight loss. Because, in most cases, the root cause of these issues lies not in a single ingredient, but in the combination of habits and circumstances surrounding our eating.
The aim shouldn't be to eliminate sweets from our lives as if they were something dangerous. The realistic and healthier goal is to learn to live with them without them driving our decisions.
Being able to enjoy a dessert guilt-free, without needing it and without feeling a loss of control. For sweets to be a conscious choice, something enjoyed from time to time, and not a daily demand from the body or the mind.
Because when we eat enough and feel full, when we sleep better, manage stress more effectively and improve our relationship with food, the constant craving for sweet things tends to diminish naturally.
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