Are Artificial Sweeteners
Bad for Senior Health?

I don’t understand what the hullaballoo is all about. I drink diet sodas. And I sweeten my coffee with Stevia. So far, I haven’t read any research that concludes that non-sugar sweeteners (NSSs) are harmful to health. Yet some of my senior friends tell me I’m playing Russian Roulette.

They use honey to sweeten tea because it’s natural. But honey is pure sugar and too much sugar is proven to have deleterious affects, especially to aging metabolisms. All sugar is bad for senior health.

But I admit, I’m stubborn because I only like to drink sweetened coffee. To be sure I’m not jeopardizing my health, I checked out some studies. Case in point: here’s what the latest meta-analysis reveals, according to this Harvard Health Blog:

After an exhaustive examination of the most relevant studies, researchers concluded that:

• There were no clear differences in health outcomes between people who used non-sugar sweeteners (NSSs) often or not at all.

• No clear health benefits were observed with NSS use, but “potential harms could not be excluded.”

• The quality of the research to date wasn’t very good, and no definitive conclusions could be made regarding NSS use and these important health effects.

I therefore will continue using Stevia to sweeten coffee, tea and lemonade.

Should Seniors Use Sucralose (Splenda)?

When I’m in a restaurant that doesn’t offer Stevia, however, I sometimes use Splenda (sucralose). In some studies it activates certain taste receptors that may stimulate insulin. But in another study, it didn’t stimulate the hormones that raise insulin.

It’s better to avoid sweeteners like sucralose, saccharin, fructose and aspartame because they’re linked to insulin resistance and other problems. They may also disrupt the gut microbiome.

Stevia, which comes from a plant, can lower insulin levels compared to aspartame and sucrose. It’s the only natural sweetener that’s fine to consume in moderation. Of course, the bottom line is to know how they affect you specifically, by looking at your blood sugar levels.

What’s your experience using artificial sweeteners?