Conducted on 102,865 adults, a study published on March 24 in the scientific journal PLOS Medicine reveals that people who consume high levels of certain sweeteners have a slight increase in the risk of developing cancer.
According to our colleagues from The Conversation, about half of the participants were followed for more than eight years. According to the study, aspartame (E951) and acesulfame-K (E950) are, for example, associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and obesity-related cancers such as colorectal cancer, stomach and prostate. As specified The Conversationso removing these sweeteners from our diets could reduce the risk of cancer.
Adverse effects on the body
As a reminder, sweeteners are additives responsible for imitating sugar, the aim being to provide taste by limiting the number of calories. Some are natural, like stevia. Others are the result of an artificial synthesis, such as aspartame. The latter, although low in calories, is not harmless. Once digested, it turns into formaldehyde, a carcinogen.
According to the study, certain sweeteners such as sucralose or saccharin also have the effect of damaging DNA and leading, again, to the development of cancer. Others can also weaken the immune system by altering the gut microbiota.
Some healthy natural sweeteners
According to our colleagues, the people asked for the study had to keep a diary of their diet. The results showed that people who consumed the highest amounts of artificial sweeteners had “only” a 13% increased risk of contracting cancer compared to participants who consumed the lowest amounts.
Scientists also point out that not all artificial sweeteners have the same harmfulness. Present in thousands of food products, aspartame is considered extremely harmful. Conversely, some natural sweeteners are good for your health. This is the case of stevia, useful for controlling diabetes and reducing blood pressure, or xylitol, favorable to the immune system and digestion.
Aspartame, Stevia: Sweeteners have no effect on weight