If you have been plugged into social media these last couple of weeks, you likely heard the buzz about the new study suggesting that the sugar alcohol erythritol can lead to heart disease. This study, published in Nature Medicine, has caused quite a stir in the health space.
I did a deep dive on the study over at BioCoach so you can read that here. The take-home message though is that this study was completely taken out of context and the media headlines surrounding it have been overblown.
During my review of this study and the response of the health industry to it, I noticed a lot of different narratives popping up. One that I think is particularly worth discussing is whether or not you should use artificial sweeteners regardless of what the research says.
On one of my Instagram videos reviewing this study, I received a lot of comments like this with the individuals commenting saying that there is no need for these sweeteners at all so let’s just cut them out and eat a whole food diet.
I agree with them. To an extent. Whole food is the most optimal approach that we should all be striving to get closer to. But what I think this perspective is missing is empathy towards people at different stages of their health journey.
The individuals making these comments are likely individuals who are far along in their journey. They have spent ample time repairing their metabolism, their relationship with food, and their nutritional behaviors. For these individuals, opting to not consume artificial sweeteners in any amount is rather easy. They have already done the hard work that allows for decisions around nutrition to be easier for them. Kudos to them!
But not everyone is there yet. Every individual is at a different stage in their health journey and for those at the beginning stages, artificial sweeteners could be incredibly helpful. They can be the thing that allows an individual to take that first step towards a healthier diet and provide a backup plan that allows them to cure a craving without having to have a major setback like if they were to binge on a bunch of sugar. This is undoubtedly a useful tool.
So really the answer to the question, “should I use artificial sweeteners?” is that it depends. If artificial sweeteners are helping you take that first step, keeping you on track, and preventing you from returning back to the old you. Then you should use them. However, I do think it is worth it to be mindful of how much you are consuming, stick to the best options like stevia and monk fruit (erythritol is okay too), and work towards reducing your intake so that they are not part of your everyday diet forever.
But there is no reason to fear sugar alternatives and no reason to make anyone feel bad for using them. After all, they are much better than sugar!
Thanks for reading,
Chris Irvin
P.S. A new episode of the Thinking Health podcast just dropped. This episode features my friend Emily Ziedman. We have an incredible talk about Ayurvedic medicine and the impact food flavor can have on our mental and physical health. Super unique topic that I think many of you will find interesting! Give the episode a listen by clicking the button below!