Snacks and Cravings

Sugar Substitutes

2 articles

Editorial illustration for Sugar vs. Its Substitutes: What the Science Actually Says About Calories, Blood Sugar, and Risk
Food Science

Sugar vs. Its Substitutes: What the Science Actually Says About Calories, Blood Sugar, and Risk

While swapping sugar for non-nutritive sweeteners reliably removes calories and blood sugar spikes, the science on their long-term health effects, including gut microbiota and metabolic impacts, is still evolving. Excess sugar's risks are well-documented, but the debate around substitutes continues.

Aylin Kaya·October 28, 2026
Split image showing a healthy fruit salad contrasted with a laboratory setting examining a sugar packet, symbolizing the debate on sugar substitutes.
Food Science

Sugar substitutes: The ongoing debate on health effects

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization, recently classified aspartame as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans' (Group 2B).

Dr. Lena Hanson·September 9, 2026