Many foods and other beverages containing sweeteners are available on the market and millions of people consume them on a regular basis. However, a recent study affirms that the consumption of sweeteners is linked to an increased risk of cancer.
Sweeteners are products that taste like sugar , while reducing or avoiding (depending on the type) calorie intake. These kinds of ingredients are thus found in many products from the food industry, with the promise of beneficial health effects. However, some studies have already shown that certain sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose can promote weight gain and the onset of type 2 diabetes.
In 2018, work carried out at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev (Israel) brought an edifying conclusion. Indeed, the sweeteners contained in certain foods, including sports supplements, are toxic to our intestinal bacteria. However, an altered intestinal microbial activity can generate a significant amount of health problems.
A group of researchers working for INSERM, INRAE and Sorbonne Paris Nord University also published an analysis in the journal PLOS Medicine on March 24, 2022. Or , this is based on the results of the NutriNet-Santé study including no less than 102,865 adults since 2009 . The conclusion of this research is unequivocal:individuals who consume sweeteners, in particular aspartame and acesulfame-K, have a greater risk of developing cancer. In addition, this increased risk is likely to involve any form of cancer .
In detail, let's mention a 13% increase in the risk of obesity-related cancers among the highest consumers of sweeteners. The risk is greater at a rate of 22% for breast cancer. In addition, the study confirms the results of other previous research and this time makes it possible to formally affirm that the replacement of sugar with sweeteners does not represent a positive alternative.
Currently, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and other public health agencies around the world are conducting a reassessment of the risks regarding sweeteners. However, this latest study provides new information in this direction. It is therefore possible that in the more or less near future, this type of ingredient will be banned within the food industry.
