- The constantly increasing prevalence of obesity around the world has highlighted the need for better sugar alternatives.
- The last several years saw many new sugar substitutes come into the market.
- Research has shown that artificial sweeteners could cause health problems.
- Researchers from the University of Vienna found that consumption of artificial sweetener Sucralose does not result in an increase in bacterial endotoxin levels within the body when compared with sugar.
A recent study from Austria looked into the effects of the artificial sweetener Sucralose on our gut health. The study concluded that it could be a better alternative to sugar.
Although sugar substitutes such as Trusted Source have been in use for a long time, the constant rise of Trusted Source in the world’s overweight figures has brought to light the necessity for more nutritious alternatives to the sweet treats we all love.
The last few years have seen a variety of new sugar substitutes becoming available, like Sucralose, aspartame and erythritol. Other options include monk fruitTrusted Source, as well as Stevia leaf extracts.
Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)Trusted Source has indeed approved all sugar substitutes to be used in food products However, research in the past has revealed that some artificial sweeteners may cause health issues, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, alteration to gut microbiome and depressionTrusted Source for depression.
Researchers at The University of Vienna in Austria found that, when consumed, sucralose, a synthetic sweetener, does not result in the increase of the level of bacterial endotoxin in Trusted Source in the body in comparison to sugar, which is also known in the form of sucrose.
The scientific journal Nutrition recently published the study.
Sucralose is what it sounds like.
Sucralose is a synthetic sweetener sold under the name Splenda.
While Sucralose was discovered to be a trusted source by the FDA in 1996, it wasn’t accepted as a trusted Source by the FDA in the United States by the FDA until 1998.
Although Sucralose doesn’t contain any calories, it’s created by the process of making it with sugar that is actually made. The chloride molecules replace certain sugars. Because of this, the majority of sucralose is absorbed by the body without breaking into smaller pieces, which means it has the calorie-free option.
Sucralose is considered a high-intensity sweetener since Sucralose can be 600 times sweeter than sugar that is normal. It means you will require less Sucralose as an artificial sweetener to achieve the same sweetness you can using sugar.
Studies have shown that Sucralose can assist in losing weight when compared with sugar and other artificial sweeteners.
But, research has also indicated that Sucralose could have adverse impacts on your body, for example, an increase in levels of insulin ResistanceTrusted Source and liver inflammationTrusted Source, and liver inflammationTrusted.
Endotoxins from Bacterials and how they impact the health of your gut
Endotoxins — also known as lipopolysaccharidesTrusted Source — make up about 75% of the outer membraneTrusted Source of the cell walls of gram-negative bacteriaTrusted Source.
The endotoxins found in the membrane’s outer layer help Gram-negative bacteria remain extremely immune against antibiotics and other drugs.
Gram-negative bacteria can also be able to determine how to become resistant to drugs from Trusted Source and then pass this information through genetic material on to different bacteria.
E. E. coli and Salmonella are both gram-negative bacteria. Gram-negative bacteria cause illnesses such as urinary tract infections, pneumonia, meningitis, cholera, the typhoid virus, and other digestive illnesses.
If a gram-negative organism is destroyed, the bacteria releases the endotoxins that it has, which have negative effects on the body.
For example, endotoxins include sources of pyrogens. that, when inhaled, trigger releases of interleukinTrusted Source, a proinflammatory cytokine leading to inflammation within the body.
Recent research has revealed that certain foods, like those that are high in fatTrusted Source or with high levels of sugarTrusted Source, are able to raise the levels of endotoxins found in the gut microbiome. This can cause metabolic endotoxemia or post-meal endotoxemia.
Sucrose in comparison to. sucralose: What are the consequences on the stomach?
Researchers sought out 18 non-smoking people who fit within a specific body Mass Index (BMI) within a certain range. The study was only completed by 11 participants. the study.
Participants in the study were instructed not to consume any intense sweeteners for three days prior to the study. In the course of the study, they were provided with dietary modifications in accordance with different nutritional guidelines from Trusted Source.
On certain days, the study participants were fed a light breakfast and a drink containing sucrose, Sucralose, or a sucralose-maltodextrin blended beverage.
Upon analysis, the researchers reported those who drank the sucrose-sweetened drink had higher bacterial endotoxin levels in their blood plasmaTrusted Source compared to those who consumed the sucralose-sweetened or sucralose-maltodextrin blended beverage.
To determine if the rise in the levels of endotoxin in blood plasma could be caused by changes in the intestinal barrier function The researchers employed a colon model cells. The cells were cultivated in a membrane which divided into two chambers: the upper and lower. Upper chambers were treated with sucrose or Sucralose, and later exposed to the bacterial endotoxin. If the treatment with sweeteners causes an effect on an intestinal barrier, the bacterial toxins will traverse the cell membrane and be detected in the lower chamber.
Researchers found no significant changes in the levels of endotoxin produced by bacteria inside the lower chamber after the cells were treated using Sucralose.
But, when the cell lines were treated with sucrose, it was evident that there was a rise in the levels of bacterial endotoxin in the chamber below. Furthermore, there was a rise in the intestinal fatty acid binding protein Trusted Source (iFABP) concentration, which could be an indication of intestinal barrier degeneration.