Many products marketed as healthy can be packed with artificial sweeteners.
Shoppers are becoming more savvy by the day about the ingredients in their favorite products, from indulgent treats to better-for-you products. That being said, it’s very important to read the labels on every single thing you buy, because even products marketed as sugar-free, no sugar-added, or “healthy” can be packed with artificial sweeteners. There is growing evidence that fake sugars are not harmless, and are linked to serious health concerns (this podcast episode from the Cleveland Clinic is great for breaking it all down). Again, always check the labels—especially on these seven grocery items people assume are healthy, but are actually loaded with fake sugars.
Yogurt
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That “low-sugar” or “sugar-free” yogurt is probably packed with artificial sweeteners like sucralose and aspartame. “Really, both sugar and artificial sweeteners are a problem for your health,” says functional medicine specialist Melissa Young, MD, via Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials. “But if we’re comparing what’s worse, artificial sweeteners are far worse than sugar.”
Bread
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Many “light” breads and diet options are packed with fake sugars. Ironically, those fake sugars might be derailing your diet. “When you’re consuming artificial sweetener, your body starts to crave more of it. And it can be easier to give in to that craving because you think you’re making a healthier choice,” says Dr. Young. “You wind up consuming more calories. That mindset and that sweetness addiction lead to effects throughout your body.”
Protein Shakes
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Protein shakes are notorious for containing fake sugars like sucralose (and even the addition of high-fructose corn syrup). Considering that protein shakes are marketed as part of a healthy lifestyle, this makes it even more important to read the labels on your favorite drinks. “Sweet and sugary foods should be a once-in-a-while thing,” Dr. Young says. “No artificial sweetener can turn an unhealthy food into a healthy one.”
Flavored Cottage Cheese
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Flavored cottage cheeses tend to be packed with artificial sweeteners, making what should be an ideal protein-packed snack into something that should be limited. “The challenge is that the food industry is not very transparent about how much non-sugar sweeteners are in their products,” says Dr. James Krieger, a UW clinical professor of health systems and population health and executive director of Healthy Food America. “They have to list sweeteners on the ingredients list, but they don’t have to list the amount.”
Sugar-Free Gum
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Sugar-free gum relies on fake sugars (usually sorbitol and xylitol) to make it taste, well, sweet. “”Our studies show that elevated blood levels of xylitol contribute to heightened platelet reactivity and are associated with an enhanced risk for cardiovascular events, like heart attacks and strokes,” says physician-scientist Stanley Hazen, MD, PhD.
Protein Bars
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Protein bars are often touted as a healthy snack or meal replacement, but many of them contain fake sugars. “There’s really pretty good evidence from long-term epidemiological diet studies that link exposure to non-sugar sweeteners to Type II diabetes, to weight gain, to heart disease. Those certainly are three big public health problems right now,” says Dr. Krieger.
Pasta Sauce
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Some pasta sauces marketed as low-sugar or no-sugar added may contain artificial sweeteners. “Swapping out sugar for artificial sweetener isn’t going to give you the health benefits you’re looking for, and may prove to be dangerous to your long-term health,” says Dr. Young.
