Are Artificial Sweeteners OK for Kids

Artificial Sweeteners: Are They OK for Kids?

My child eats too much sugar. Is it safe to substitute artificial sweeteners? Children who consume sugary foods and drinks might benefit from cutting back on the amount of sugar they eat. Artificial sweeteners (usually called “non-nutritive” sweeteners) are one way to do just that. These sweeteners are safe for children as long as they are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The only exception is for children who have a rare medical condition called phenylketonuria; these children should not use aspartame.

Aren’t some sweeteners bad for your health? The FDA has approved five sweeteners and considers them safe unless you have phenylketonuria, in which case you should not eat aspartame. Reports of side effects linked to various sweeteners exist, but none were found as unsafe in adults or children. However, if for any reason you suspect that your child has sensitivity to any food, including a non-nutritive sweetener, you should stop giving that food to your child.

Some sweeteners are not approved by the FDA and are sold as supplements in health food stores. If you choose to use non-nutritive sweeteners, use these FDA-approved sweeteners—aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, neotame, stevia, and sucralose. You might recognize them better under their brand names:  Stevia: Truvia®  Aspartame: NutraSweet® and Equal®  Saccharin: Sweet’N Low® and SugarTwin®  Sucralose: Splenda®  Acesulfame-K: Sunnett® and Sweet One®

Neotame and luo han guo are both used mainly as a sweetener in other products, such as baked goods, soft drinks, and chewing gums.

What kinds of foods contain non-nutritive sweeteners? Non-nutritive sweeteners are in more foods than you might think! Many beverages, puddings, gelatins, desserts, candies, and syrups contain non-nutritive sweeteners. Most products that are “no added sugar” or “sugar free” are made with one or more non- nutritive sweeteners. Read the Nutrition Facts label of the foods you use to find out which sweeteners your favorite foods contain.

How much artificial sweetener can my child have each day? The FDA does not set strict guidelines (for example, two diet sodas per day) for non- nutritive sweeteners. Instead they have set an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for each sweetener. The ADI is the amount that one can safely eat every day over a lifetime. The ADI is different for each sweetener and is based on body weight. According to the FDA, the typical amount used by consumers is well below the ADI.

For good health, a child’s diet should include a variety of foods and beverages, including low-fat or fat-free dairy foods, lean meats and meat substitutes, vegetables, and fruits. Including too many sweetened foods and drinks may affect your child’s intake of more nutritious foods. That is why it is important to use sweetened foods and drinks, including desserts and candies made with sugar and nonnutritive sweeteners, in moderation.

Isn’t it just better to avoid sweets completely? It is true that your body does not need sweets, and you could cut them out completely. However, human beings love the sweet sensation and enjoy eating delicious foods. It is hard to cut out sweets, even for those who worry about their diet. In most cases, a little sugar is not a problem. Avoiding sugar is important if you are prone to dental cavities, have a weight problem, or have diabetes. Non-nutritive sweeteners are a way to satisfy a “sweet tooth” without adding empty calories to your diet.

Sugar substitutes aren’t all natural. Can my child’s body digest them? Both sugar and non-nutritive sweeteners go through some processing before they are sold. Both are broken down in the body, and digested and absorbed like other foods. Your child should not have any trouble digesting non-nutritive sweeteners unless an individual sensitivity to them exists.

References and recommended readings Fitch C, Keim KS; Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: use of nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012;112(5):739-758. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2012.03.009.

Mayo Clinic staff. Artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes. Mayo Clinic Web site. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073. Accessed April 1, 2013.

Review Date 4/13 K-0554