We’ve been told that “zero-calorie” sweeteners are a smart choice. But when something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Artificial sweeteners may taste like sugar, but your body knows the difference — and the science is finally showing it.

What Are Artificial Sweeteners?

Artificial sweeteners are synthetic chemicals created to make food taste sweet without adding calories. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently approves six: aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), neotame, and advantame.

Many of these are listed under the label “Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)” — a designation that can allow manufacturers to introduce ingredients without long-term human safety testing. Under the GRAS process, companies may self-certify that a compound is “safe,” even before independent research confirms its long-term biological effects. For a policy critique, see Harvard’s CHLPI summary: Unsafe ingredients may enter U.S. foods via FDA loophole, scientists warn.

This is how so many “diet” products — sodas, protein powders, even vitamins — end up filled with synthetic sweeteners the human body was never designed to consume.

What the Research Shows

1) Brain & Cognitive Health

A 2025 Neurology study reported that higher consumption of low- and no-calorie sweeteners was associated with faster cognitive decline — roughly equal to 1.6 years of additional brain aging over eight years. Coverage: The Guardian.

2) Heart & Metabolic Health

A 2022 cohort study in The BMJ (100,000+ adults) found that total artificial-sweetener intake was linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke. (BMJ 2022;378:e071204)

Long-term use of diet beverages containing aspartame and sucralose has also been associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. (de Koning L et al., AJCN 2011)

In a randomized controlled trial, obese adults given a sucralose-sweetened drink before a glucose test had significantly higher insulin and glucose responses versus water — showing “zero-calorie” products can still disrupt blood-sugar control. (Pepino MY et al., Diabetes Care 2013)

3) Gut & Digestive Health

A 2022 randomized study in Cell found that several non-nutritive sweeteners caused microbiome-dependent changes in glucose control in healthy adults — indicating direct metabolic effects. (Suez J et al., Cell 2022)

A 2023 systematic review in Nutrients reported that artificial sweeteners including aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose can alter the gut microbiota, leading to inflammation and impaired glucose metabolism. (Conz PC et al., Nutrients 2023)

4) Cancer Concerns

In 2023, the World Health Organization classified aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2B), citing limited but concerning evidence linking intake to liver cancer in humans and animals. (WHO/IARC 2023; summary in The Lancet Oncology)

Why the Confusion Persists

• Food and beverage corporations spend billions promoting artificial sweeteners as “safe,” “diet-friendly,” and “FDA approved.”
• “Approved” does not equal “proven safe” after decades of real-world human use.
• Many reassuring studies are industry-funded, while independent research continues to identify biological risks.
• Aggressive lobbying and marketing normalize these chemicals, leaving consumers misinformed and overexposed.

The Dolce Truth

Artificial sweeteners are not health foods. They may trick your taste buds, but they don’t fool your body. The weight of evidence connects them to gut disruption, blood-sugar imbalance, cardiovascular strain, and possible cognitive decline.

At The Dolce Diet, we live by one rule: Eat Earth-Grown Nutrients.

If it was made in a laboratory, your body doesn’t need it. If it grew in the ground, walked on the earth, or swam in the sea, it belongs on your plate. No marketing trend, regulatory label, or corporate lobbyist will ever change that truth.

Primary References

• Chazelas E et al. BMJ 2022;378:e071204 — Artificial sweeteners & cardiovascular disease
• de Koning L et al. AJCN 2011 — Beverage consumption & risk of type 2 diabetes
• Pepino MY et al. Diabetes Care 2013 — Sucralose alters glycemic/hormonal responses
• Suez J et al. Cell 2022 — Microbiome-dependent effects on glucose tolerance
• Conz PC et al. Nutrients 2023 — Sweeteners & gut-microbiota dysbiosis
• WHO & IARC (2023) — Aspartame hazard/risk assessment
• Neurology 2025 cognition study — news report

Disclaimer

Nothing in this article is meant to be misconstrued as medical advice. This blog is for entertainment only. Please speak with your doctor before making dietary or lifestyle changes.