New Delhi: With the high prevalence of diabetes, non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) are a part of the tea tray in practically every Indian household. Now, the World Health Organization (WHO) has advised against consuming NSS to prevent unhealthy weight gain and reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases. The recommendation is part of the WHO’s new guideline on NSS.
Various non-sugar sweeteners such as aspartame, neotame, saccharin, stevia, sucralose, and cyclamates are used in packaged food and beverages. These sweeteners are commonly sold separately and used as sugar substitutes. It is believed that they are low in calories and can help manage weight. But, according to WHO guidelines, non-sugar sweeteners do not offer any long-term benefits in weight control for adults and children. Instead, the use of such NSS can lead to “undesirable effects” including increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mortality in adults.
“Replacing free sugars with NSS does not help with weight control in the long term. People need to consider other ways to reduce free sugars intakes, such as consuming food with naturally occurring sugars, like fruit, or unsweetened food and beverages,” said Francesco Branca, WHO Director for Nutrition and Food Safety.
According to WHO, its guideline is part of a “suite of exiting and forthcoming guidelines on healthy diets that aim to establish lifelong healthy eating habits, improve dietary quality and decrease the risk of NCDs worldwide”.
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