Soendeep KaurEllen C. GilmourESL 408LEC03/02/2014Research PaperHow nice! Take a few minutes out of your busy schedule to find out what putting it into your body isn't supposed to be very difficult. It's never too late to take care of your health. Most people like to have a cup of coffee or tea to start the day. Here one must stop and think about what kind of sweetener he is using, because in today's advanced era, humans have modified many natural substances into seemingly better artificial products. Artificial sugar may be beneficial for those who cannot tolerate natural sugar in their diet (eg: diabetic patient). However, on the one hand, these substances have recently gained attention due to their effects on glucose regulation in the body. On the other hand, according to the article The Potential Toxicity of Artificial Sweeteners, scientists deny the relationship between artificial sweeteners and lymphomas, bladder and brain cancer, and leukemia. Despite all the research and experience, the safety of artificial sweeteners is still in question. . The FDA has approved five artificial sweeteners: saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame, neotame and sucralose. In the United States, the three most commonly used sugar substitutes are saccharin (Sweet'N Low), aspartame (Equal and NutraSweet), and sucralose (Splenda). It's very easy to get confused between all the fancy names of sweeteners and what's more, analyzing which one is the safest is another uphill battle. To make this a little easier, we first need to understand where sugar comes from. Sugar is a chemical compound called sucrose that occurs naturally in plants. It is more abundantly present in sugar beet and sugar cane...... middle of paper ...... and a lower glycemic load. The bottom line is that the FDA has given approval to five artificial sweeteners. However, their use is very controversial. Some studies indicate that certain sweeteners are safe to consume, others say they are not. According to some studies, their consumption can possibly cause mild to serious side effects, such as headaches or life-threatening cancer. Plus, as mentioned, it's not effective for weight loss. Finally, due to the large number of articles regarding artificial sweeteners available from different researchers who do not agree with each other, it is difficult for the general public to formulate correct information. It is therefore incumbent upon healthcare professionals to stay abreast of current research information regarding the use of artificial sweeteners and to inform their clients of the potential risks associated with their use..