Natural vs. Artificial Sweeteners In Supplements

Ever wonder what the difference is between natural and artificial sweeteners found in your supplements and if one is better for you than the other? That’s the topic of our brain bomb for today. Now, full disclosure before we start, at Simply Good Supplements we only use natural flavors and sweeteners in our products, and I’ll get to why that is in a minute, but rest assured this video will be a fair and unbiased look at both types of sweeteners.

Let’s discuss artificial sweeteners first. Common ones found in supplements are sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium. By far sucralose is the one most commonly used in products that are artificially sweetened. It is made from sucrose through a multi-step process that replaces three hydroxyl groups on the sucrose molecule with chlorine atoms which makes it 600 times sweeter than sugar.

So why do some supplement companies use sucralose? Well for one it’s cheaper than using natural sweeteners. Two, it’s easier to flavor supplements with and make them taste really good and three it has zero calories.

As far as downsides, sometimes sucralose can make a supplement way to sweet. It can also leave your palette feeling a little sticky, and for some people it can cause major GI distress.

What about the safety of sucralose? I’m sure you’ve heard it can cause cancer but this is total BS. Sucralose is generally recognized as safe by the FDA and was approved as a food additive in 1998. Over 110 studies have been done on the safety of sucralose including studies on metabolism, reproductive and nervous systems, and carcinogenicity. None of these studies have demonstrated any negative effects of consuming sucralose.

What’s my take? As a man of science I have zero issues with supplement companies using sucralose.

Next let’s look at natural sweeteners. Common ones found in supplements are stevia, erythritol, xylitol, and monk fruit. The most commonly used one here is stevia. It is made by extracting and purifying steviol glycosides from the leaves of the Stevia plant.

So why do some supplement companies, including Simply Good Supplements use natural sweeteners? First, it makes for a cleaner, less chemically altered product. Two, it gives supplements a more light and refreshing taste. Three, it doesn’t leave you with a sticky palette. And four, like sucralose it is zero calories.

As far as downsides. It’s harder to flavor with Stevia. If not done right it can make your supplements taste a little bitter. It’s also more expensive which tends to be reflected in the final price of a supplement, and like sucralose it can cause some people GI distress.

Safety wise, Stevia is generally recognized as safe by the FDA and has hundreds of studies demonstrating it is safe to consume.

In conclusion, both natural and artificial sweeteners have their pros and cons, and the choice ultimately depends on your personal preferences and dietary needs. Artificial sweeteners like sucralose offer a cost-effective and highly sweet option but may lead to an overly sweet taste and potential digestive issues for some. On the other hand, natural sweeteners like stevia provide a cleaner taste profile and align with a more holistic approach, though they can be trickier to work with and more expensive.

At Simply Good Supplements, we believe in using natural flavors and sweeteners for a reason: they enhance the quality of our products and provide a taste that aligns with our commitment to clean, simple supplements. Ultimately, whether you choose natural or artificial sweeteners, the key is to find what works best for you.