Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sweeteners that have gone through chemical processes. They mimic the taste of sugar, but usually have less food energy and nutritional value than sugar. They are used as a substitute for sugar and can be found in almost any food and beverage on the shelf that is not certified organic including bread, cereal, condiments, sodas, and even soup. Artificial sweeteners are so widely using with in America's food and beverage products because of tariffs and sugar quota's implemented in the late 1970's. These tariffs sharply increased the price of imported sugar, a majority of America's sugar is grown outside of the U.S., making the American made synthetic sweetener high-fructose corn syrup to be used as a less expensive alternative (see High-Fructose Corn Syrup).

Artificial sweeteners were first introduced in the market in 1957 as saccharin, or Sweet'N Low. Twenty-four years later the substitute aspartame was introduced (which is what is in Equal and NutraSweet). Eighteen years later, sucralose (Splenda) was introduced. All three products were chemically engineered in labs and there has been much debate over the years regarding their health risks. However, despite their numerous concerns the FDA has approved all three products.

While some artificial sweeteners such as high-fructose corn syrup have caused much controversy in recent years over health concerns, other artificial sweeteners such as Splenda and recently released Truvia boast to be healthy alternatives to sugar because their products contain zero calories. Truvia even claims to be all-natural, despite the purification process that modifies the plant extract and the fact that Truvia states on its own website that it is not organic.

Even though some artificial sweeteners are marketed as natural and healthy alternatives to sugar, consumers should still have reason for concern. Even though these artificial sweeteners contain zero calories and are made from sugar does not mean that consumers should not limit their intake of them. The FDA rejected stevia sugars in the 1990's when research linked the plant with infertility in rats and cancer and now says the currently marketed reformulation, rebaudioside A (Reb A), is generally recognized as safe. Another study suggests a certain strain of stevia can mutate DNA, a possible cancer risk.

Though none have proved to be cancer risks, there is concern that artificial sweeteners, especially the calorie-free ones, may actually increase hunger. Studies indicate that consuming something with a sweet taste primes the body for a calorie delivery that doesn't happen. As a result eaters seek more sweets to satisfy the body's cravings. Additionally, recent research also found that sucralose may alter people's gut bugs in ways that promote weight gain. In a country that already consumes an average of 20 teaspoons of added sugars a day, about twice as much as what is recommended , and two-thirds of Americans are overweight, artificial sweeteners ability to stoke hunger could lead to serious health risks. Recent studies have shown that diet soda's actually lead to weight gain due to the artificial sweeteners contained in the drinks.

According to researchers when you ingest something that is sweet, your metabolism revs up to start burning off the calories that usually follow. But when the calories are not there, as is the case with most low calorie or calorie-free artificial sweeteners, and the next time you take in real sugar, that metabolic response may not kick in, explaining why some of the heaviest consumers of artificial sweeteners are some of the heaviest Americans. However, nutritionists say that artificial sweeteners effect people in different ways so it is up to them to see how artificial sweeteners affect them.