Should People Fear Fake Sugar?

BIRTHDAY CAKE. Glazed donuts. Fruit punch. Lollipops. Is your mouth starting to water?

- Kathryn Hulick

Sugary food tastes delicious. And every once in a while, it’s fine to indulge in a sweet treat. But lots of sugar can lead to serious health problems. People who eat too much of the stuff may end up with bad teeth, weight problems, heart disease, and more. What to do?

The safest bet is to cut as much sugar as possible out of the diet. But that’s not easy. People love sweet things. So chemists and food companies keep coming up with replacements for sugar. You’ve probably seen the brightly colored packets at restaurants: NutraSweet, Equal, Sweet’N Low, Splenda. Each one promises to make your food sweet without harming your health. But ever since the artificial sugar trend began, people have worried about whether these products are safe.