How to navigate the confusing world of artificial sweeteners - USA Today

What the report says

USA Today reported on July 23, with an update July 24, 2026, that consumers face a crowded and sometimes confusing market for sugar substitutes, focusing on sucralose, a zero-calorie artificial sweetener commonly sold as Splenda and used in products such as sugar-free drinks, candies, dairy items and baked goods.

The article cites Katie Whitson, a registered dietitian at Health Loft in Denver, who explained that sucralose comes from sucrose, or table sugar, but is chemically altered in a way that makes it poorly absorbed and metabolized by the human body. She said it is about 600 times sweeter than sugar, meaning only small amounts are typically needed. USA Today noted that some people use it to reduce added sugar or calories, and that it may help people with diabetes get sweetness without a major effect on blood sugar.

The report also outlined unresolved health questions. Sucralose was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a sweetener in 1998, but later studies have examined possible effects on the gut microbiome, metabolic health and insulin response. Whitson cautioned that many concerns come from animal research, often involving higher doses than people usually consume, while human studies have been shorter, varied in dosage and produced inconsistent findings.

USA Today’s takeaway was cautious rather than alarmist: current regulatory consensus treats sucralose as safe, and Whitson said there is no clear reason to remove it if it helps reduce added sugar. For consumers who prefer alternatives, she mentioned stevia and monk fruit, while noting that research does not clearly establish one non-nutritive sweetener as best for everyone.