If you have been opting for that diet coke or zero-calorie soda to keep your weight in check, there is bad news for you. The World Health Organisation had issued a new guideline that has flagged that sweeteners like aspartame and stevia, stating that these don’t help in weight loss and instead can be detrimental to health as they increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India ( FSSAI), in response to the guidelines, has said that its scientific panel is examining the same in detail, reported ET.
Sales of non-sugar sweeteners and products that use the same have been on a rise in India.
Big brands like Coca-Cola. PepsiCo, Kellog and Dabur, which has products like Diet Coke, Special K, Pepsi Black are widely popular amid people opting for a healthy lifestyle and trying to avoid sugar consumption.
Experts believe that the WHO guideline will negatively impact the sale of products that use artificial sweeteners.
However, people who were already aware of the side effects of artificial sweeteners are happy with WHO’s move and have asserted that more people need to be educated about these choices.
At present, FSSAI has no regulation or restriction on usage of sweeteners in products in India.
WHO has called the guideline “conditional”, and part of the suite of existing and forthcoming guidelines on healthy food.
Published 22 May 2023, 10:58 IST