Low- and no-calorie sweeteners can reduce the added sugar, carbohydrates and calories in foods and beverages. Common examples include aspartame, sucralose (Splenda), acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), saccharin and naturally derived options such as stevia and monk fruit.

FDA-approved sweeteners are considered safe when consumed within established intake limits. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean foods containing them should become a major part of your diet. Research has not shown that simply replacing sugar with non-sugar sweeteners is a reliable long-term solution for weight management, and the World Health Organization recommends against relying on them for that purpose.

At MacroRx+, our concern is less about an occasional diet soda or artificially sweetened food and more about what your overall diet looks like. We encourage you to build most of your nutrition around whole and minimally processed foods rather than heavily relying on “diet,” “sugar-free” or artificially sweetened products to make your macros work.

When you do want a lower-sugar option, we generally prefer naturally derived sweeteners such as stevia or monk fruit, but they still don’t need to be in everything you eat. One of the benefits of eating more whole foods is becoming accustomed to foods that aren’t always intensely sweet.

Bottom line: You don’t need to fear artificial sweeteners or completely eliminate them to be successful with MacroRx+. Use them in moderation when they’re helpful, but don’t let lower calories or “sugar-free” claims turn highly processed foods into the foundation of your diet. Real food should do most of the heavy lifting.