Consuming artificial sweeteners linked to cancer risk, study shows

Large quantities of sugar are bad for our health but replacing it with artificial sweeteners may not always be the answer. – Photo: AFP

Consuming artificial sweetener could increase the risk of developing cancer, a large-scale study suggested Thursday, but experts not involved in the research said it was not enough proof to consider changing current health advice.

Sweeteners are consumed by millions every day in products like diet soda, partly as a way to avoid weight gain from sugar – but how healthy these substitutes are themselves has long been a matter of controversy.