Artificial sweeteners are increasingly being used as a substitute for sugar, particularly by people with diabetes, obesity and those trying to lose weight. They are commonly promoted as a healthier option because they provide sweetness with fewer or no calories. But are they really as harmless as we have been led to believe?

Emerging research suggests that we need to look beyond calories and consider their possible effects on the brain, metabolism, gut health and eating behaviour. A study published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology, followed 12,772 adults in Brazil for approximately eight years. Researchers found that individuals consuming the highest amounts of certain low- and no-calorie sweeteners experienced faster declines in memory and thinking abilities, equivalent to approximately 1.6 additional years of brain ageing.…