"artificial-sweeteners"

Health experts say zero-sugar sodas may help reduce calorie and sugar intake temporarily, but frequent consumption could affect gut health, metabolism and cravings. Doctors caution that artificial sweeteners are not entirely harmless and should not replace nutritious and hydrating beverages

Citing "limited evidence" for carcinogenicity in humans, IARC classified aspartame as possibly carcinogenic to humans and JECFA reaffirmed the acceptable daily intake of 40 mg per kg body weight.

People suffering from diabetes or obesity often use artificial sweeteners, also known as non-sugar sweetness (NSS), as an alternative to sugar.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is expected to list aspartame, used in products from Coca-Cola diet sodas to Mars' Extra chewing gum, in July as "possibly carcinogenic to humans", as per a media report.

The WHO stated that these sweeteners had undesirable effects like increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mortality in adults.

Even if the fruit juice is freshly squeezed on the spot, drinking the juice is less healthy than eating the fruit whole.