Artificial vs. Natural Sweeteners: A Registered Dietitian's Guide to Blood Sugar Balance

Are artificial sweeteners really bad for you, or do they just get a bad rap? In this episode, Registered Dietitian and CGM Coach, Kayla Girgen, breaks down the world of sweeteners through the lens of blood sugar balance, including artificial or synthetic sweeteners, “natural” sugars, sugar alcohols, and everything in between. 

Whether you're managing blood sugar, navigating surprising CGM data, or just trying to decode a nutrition label, this episode gives you the straight scoop.

Topics covered include:

• Why artificial sweeteners are "the lesser of two evils" compared to table sugar and natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, and agave
• A breakdown of synthetic sweeteners (aspartame/Equal, sucralose/Splenda, saccharin/Sweet 'N Low) 
• How “natural” doesn't mean “blood sugar-friendly”
• Tips to spot the 75+ names for sugar in the ingredient list 
• High fructose corn syrup vs. table sugar: Is HFCS actually worse? (Spoiler: not really)
• Fructose, CGM, and what your glucose monitor isn't showing you
• Sugar alcohols (erythritol, xylitol, maltitol): GI side effects to watch for and how to spot them on a label
• Allulose: why it's currently at the top of Kayla's sweetener list and how it behaves differently in the brain
• How artificial sweeteners may affect your gut microbiome and potentially drive sugar cravings
• How CGM helps cut through the noise and reveal what's actually spiking your blood sugar
  

Resources mentioned:

📋 Free CGM Guide — everything you need to know about getting started with continuous glucose monitoring

💬 Ask Me Anything — submit your CGM questions for a future AMA episode

📺 Watch on YouTube for the full sweetener comparison chart and nutrition label visuals

🍎 Apply to work with Kayla

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Artificial Sweeteners
02:09 Understanding the Sweetness of Artificial Sweeteners
07:53 The Benefits of Allulose
10:00 Exploring Sweeteners and Common Names
12:24 Considerations About Fructose and High Fructose Corn Syrup
15:42 Cautions with Sugar Alcohols
17:05 Added Sugars and Sugar Alcohols on a Nutrition Facts Label
20:44 Considerations for Choosing Sweeteners
23:09 Final Thoughts on Sweeteners and Blood Sugar Management

Keywords:
blood sugar balance, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), metabolic health, artificial sweeteners, sucralose vs aspartame, allulose, sugar alcohols side effects, CGM and sweeteners, natural sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup