Sugar-Free Foods: Are They Healthy? Aspartame, Bloating & Calories

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Sugar-Free Products: Are They Healthier, and Can You Eat Them Without Limits?

Posted on: 08/19/2026

Labels like “sugar-free” and “0 sugar” are often perceived almost as a sign of quality. It can seem that such a product is automatically healthier, lower in calories, and better for weight loss. But removing regular sugar does not mean you can eat the product without limits.

Let’s look at the main types of sugar substitutes, whether aspartame is safe, and why even sugar-free sweets can sometimes cause bloating.

What Types of Sugar Substitutes Are There?

Sugar substitutes can differ significantly from one another. Broadly speaking, they can be divided into two common groups.

Aspartame, sucralose, and stevia are high-intensity sweeteners. They are much sweeter than regular sugar, so only a very small amount is needed to create a sweet taste. As a result, their contribution to the overall calorie content of a product is usually minimal.

Another group is sugar alcohols, or polyols. These include sorbitol, maltitol, xylitol, and erythritol. They are commonly found in candies, protein bars, cookies, chewing gum, and other sugar-free products.

Sugar alcohols usually contain fewer calories than regular sugar, although their energy values vary. In addition, consuming large amounts of some polyols may cause digestive symptoms.

Is Aspartame Dangerous?

Aspartame is surrounded by a lot of alarming claims. It is often described as dangerous or even carcinogenic.

In 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, IARC, classified aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” However, this does not mean that aspartame was found to be dangerous when consumed in normal amounts.

Experts responsible for assessing the safety of food additives kept the acceptable daily intake at up to 40 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. In other words, aspartame is considered safe for most people when consumed within this limit.

To exceed this amount, a person weighing around 70 kg would need to drink approximately 9–14 cans of diet soda in a single day, depending on how much aspartame the specific drink contains.

So the presence of aspartame on an ingredient list is not, by itself, a reason to avoid a product. As with other sweeteners, the amount you consume matters.

Why Can Sugar-Free Products Cause Bloating?

If you experience bloating after eating sugar-free candy, protein bars, or cookies, it is worth checking the ingredient list. Sugar alcohols may be the reason. Some polyols are not fully absorbed in the intestine. Because of this, large amounts may cause digestive symptoms in sensitive people, including:

- bloating;

- gas;

- abdominal discomfort;

- loose stools.

The reaction is highly individual. One person may tolerate a protein bar with maltitol without any problems, while another may experience noticeable discomfort after the same serving.

If you are trying a product that contains a significant amount of sorbitol, maltitol, xylitol, or other sugar alcohols for the first time, it is better to start with a small portion and see how your body reacts.

“Sugar-Free” Does Not Mean “Low-Calorie”

This is one of the most common misconceptions when choosing food products. Removing regular sugar does not necessarily make a product low in calories. Cookies, chocolate, bars, and desserts may still contain:

- flour and other sources of carbohydrates;

- fats;

- nuts and other calorie-dense ingredients;

- a significant number of calories per serving.

So a pack of supposedly “healthy” sugar-free cookies may be far less diet-friendly than the label suggests.

The same applies to weight loss. Sugar-free products do not guarantee weight loss on their own. If your overall calorie intake remains high, simply replacing sugar with sweeteners will not automatically lead to the desired result.

Are Sugar-Free Products Healthier?

Sometimes replacing sugar can be useful. Sugar substitutes may help reduce added sugar intake, and in some products this can also lower the overall calorie content. But a “sugar-free” label does not automatically make a product healthy.

It is better to evaluate the product as a whole:

- read the ingredient list;

- check the total calorie content;

- pay attention to serving size;

- consider the amount of sugar alcohols;

- monitor how your digestive system reacts;

- if your goal is weight loss, look at your overall diet rather than just the sugar content of one product.

Ultimately, the best sugar substitute is the one that helps you reduce your sugar intake, tastes good to you, and does not cause discomfort.

And it is better to think of the words “sugar-free” not as permission to eat as much as you want, but simply as one characteristic of the product.

Take care of yourselves!

Your NDCG team

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