Are artificial sweeteners putting kids at risk for asthma?

Originally synthesized in 1879 by Ira Remsen and Constantin Fahlberg, saccharin was the first artificial sweetener discovered. Fast forward to today and the artificial sweetener industry is booming with annual revenues exceeding $2 billion and numerous artificial sweeteners on the market in both food and drink products. Around 40 percent of adults and 25 percent of children have reported consuming artificial sweeteners on any given day.

While these intensely sweet compounds are generally considered safe, we still know very little about their impact on pregnant women and their babies. With the prevalence of artificial sweetener consumption during pregnancy nearing one in four women, we need to better understand the impact of these compounds on infants. Research has indicated the consumption of artificial sweeteners during pregnancy can increase the body weight of offspring, putting them at risk of obesity related complications…