> Why is this such a hard problem to solve? Because maybe it's not. Artificial sweeteners are a huge threat to producers of natural sugar, so they worked reall

> Why is this such a hard problem to solve? Because maybe it's not. Artificial sweeteners are a huge threat to producers of natural sugar, so they worked really hard to get them outlawed, or at least create some FUD around them. For example, did you know that saccharin causes cancer? Right? I certainly heard that as a kid, but it turns out the study that linked saccharin to cancer was done in rats, and involved a biological mechanism that is not relevant to humans [1]. You'd think a study that was refuted should have no legal implications, right? Well, to this day saccharin is not allowed as a food additive in Canada, specifically because of that rat lab study [2]: In the 1970s, scientific studies raised concerns that saccharin could be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) in laboratory rats. As a result of these studies, saccharin was not permitted as a food additive in Canada, although restricted use of saccharin as a table-top sweetener has been allowed. Since that time, further studies have revealed that the carcinogenic effect of saccharin in rats does not have the same effect on humans. Health Canada's scientists have thoroughly reviewed the scientific information available and as a result are considering re-listing saccharin in the Canadian Food and Drug Regulations to allow its use as a sweetener in certain foods. Just look at that: the scientists in Canada are "considering" re-listing saccharin as safe. Now, in 2023, many decades after that study was refuted. I can see the sugar lobbyists getting to their dinners and cigars and still patting themselves on the back for the stunt they pulled half a century ago. Edit: if you think there is no sugar lobby, here's a riddle for you: what is the biggest agricultural crop in the world? It must be one of rice, corn or wheat, right? No, it is sugar cane. As a piece of trivia, the world produces about the same amount of sugar cane each year as steel: 1.9 billion tons. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccharin#Safety_and_health_effects https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccharin#Safety_and_health_ef... [2] https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/food-additives/sugar-substitutes.html https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutriti...