ZERO, LIGHT - is everything safe?

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Updated - July 14, 2025

In the meantime, you get the impression when shopping that more and more ZERO- or LIGHT-products become available. This is also confirmed by statistical figures, such as those on the website destatis.de of the Federal Statistical Office.

At the same time, there is also an increase in diabetes, which is both statistically proven and demonstrated by various studies.

A causal connection is denied, reference is made to unclear studies, as well as to responsible drinking behavior - water should be preferred.

What sugar substitutes are there?

The so-called sucrose equivalent is used as a measure of sweetness compared to household sugar (Sucrose) is used to determine how many percent sweeter the substitute is.

Only substitutes used in beverages are listed, followed by the sucrose equivalent and the European E-numberthe ADI value (mg/kg bw) and the approximate amount contained per liter of finished beverage.

• Cyclamate (30 – 50) – E952 - 7 - < 250 mg
• Saccharin (300 – 500) – E954 - 5 - < 80 mg
• Aspartame (180 – 220) – E951 - 40 - 100 .. 200 mg
• Sucralose (600) – E955 - 15 - 50 .. 100 mg
• Acesulfame K (150 – 200) – E950 - 9 - 50 .. 150 mg
• Stevia vine A (200 – 300) – E960a - 4 - n.a.
• Neotam (Advantam) (7.000 – 13.000) – E961 - 2 (5) - n.a.

Approvals

The above substitutes have been approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), as well as the EFSA, which regulates in Europe (European Food Safety Authority) have been evaluated and approved as safe, of course always within the recommended maximum ADI (acceptable daily intake).

The current valuation status is published on the website provided by EFSA, last updated on 09.01.2025.

Problem of causality

Studies ultimately serve to prove the effectiveness of substances on the organism or to rule out any effectiveness.

The difficulty, especially for people with a high BMI, is to prove that it is not the obese condition but the consumption of drinks with sugar substitutes that is the cause of the (further) development of diabetes.

Equally problematic is the proof that substitutes have a negative influence on the intestinal flora, the microbiome, if studies are available but the results may be contradictory, possibly due to non-comparable study designs.

Thus, despite studies, one can only point to statistical developments and recognizable parallels that suggest a certain conclusion.

The problem of determining quantities

Since substitutes are subject to declaration and there is an ADI, which determines the permitted quantities per kilogram of body weight, a look at the information on the ingredients of drinks is rather sobering: although the substitute is labeled, the quantity it contains or an indication of the permitted drinking quantity is not.

How are you supposed to know how much you can drink without exceeding this maximum amount?

From the above-mentioned content quantities of substitutes in 1 liter of beverage and the ADI of the respective substitute, it can be calculated as an example how much you have to drink to reach the ADI value:

Using the example of 1 liter of Cola Zero, which contains up to 200 mg aspartame. Assuming a body weight of 70 kg, the ADI value is calculated as 70 kg x 40 mg = 2,800 mg, corresponding to 14 liters of Cola Zero per day.

Limit values (ADI)

It is now customary not to set limit values too sparingly, i.e. to take a rather generous approach, as is known from the history of X-rays or cell phone radiation, 5G, etc.

Economic interests also play a role in the assessment of the values and often counteract medical-scientific findings or study results by referring to "there is not enough data available", etc.

Accordingly, knowing the above example calculation, one could say that nobody would think of consuming 14 liters of Coke Zero a day and that one would be on the safe side with one's comparatively low consumption.

Alternative option

Let's hope so. Interestingly, it is advised that you should switch to water. However, you will soon tire of pure water without any taste.

An even more beneficial alternative could be to add a drop (or more, depending on your taste preferences) of peppermint or lemon essential oil to a bottle of water. In addition to the pure taste, this also has a health-promoting aspect: peppermint has a cooling, relaxing, antispasmodic, spasmolytic (on smooth muscles) and refreshing effect; lemon, also known as lemon oil, has a beneficial effect on bile flow, activates limbic brain areas and also has a refreshing taste.