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Artificial Sweetener: An Economic Analysis

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Artificial Sweetener: An Economic Analysis
The economic aspect
In terms of the economy, there has been an inconclusive debate about whether artificial sweeteners could be used in food and beverages as a sweetener material. The use of these sweeteners has some positive effects on the economy by increasing the production and creating new jobs. Additionally, they could reduce the obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay, which could decrease the health care cost. On the other hand, the consumption of artificial sweeteners may lead to negative implications for the economy, for instance, it may lead to some diseases, such as cancer. These diseases may increase the health care cost which has a negative effect on the economy. This section is going to investigate how artificial sweeteners tend to
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For example, in England the dental care cost the NHS around 3.7 billion pounds annually (Medas 2012). A study by Neacşu and Madar (2014:63) state that artificial sweeteners are “tooth-friendly” the study also points out that artificial sweetener sticking to the surface of the tooth. Therefore, it can inhibit the formation of plaque (the bacterial layer which accumulates on the teeth) that led to tooth decomposition.
The main strong point of this study is that it astutely compares the difference between the effect of consumption natural sugar and artificial sweeteners on the tooth. Additionally, the study has obviously demonstrated the mechanism of tooth protection from decay by consuming artificial sweeteners. It is also explained that the natural sugars stick to the tooth enamel, then the bacteria feed the consumed sugar converting it into acidic substance. As a result, the acidic material could tear the tooth structure and lead to cavities. Conversely, bacteria have no ability to ferment artificial sweeteners into acid, because sugars have a different chemical structure from artificial sweetener. Therefore, the tooth would not affected by these sweeteners. It is therefore seems that the use of artificial sweeteners has a positive impact on the economy by decreasing the dental care cost through protecting the tooth
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In 2012 diabetes cost NHS in the UK approximately 14 billion pounds for treating it and its complications (Kanavos et al. 2012). A report by Health and Social Care Information Centre (2014) reported that more than 45 million medications prescribed to treat diabetes in the England during 2013-14, the estimated cost of these medications was around 800 million pounds. However, a study by Khan (2015) empathizes that the consumption of artificial sweeteners can assist patients who suffer from diabetes to control the glucose level in their blood. Therefore, the consumption of these sweeteners has a positive effect on the economy by reducing the health care for diabetic

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