Brace yourself, health nerds. The scoop gets nastier than the aftertaste of your diet soda. It’s time to take a close, grim look at an old friend who may not be as sweet as you think: saccharin, a.k.a the main squeeze in products like Sweet’N Low.

From gym rats cutting calories to grandma managing her diabetes, everyone seems to be having a torrid affair with this zero-calorie sugar-swapper. However, the question on everyone's lips is - is this a love affair doing more harm than good? Let's dive in.

Saccharin, haunting your sugar-free candies and diet sodas, is a bitter synthetic compound cooked in labs, posing as an innocuous white powder. It’s like the Jason Bourne of sweeteners-300 to 500 times sweeter than sugar, with nearly undetectable calorie and carbohydrate counts.

Sadly, our wannabe James Bond took a serious reputation hit back in the 1970s. Studies linked saccharin with bladder cancer that led to significant market distress. However, further research shot down the 'saccharin equals bladder cancer' theory, claiming that human metabolism operates differently from our lab-rat pals. Since then, researchers have been oscillating between 'saccharin is safe' and 'saccharin could be Satan's sugar.'

Saccharin gets a thumbs-up from dentists since it doesn’t contribute to tooth decay. However, the jury’s still out on its impact on weight loss and diabetes. Some studies scream ‘weight-gain’, criticizing artificial sweeteners for promoting a bigger waistline. WHO alleges there's no long-term benefit in using non-sugar sweeteners for weight management.

On one side, saccharin seems like a knight in zero-calorie armor for people with existing diabetes because it doesn’t affect blood sugar levels. On the other hand, long-term use amongst the diabetes-free population might increase their chance of eventually needing insulin.

Not enough disarray? Let's add gut health into the mix. While some evidence points to saccharin disrupting our gut microbiome’s groove, others claim sweet ignorance, calling for more research on the topic.

So, to saccharin, or not to saccharin? It’s a bitter conundrum that depends on your unique circumstances, according to Gabrielle Gambino of the NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. For those trying to circumnavigate the sugar aisle, saccharin might be a short-term alternative, possibly graduated to flavored water. But our expert consensus boils down to 'Consume less, or dodge, anything synthetic.' Oh, and you might need to reconsider your relationship with saccharin, taking it slow, in moderation, or breaking it off for good to focus on whole foods.

Bottom line – your sweet little white lie, saccharin, is still mired in controversy. Its sugar-free charm helps combat cavities, but whether it’s an accomplice in weight struggles or gut health chaos is still up in the air. And if you're wondering which way to swing, grab your phone, call your healthcare provider, and ask, "Is saccharin breaking my health-heart?"