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#4 of 10 Common Nutrition Misconceptions
The list of health risks associated with artificial sweeteners, particularly aspartame and sucralose, continues to expand.
When it comes to nutritional advice, everyone has an opinion. The problem is that there are so many varying opinions that it is many times very hard to find the truth. Some misguided notions are harmless, but others can be dangerous and can lead to health problems. Many nutrition myths get repeated over and over until they are mistaken for the truth. The good news is that slowly, the real truth is finally emerging. Truthful, accurate information is your number one weapon in taking control of your health. Nutritional advice from mainstream “experts” may not be based on science, but on outdated misinformation.
This is a 10 part series, attempting to separate the truth from misconceptions:
Misconception #4: Artificial Sweeteners Are Safe Sugar Replacements for Diabetics and Help Promote Weight Loss - Most people use artificial sweeteners to lose weight and/or because they are diabetic and need to avoid sugar. The irony is that nearly all of the studies to date show that artificial sweeteners cause even MORE weight gain, as compared to caloric sweeteners. Studies also show that artificial sweeteners can be worse than sugar for diabetics.
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In 2005, data gathered from the 25-year long San Antonio Heart Study, showed that drinking diet soft drinks increased the likelihood of serious weight gain much more so than regular soda. On average, each diet soda the participants consumed per day increased their risk of becoming overweight by 65% within the next seven to eight years and made them 41% more likely to become obese.
There are several possible reasons for this, such as:
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1. Sweet taste alone appears to increase hunger, regardless of caloric content.
2. Artificial sweeteners appear to perpetuate a craving for sweets and overall sugar consumption is therefore not reduced, leading to further problems with weight control.
3. Artificial sweeteners may disrupt your body’s natural ability to “count calories”, as evidenced by multiple studies. For example, a Purdue University study found that rats fed artificially sweetened liquids ate more high-calorie food than rats fed high-caloric sweetened liquid.
The list of health risks associated with artificial sweeteners, particularly aspartame and sucralose, continues to expand.