Health & Fitness
Artificial Sweeteners & Weight Gain
Do you use artificial sweeteners, thinking that you are doing something good for your health by reducing your caloric intake?
Artificial Sweeteners Can Lead to Weight Gain:
This sounds ridiculous! Many people use artificial sweeteners in order to attempt to lose weight, not gain weight! How can something with no calories make you gain weight?
Most people don’t realize it, but artificial sweeteners can actually cause you to gain weight. That’s because the sweet taste of artificial sweeteners on your tongue triggers the release of insulin in the body to offset the expected sugar. However, since there isn’t actually any sugar in what’s consumed, the insulin goes to work on whatever little sugar is actually in the body, resulting in hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia, in turn, makes a person feel hungry, so he or she ends up eating more and may actually gain weight. It all becomes a vicious cycle and definitely one that’s counterproductive to a diabetic diet.
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Try These Sweeteners Instead:
1. Try adding a little juice from grapes, oranges, pears, peaches or other fruits.
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2. You can also use some shredded raw or dried apples, coconuts, raisins, or dates.
3. Try sprinkling on cinnamon, cloves, or nutmeg to add a spicy sweetness.
4. Or, you can add a small amount of local raw honey or 100% natural maple syrup.
5. You also may want to experiment with stevia, which has been used for centuries by indigenous tribes. Stevia research suggests that stevia reduces blood pressure, is safe for diabetics because it doesn’t affect blood sugar levels and can help people who want to lose weight.