Reducing sugar intake will help make you healthier and will help you lose weight. I don’t have to say much more about this. It’s been written about and talked about for years now and frankly I think it’s a no-brainer. Today, the average American consumes almost 152 pounds of sugar in one year. Most of that sugar comes in the form of sweet treats like cookies, candy, cakes, muffins and sodas. Processed foods are loaded with added, refined sugar and that is what causes these problems.
So are artificial sweeteners the answer? Maybe we should just buy treats sweetened with Asparrtame or Splenda. Well not so fast. Those very sweeteners you may have been reaching for in order to help you lose weight have been working against you in numerous ways. Studies have connected artificial sweeteners with a variety of problems, including: headaches, depression, cognitive and neurological problems, behavioral issues, cardiovascular effects, risk of chronic kidney disease and risk of preterm delivery.
Studies prove they increase risk of developing diabetes, they turn healthy gut bacteria into disease-causing bacteria and are considered excitotoxins that overstimulate brain cells causing damage.
Additionally, artificial sweeteners can seriously slow or stop fat loss and cause weight gain by causing calorie dysregulation. This is when your body loses the ability to correlate the degree of a food’s sweetness to the number of calories it contains. You see, even though these sweeteners don’t have calories, they may generate responses in your body that set up the expectation of calories. They can trigger cravings and make you eat more. The opposite of what you want if weight loss is your goal.
Because they are so sweet – 300 times sweeter than table sugar – they encourage sugar craving and sugar dependence and repeated exposure trains flavor preference.
Weight loss is a complicated issue but as with overall health, the quality of the food you eat is key. And artificial sweeteners just may be derailing your best efforts to lose weight.
Do you use artificial sweeteners? Are you finding yourself with increased cravings and difficulty losing weight?
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This year I have thought of cutting down on my sugar intake. But instead of using artificial sweetner, I am using jaggery in my tea and coffee. I am not sure if I can use organic honey. But I guess too much of anything is bad.
Thats fine iin moderation and organic honey is as well – also in moderation. Stevia or allulose are other good, more natural sweeteners you could consider as well. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts.
Honestly didn’t know my Equal(tm) packet in my cup of coffee was causing me to reduce weight loss efforts. As a long-term diabetic, I’ve stayed away from processed sugars substantially (now and again at CHRISTmas cookie time, but sparingly), so I’ve used Equal (hot stuff) and Sweet and Low(tm) (for cold stuff like sweet tea) for many years. Perhaps that’s why my blood sugar rises when I only have coffee, with fat-free half and half and an Equal. I abhor Stevia(tm) and most other “natural” sweeteners, so I would love your suggestions ma’am.
I hear you my friend. We use a brand of stevia called Better Stevia and I like it the best. I order from Swanson. Allulose is another that I have tried and like. Doesn’t have any aftertaste. My very favorite that I use in beverages and baking is Lakanto, a combination of Monk fruit and erythritol. I really like this one. I use erythritol in some baked goods also. I hope that helps and if you need links I can emal to you.
You’re the best! Thank you Ms. Ann!
It is always my pleasure my friend. I appreciate you.
But they’re FDA approved. 😉
I can’t tell you how many years I drank diet coke and put Splenda in my coffee. The funny thing is, all those years, I wasn’t in the best shape. These days, when we do splurge on a treat, it’s always the real thing.
It’s terrifying to think about how many products are out there, being promoted as “healthy”, that at the end of the day are a slow-moving poison. 😦
It’s become alarmingly clear that we can’t trust the FDA or any government agency to “protect” us. It’s always up to us to be
proactive and to make our own choices.
Yes, unfortunately, that seems to be the case. Thank you for all you do to get the information our there. It can be overwhelming for people to sift through.
Thank you for saying that Holly. That is my purpose in doing this.