BLOG 33 ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

BLOG 33 ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

Artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes are extremely prevalent in the fitness and weight loss world. Many foods and beverages contain them as an alternative to real sugar, which we are aware is not good for us. The idea is that we are saving calories, but we me be doing more damage than help. In our world of processed foods, the “natural” element of what we consume has been replaced by chemicals and substances that are foreign to our bodies.

There are a number of terms used for artificial sweeteners such as “sugar free” or “diet”, which basically means a sugar substitute is being used instead of real table sugar. Common artificial sweeteners are Aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet), Sucralose (Splenda), and Saccharin (Sweet- N- Low). They’re everywhere and we see them in dairy, baked goods, soft drinks, canned foods, candy, and powdered drink mixes.

Let me start with the benefits. Obviously, unlike real sugar, artificial sweeteners will not cause cavities and tooth decay. They are definitely good for weight control. For example, “One of the most appealing aspects of artificial sweeteners is that they are non-nutritive — they have virtually no calories. In contrast, each gram of regular table sugar contains 4 calories. A teaspoon of sugar is about 4 grams. For perspective, consider that one 12-ounce can of a sweetened cola contains 10 teaspoons of added sugar, or about 150 calories.” (http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/artificial-sweeteners/art-20046936). They can also be used as a sugar substitute for diabetics. Artificial sweeteners don’t raise blood sugar because they don’t have carbohydrates.

On the other hand, these products are questionable when it comes to our health. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does regulate these products. Some research has shown a link between cancer and artificial sweeteners, but the FDA states that these substitutes are generally safe. To start, Saccharin was discovered by a chemist using coal tar. We are tricking out taste buds: “Sucralose, sold under the brand name Splenda, is 600 times sweeter than table sugar, and neotame, an emerging alternative to aspartame, is 7,000 times sweeter. Stevia is 200 to 300 times sweeter than table sugar. And evidence suggests that exposing your taste buds to these high-intensity sweeteners makes them less receptive to natural sources of sweetness such as fruit. When your taste buds get dulled, you're more likely to seek out sweeter and sweeter foods (http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/food/trying-lose-weight-stay-away-artificial-sweeteners). Our hunger signals become confused too. Our body thinks it is getting something that it is not. Many highly nutritious foods become replaced by products with these genetically modified chemicals in them. Like most things in life, anything is moderation is okay, but, “Animal studies suggest that artificial sweeteners may be addictive. In studies of rats who were exposed to cocaine, then given a choice between intravenous cocaine or oral saccharine, most chose saccharin” (http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030).

In my world surrounded by weight loss and supplements, I have to be careful of too many artificial sweeteners in my food and drink selections. Seems like there’s always catch to what we do. I know that many of the nutrients from whole foods are compromised by the supplements I use. For example, when choosing a Quest Bar I only select flavors with no artificial sweeteners, keeping in mind the other amino protein drinks I’ll be having later contain Sucralose. In researching for this Blog, my findings were quite confusing. So many articles say the “potential dangers”, “possible side effects”, “may cause”, or “potentially harmful”. For example here’s a debatable study: “The San Antonio Heart Study documented weight change in men and women over a seven- to eight-year period and offers evidence that weight gain and obesity were significantly greater in those drinking diet beverages compared with those who did not drink them. In another study, where the participants were adolescents, intake of artificially-sweetened beverages was associated with increased body mass index and increased body fat percentage in males and females at a two-year follow-up. Meanwhile, in Australia, where drinking artificially-sweetened beverages has increased while drinking sugar-sweetened beverages has declined, the rate of obesity has not decreased but been on the rise” (http://www.medicaldaily.com/4-dangerous-effects-artificial-sweeteners-your-health-247543).

When it’s all said and done, we know that too much of anything isn’t good for us. Moderation is the key. Over time, we may learn more about these substances. Initially, I compared this to the new craze with vaporized cigarettes. There has to be something wrong with the use of those, but as for now, we don’t have enough research. Proceed with caution is the message I’m receiving. We know that our fitness journeys aren’t always a clear path, but that’s what makes life interesting. We find what works, what’s not good for us, and what we need to let go. So many choice we have to make, but let’s just take it one decision at a time.