Many dieters have found that sugar is one of the biggest contributors to high calorie amounts in food. It seems to be everywhere, even in foods where you don't expect it. Not only does sugar add calories, it can be counterproductive to your diet because it elevates blood sugar levels.
Many dieters like to use artificial sweeteners as an alternative to sugar. There are a number available on the market, and an increasing variety of food contains them. Whether or not they are actually effective in helping with weight loss still remains up for debate. Countless studies have been performed and many sweeteners have been tested on humans and lab animals, and the evidence remains rather inconclusive.
In the past, there have been concerns about the safety of some artificial sweeteners, with some, such as Saccharin causing cancer in lab rats. Recent research however, has shown that all of those available on the market today have shown no ill effects in humans over a long period of time.
One thing that researchers found while testing artificial sweeteners on rats, was that rats who received the sweetener also ate more. These findings couldn't be directly extrapolated to humans however, because human and rat appetites work differently. Other research has found that on average, people who use a lot of artificial sweeteners also weigh more. The reasoning is that artificial sweeteners can strengthen the craving for real sugar, making it more difficult for dieters to say no to sweet treats. Other researchers have pointed out though, that it's not artificial sweeteners that are making people fat. Rather, overweight people are more likely to use artificial sweeteners than those who don't have any weight to lose.
In the face of rather confusing research, you may wonder if artificial sweeteners can help you lose weight. Many nutritionists recommend that you use them in moderation. When losing weight, make a real attempt to modify your diet and tastes away from sugary and sweet foods. Using artificial sweeteners in instances where you might have added sugar will cut calories. If you consume sweeteners all day, in the form of diet drinks for instance, you may find yourself craving sweets more than you would if you simply switched to drinks and foods that aren't as sweet.
Hopefully, the next years will bring further research and more definitive conclusions about the effectiveness of artificial sweeteners. Until then, it is best to remember that, as in most things, moderation is the key.
IMHO using artificial sweeteners is just putting a bandaid on the problem. It doesn't support any mental shift or significant change in behavior regarding eating patterns and the role of food.
ReplyI have - and always did have - a sweet tooth. It runs in my family - I come from a long line of hungarians who love strudel and tortes! When I needed to lose weight I found that I did better without artificial sweeteners though - generally i didn't like the taste of them, and it just left me wanting something sweet. It didn't help with the craving for sugar!
So I went cold turkey - no sugar on my cereal, in my coffee or tea, no desserts. It was torture but I made it through and in the process discovered something - food has flavour other than "sweet" - now if I put sugar in my coffee it alters the taste to something undrinkable. I prefer to have a healthy dieet and then exercise my sweet tooth once or twice a week on a portion of something yummy. A portion, not a pigout, and calorie counted in.
It works for me.
ReplyNo, they don't help you lose weight... and they're toxic poisons! Aspartame was never scientifically proven safe by the FDA or anyone else.
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