For those that still believe that “diet” drinks and foods are better for you, please read on. This article does a great job of explaining how and why artificial sweeteners cause chronic illness, weight gain and a variety of other health issues. Stevia (from a plant leaf) is one of the better sweeteners, along with honey and turbinado sugar (in moderation).
In general, sugar (which, I’m sure you’ve read about, is 10X more addictive than cocaine) doesn’t really have any beneficial effects on the body…but it does taste good. So…if you need something sweet (or a sweetener), look for natural options, but keep it in moderation.
Story at-a-glance
- A growing body of research shows artificial sweeteners raise your risk of both obesity and Type 2 diabetes — perhaps even to a greater degree than sugar
- Recent research shows both sugar and artificial sweeteners damage vascular function and cause cellular changes that “may be important during the onset and progression of diabetes and obesity”
- Unlike sugar, artificial sweeteners were found to accumulate in blood, leading to more significant damage to blood vessels. Acesulfame potassium appeared to be worse than aspartame in this regard
- The artificial sweeteners were also found to trick the body into using alternative sources of glucose, such as muscle. Evidence of protein break down was found in the animals’ blood
- The results indicate artificial sweeteners alter how your body processes fat and produces energy at the cellular level, and while working on different chemical pathways, they produce the same kinds of health consequences as sugar
From Mercola
