Connect with us

Health

Know The Truth About Artificial Sweeteners And The Impact On Your Health

Published

on

Know the truth about artificial sweeteners and the impact on your health

There are many reasons why people choose artificial sweeteners. It may be to help them with achieving their weight loss goals after having a lap band surgeon complete a procedure. For others, it may be due to diabetes. Whatever the reason is for considering artificial sweeteners, it is essential to understand the health risks behind these products.

The first thing you want to look at is the leading artificial sweeteners on the market. Though the first one to be released was saccharin, there are many others on the market, including aspartame and alitame. Most people do not know them by these names, but rather by the brand name, such as saccharin being in Sweet-n-Low or Equal, which has aspartame.

The truth is that these artificial sweeteners are in many different products that people buy every day. Some of these include diet sodas and drinks, as well as foods on diets. They are designed to create a lower-calorie and no sugar substitute for people. However, there are some drawbacks that people should be aware of.

Read: 5 Ways to Overcome a Sugar Addiction

In years past, you would see warning labels on artificial sweeteners claiming that they can cause cancer, such as bladder cancer in rats. This can make one think that these products are unsafe. On top of this, there are some studies and claims that say that aspartame can lead to many different problems, including autism, cancer, and even ADD. However, according to the American Council on Science and Health, artificial sweeteners are safe for consumption among the general populace. There is a rare condition, though, where some people are not able to handle the phenylalanine, though this is a condition that is tested for at birth. There is also a chance of the aspartame causing headaches that are similar to caffeine headaches, though they are only temporary and mild.

Even if you take away the thought of the safety of artificial sweeteners, there are still other risks that you will want to keep in mind. A study done in 2011 shows that artificial sweeteners can lead to obesity problems. Part of the way they say this is done is by drinking beverages or eating foods with these sweeteners while consuming a meal. They say that the artificial sweeteners block the signal to the brain that tells it you are full, meaning that people tend to overeat. On top of this, they state that using these sweeteners can create a desire for sweeter foods, which can make healthy foods not as appealing to the person.

One of the things you will want to keep in mind, though, when looking at how healthy artificial sweeteners are is the content of the sweeteners. Though there are six different artificial sweeteners
approved by the FDA that are calorie-free, it does not mean that they are carbohydrate-free. This means that you are still getting carbohydrates into your diet, and in large quantities, this can work against you with your weight loss goals.

These are just some of the factors that you will want to think about when you are deciding whether or not artificial sweeteners are right for you. With the FDA stating they are safe, you should be fine to consume as long as you are aware of the potential side effects in regards to sweeteners you choose. If you have diabetes, then this may be the only option you have available. Remember that moderation is also key here as large quantities of just about anything, even healthy items, even water, can cause adverse side effects that you will not want to deal with.