As you know, I am a health-news nerd. I eagerly dive into any new science about food, exercise and healthful lifestyle.
I love knowing what’s new in the research or even the scuttlebutt. I keep an eye on trends to see what kind of information is being released to the public and what isn’t.
This is my idea of fun. Really.
The downside of this is that sometimes information becomes old news to me, before it has even become new news to the general public. The other downside is that I can be a little neurotic, I’ll admit it, about the foods I eat, how they are prepared and other lifestyle choices.
This hit home for me recently when I was at a gathering with friends and their families where of course there was a lot to eat and drink. What struck me at the time was the prevalence of artificially sweetened soda and beverages to the exclusion of any “sugary” drinks.
If you’re not the kind of person who likes to dig into these things and just wants the bottom line, here it is.
Artificial sweeteners are poison.
Don’t drink them. Don’t eat them.
And for Heaven’s sake – don’t give them to kids.
You may not be as nerdy as me, so without going into the complexity of the biochemistry here are just three reasons for my pronouncement.
- First - Your brain (and subsequently your body) can’t tell the difference between real sugar and artificial sweetener. Your brain senses “sweet”. As a result, it releases insulin – just as though you had eaten sugar.
- As you probably know, even if you are not a health news nerd, when your body overproduces insulin, it leads to insulin resistance.
- Second – Insulin resistance goes hand-in-hand with inflammation in your body. This inflammation is systemic – meaning it is everywhere – your blood vessels, your liver, your joints your intestines and yes – even your brain.
Inflammation and insulin resistance are related to virtually every chronic disease. That’s right everything from diabetes to heart disease to cancer – even Alzheimer’s. - Third – Circling back to number one – when your body senses it is receiving calories but doesn’t, as is the case with artificial sweeteners, your brain does not get the signal of feeling satiated or satisfied. Studies have shown that as a result, we consume more calories. In fact, regular consumption of artificial sweeteners is linked to WEIGHT GAIN. This increase in weight is typically seen as abdominal fat – the apple shape – the worst kind.
Yes – you probably figured out that one through three is really one vicious circle that produces an ever increasing risk for health problems
We could talk about how we are seeing more and more research on brain dysfunction and general physical ailments that are associated with artificial sweeteners, but I promised you only three.
My advice: DUMP the fake stuff. DUMP the sugary stuff too. DO drink unsweetened water (you can add lemon or lime for flavor), and unsweetened herbal teas. Until you get past your craving for sweet. Try to avoid even stevia or luo han
This bit of information is intentionally short, albeit not too sweet.
I am very interested in your comments. What are your thoughts about sugar and artificial sweeteners?
Until next time…
Be well.