Many people believe that by substituting sugar with artificial sweeteners in their diet, they are better off. Research now shows that artificial sweeteners alter the body’s normal regulation of energy, therefore increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes…and these sweeteners are also making you fat.
Artificial sweeteners are designed to increase the sweetness of your food without causing blood glucose spikes. They have also been sold as a way to reduce your caloric intake by taking away sugar and the associated energy consumption. However, we have always cautioned people about the harmful effects on health from consuming chemicals. Sweeteners are chemically-derived and the long term health implications of consuming sweeteners are now starting to emerge from longitudinal research studies.
Medical research suggests that the consumption of artificial sweeteners could impair the regulation of energy and body weight. The body’s natural response to sweetness (sweet taste), normally associated with consuming sugar, appears to be altered due to the consumption of artificial sweeteners. Sweet taste normally signals the arrival of a caloric burst, but with long term consumption of sweeteners this normal body response is weakened.
Replacing sugar with artificial sweetener is marketed as a “safer” way of adding sweetness to your food. With the reduction of sugar and its associated calories in your diet, the manufacturers of artificial sweeteners have claimed it to be a healthier option. Alarmingly, many studies have demonstrated this claim to be inaccurate. In fact, studies are showing that the consumption of artificial sweeteners is associated with a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
Our team of personal trainers and exercise physiologists give a clear message to all clients working to lose weight and improve their health: Avoid processed food, and eat more vegetables and lean protein. Chemically-derived artificial sweeteners have no place in a healthy eating plan, in fact they are now known to be harmful. Raw honey and stevia provide us with natural sweeteners to replace sugar and Aspartame.
