Saccharin, which has been used since 1878, has always been accompanied with the controversial issues about its bad effects to the body. Since then, artificial sweeteners have been considered as a health threat.
Here are some aspects to consider about these no-calorie sweeteners:
They’re genetically modified
Erythritol, neotame, aspartame, and sucralose are created from sugar beets, soy, and corn. It is a common practice among farmers today to produce these crops resistant to pests. Thus, most of them are genetically modified.
They’re polluting your water
To prevent it from breaking down due to the body’s severe conditions, artificial sweeteners are designed to be tough to hinder the additional calories. Acesulfame K and sucralose are found in treated water during a study in 2009 by Swedish researchers. These sweeteners did not undergo a breakdown even after seven hours in the sludge of wastewater. Four years after, some Canadian researchers discovered the presence of these sweeteners in different plants for water treatment.
They give you diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is more common with people who drink diet soda. It is still inconclusive whether it is the food consumed that determines the inefficiency of no-calorie drinks or it is something related to other biological factors. A study found that diet soda drinkers have greater tendency to be overweight than non-drinkers. It is more surprising that the same study discovered that regular soda drinkers are less likely to be overweight than those who drink diet soda.
They make you overeat.
The ability to match the intake of calories and the body’s needed calories is affected by the feel of the food and the taste of the food in the mouth. Foods with artificial sweeteners can make you overeat because they have a different feel in the mouth. The brain interprets dense and sweet foods as high calories. Artificial sweeteners make foods have a different consistency (thinner) and texture.
They mess with your hormones.
Zero-calorie sweets trick the body into releasing insulin. The increase in the blood sugar level causes cravings. The hormone that controls the level of blood sugar and the feeling of being satisfied is affected by the artificial sweeteners.
