Artificial sweeteners lead to weight gain

Artificial sweeteners are worse than you think.

Artificial sweeteners might seem like a great way to enjoy the foods that you like without the added calories of sugar, but they do more harm than good.

How artificial sweeteners can lead to weight gain

1. Sweeteners cause you to eat more sugar throughout the day
2. They train your palate to crave sweeter foods
3. Artificial sweeteners decrease the desirability of healthy foods that aren't as sweet
4. Sweeteners teach us to eat for the sake of sweetness instead of the need for nutrients
5. Studies show that they can be more addictive than cocaine
6. Diet sodas increase the risk of diseases like metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, obesity, abnormal cholesterol, unbalanced triglycerides, heart disease, stroke, insulin resistance and diabetes

Sugar-free sweeteners may lead to weight gain. Here's how:

1. Artificial sweeteners cause you to eat more sugar

We tend to reward our positive behaviors with negative ones. You think that since you've chosen a sugar-free option, it is okay to eat something with sugar in it later on. People who use artificial sweeteners are still more likely to follow a diet that is high in sugar, compared to those who don't use artificial sweeteners at all. "I haven't had anything with sugar all day, so this cake shouldn't be that bad for me."

A study cited by Harvard Medical School (linked above) showed that people who drank diet sodas were two times more likely to be overweight than those who didn't.

2. Sweeteners train your palate to crave sweeter foods than usual

Everything comes at a cost. Artificial sweeteners are no different. When you satisfy your cravings for something sweet during a meal with a sweetener, you aren't addressing the problem. You're masking it.

You increase your tolerance to sweetness when you use an artificial sweetener. You use a sweetener instead of losing your interest in foods with sugar - which would happen naturally when you avoid sugar. You could retrain your brain to associate non-sweet foods with actual food instead.

This, in turn, will decrease your desire for foods that aren't as sweet as those have artificial sweeteners. Fruits taste less sweet on their own and non-sweet foods like vegetables become less desirable to palates that grow accustomed to tasting sweetness at every meal.

Sweetness is dangerously addictive.

3. Artificial sweeteners reduce our association with caloric intake

The overuse of sweeteners can cause you to crave something sweet - even when your body doesn't need any more calories. You end up eating more food to satisfy your taste buds than you what would to satisfy hunger. 

This leads to a cycle of eating for enjoyment over eating to nourish your body. People who don't use artificial sweeteners at all are more likely to eat solely out of hunger and lose interest in the idea of food when they don't have a need for more calories.

4. Artificial sweeteners are highly addictive

This study found that artificial sweeteners can be more addictive than cocaine. Rodents were given cocaine to make them addicted to the substance. They were then given the choice between an artificial sweetener and cocaine. Most of them chose to satisfy their craving for sweetness via the artificial sweetener instead of cocaine.

Sweeteners can be more addictive than cocaine.

5. Diet Sodas are linked to a greater risk for metabolic syndrome and diabetes

Artificial sweeteners may cause the very diseases that they were meant to prevent. This study found that daily diet soda consumption increased the risk of metabolic syndrome (increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat, abnormal cholesterol, unbalanced triglyceride levels, increased heart disease and stroke risk) and Type 2 Diabetes (severe insulin resistance).

Artificial sweeteners may do more harm than we realize.

Is sugar better than artificial sweeteners?

Does this mean that we should ditch artificial sweeteners and go back to sugar? Absolutely not! The solution lies in addressing the cause. This is how you can learn to enjoy eating foods that are good for you instead of the foods that are high in sugars or sweeteners.

How to decrease your taste for sugar and artificial sweeteners

Sugar and sweeteners desensitize your taste for sweetness. In the long-run, you will require more sweetness to get the same amount of satisfaction in a meal. The opposite is also true. You can teach your taste buds to become more sensitive to sweetness so that you enjoy the natural flavors of food. With the right diet you will learn to enjoy the foods that nourish you and improve your overall health.

1. Train your palate to enjoy foods that aren't so sweet

The first step to decreasing your taste for sweetness is to realize that you have grown accustomed to foods that are too sweet. The next step is to start eating foods without sugar and sweeteners. At first, they will taste bland. Your taste buds regenerate completely every 10 days to 2 weeks. If you can stick it out for this amount of time, foods will start tasting sweeter on their own.

Drink your coffee or tea without sugar or sweeteners. It will taste bland for the first few days, but you will learn to enjoy the taste of these beverages without the need for sugar. You will soon associate these drinks with the natural taste - instead their sweetened versions.

2. Learn to enjoy foods without added sugar and sweeteners

Sweet is not the only pleasurable taste. Sour, salty and bitter can also be enjoyable. Try out a variety of different foods (without added sugar or sweeteners) and you will be pleasantly surprised that you can enjoy foods without the need for sweetness.

Non-sweet foods that you might enjoy:

1. Greek yogurt
2. Pineapples and other whole fruits (natural sugar is not as harmful as added sugar)
3. Pickled foods (which can be good for your gut bacteria)
4. Proteins
5. Unsweetened, herbal teas
6. Sushi
7. Vegetables

3. Cut out foods that have hidden added sugar

Sugar is addictive. The more sugar you consume, the harder it will be to cut it out of your life. A great way to reduce your sugar intake (and therefore reduce its addictive effects on your body) is to avoid the foods that have too much added sugar.

When you eat fewer foods that have added sugar, your body will learn to operate without the need for sugar and sweetness. The best way to do this is to cut out as many processed foods as possible because most processed foods contain sugar.

Replace salad dressings with lemon juice or vinegar. Buy raw vegetables instead of warming them up from a can. Avoid baked goods and pastries as much as possible. Choose real meat instead of processed meat.

4. Recognize what your cravings are telling you

Your desire for something sweet could indicate a sharp drop in your blood sugar levels. If this is the case, you might want to try intermittent fasting to reduce your drops in blood sugar.

Sugar cravings may also indicate low energy. In this case, try adding exercise to your daily routine so that your body learns to make more energy on its own.

5. Find another kind of enjoyable activity

Many people struggle to let go of unhealthy foods because they feel that food is the only thing that they can enjoy. Boredom is a big cause of unhealthy eating. Find other activities that you can enjoy instead. This may include starting a hobby like reading a book or dancing. 

Doing other activities that you enjoy will help you to find pleasure in things that don't involve food. These activities will distract you from your desire for sweetness and may even add to your life in other ways. Your hobby might turn into another form of income, help you to shed some extra pounds or benefit the community around you.

End the endless craving for sweetness.

Conclusion

Artificial sweeteners will not help you to stay healthy because they don't address the cause. Train your taste buds to appreciate the natural flavors of healthy food and try to determine whether your cravings for sweet things are the symptoms of something else like depression, stress or a lack of energy. Stay Strong!

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