Skip to content
  • Register
    • Viewing the message boards in:

    Do artificial sweeteners stop you losing weight?

    Posts: 113 Member
    edited January 21 in Food and Nutrition
    Hey,

    I was wondering if any one can shed some light on this? I have read some good and some bad things about artificial sweeteners? What is the truth?

    Thanks

    Welcome!

    It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
    Sign In
    Register
    «1

    Replies

    • Posts: 56 Member
      I'd stay away from them and use real sugar in moderation instead like honey and fruit. Artificial sweeteners are dangerous and can cause a lot of complications. It effected me for a while and you feel horrible with that stuff in your system. Plus, after awhile, it does and will make you crave sweets more since it has no calories and is sweeter than sugar. Your taste buds get use to it so once you come off of it, you use more real sugar than you should be causing you to consume more calories and too much sugar. I say learn to use the real stuff in moderation and your taste buds won't need things to be so sweet. Plus, honey (especially raw) and fruit have benefits and vitamins while artificial sweeteners don't...sure, they may help you lose weight, but it's temporary. You shouldn't be using it and replacing real foods with it for sweetness. I don't even use sugar or anything in my coffee or tea anymore, I'm use to it. I don't think the risks of sweeteners are worth it. I felt like complete crap using it. Sometimes I want to use them again but then I remember how I felt when I used them...
    • Posts: 2,673 Member
      Hey,

      I was wondering if any one can shed some light on this? I have read some good and some bad things about artificial sweeteners? What is the truth?

      Thanks

      No they do not.

      They have zero calories and have zero insulin response.

      Impossible for them to do anything :o))
    • Posts: 3,400 Member
      No. I use them every day.
    • Posts: 1,899 Member
      They have no bad effects. They are fine.
    • Posts: 3,550 Member
      I use some every day in my coffee and feel fine.
    • Posts: 62
      Not directly, no. Some are, however, quite bad for your digestive system, which in turn can make you eat more. But no, they don't have any effect on your insulin levels, as the amount is just much too small.
    • Posts: 727 Member
      Nope. Eating an excess of calories will prevent you from losing weight.
    • Posts: 8,619 Member
      I have a big red zero or crystal light a few times a week, and I'm still losing:) I don't think they're healthy, but I'll take them over the regular soda.
    • Posts: 236
      BOOM!!!
    • Posts: 1,208 Member
      show previous quotes

      No they do not.

      They have zero calories and have zero insulin response.

      Impossible for them to do anything :o))

      Matt is right. It's one of those things people buy and think "I haven't lost weight because of this". The fact is, you need to be accountable for what you put into your mouth in terms of overall nutrition, not whether you've had a "diet" drink.

      This isn't to say that I am recommending them, I wouldn't do that. A lot of people will say avoid them because it teaches you to say no to other things full of sugar and calories. And personally I don't drink them at all.
    • Posts: 56 Member
      I'm trying to learn how to use real food in moderation. When I came off the sweeteners, I noticed I craved sweets more than usual so I'd use more honey in my oatmeal and used more fruit with it like bananas. Bananas are healthy, but mixed with a lot of honey and that's too much....and because of dieting for so long and cutting things out of my diet, eating like I use to made me gain 6 - 8 pounds of pure fat in a short amount of time. I can't burn anything off like I use to be able to.

      This is just me, though. Only trying to give advice and experiences..
    • Posts: 2,654 Member
      I have them everyday. The only side effect has been weight loss. I do use Stevia whenever possible, but have no problems with Equal or Splenda.
    • Posts: 358 Member
      I use them in my drinks but my doctor said that they make people crave sugar more than they would without it. I do think I agree that they make you crave more sugar. But I guess I figure no calories are better than me downing a ton of sugar. Honey just does not taste the same in drinks. If it works for you use it but if you don't already use it I probably woukdn't start.
    • Posts: 113 Member
      show previous quotes

      Matt is right. It's one of those things people buy and think "I haven't lost weight because of this". The fact is, you need to be accountable for what you put into your mouth in terms of overall nutrition, not whether you've had a "diet" drink.

      This isn't to say that I am recommending them, I wouldn't do that. A lot of people will say avoid them because it teaches you to say no to other things full of sugar and calories. And personally I don't drink them at all.

      I am very accountable for the nutrition I put in my body which has lead me to research the man-made chemicals I am putting into my body 3 times a day. I have read a lot of apposing articles regarding artificial sweeteners. Such as the one below from Harvard University.

      http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030
      http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073

      This includes a lot of research suggesting that they do affect insulin levels in the body.

      I am not sure what is right and what is wrong which is why I asked this community regarding their own experiences of with and without sweeteners in their diet.
    • Posts: 1,899 Member
      show previous quotes

      I am very accountable for the nutrition I put in my body which has lead me to research the man-made chemicals I am putting into my body 3 times a day. I have read a lot of apposing articles regarding artificial sweeteners. Such as the one below from Harvard University.

      http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030
      http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073

      This includes a lot of research suggesting that they do affect insulin levels in the body.

      I am not sure what is right and what is wrong which is why I asked this community regarding their own experiences of with and without sweeteners in their diet.

      Well here are two facts then,
      1. Sugar does affect your insulin
      2. Artificial sweetners might affect your insulin.

      So what. They are both fine. Just because something is man made does not make it bad. To much of anything can hurt you. Every scientific study can be proven and then disproven ten years later.

      Your question was "what is the truth?" The answer is that the truth is not going to be from any study except your own. Every person has to do what works for them.
    • Posts: 113 Member
      show previous quotes

      Well here are two facts then,
      1. Sugar does affect your insulin
      2. Artificial sweetners might affect your insulin.

      So what. They are both fine. Just because something is man made does not make it bad. To much of anything can hurt you. Every scientific study can be proven and then disproven ten years later.

      Your question was "what is the truth?" The answer is that the truth is not going to be from any study except your own. Every person has to do what works for them.

      You make a very fair point. :)
    • Posts: 142 Member

      Well here are two facts then,
      1. Sugar does affect your insulin
      2. Artificial sweetners might affect your insulin.

      So what. They are both fine. Just because something is man made does not make it bad. To much of anything can hurt you. Every scientific study can be proven and then disproven ten years later.

      Your question was "what is the truth?" The answer is that the truth is not going to be from any study except your own. Every person has to do what works for them.

      "Every scientific study can be proven and then disproven ten years later"

      Just look at what's been said about eggs and butter over the years, some say eggs are good for you, some say they're not.....some say real butter is better than the fake stuff, some say it's not.....

      I just listen to my body, and since this is my first "get healthy" quest, I've been drinking LOTS of water, and only drink the Diet Pepsi (which I'm addicted to) on the weekends (my "treat") and all I can say is I feel MUCH better the days I stay away from the Diet Pepsi. That's not to say it's the artificial sweetener in it, but there's definitely something in there that makes me feel "not right"...I'm thinking about cutting them out all together.
    • Posts: 1,162
      Everyone is different but they have side effects.

      http://www.medicinenet.com/artificial_sweeteners/article.htm

      This has information of pros and cons.
    • Posts: 25
      I use artificial sweetners and I'm still losing weight. I think the weight gain issue comes from that some people's appetites increase when they use it but if you can learn to exercise more control then there should be no problems.
    • Posts: 2,673 Member
      I am very accountable for the nutrition I put in my body which has lead me to research the man-made chemicals I am putting into my body 3 times a day. I have read a lot of apposing articles regarding artificial sweeteners. Such as the one below from Harvard University.

      http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030
      http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073

      This includes a lot of research suggesting that they do affect insulin levels in the body.

      I am not sure what is right and what is wrong which is why I asked this community regarding their own experiences of with and without sweeteners in their diet.

      You don't need "research" which suggests anything. You need the studies. Unless a sweetener involves partially a carb, it cannot and will not raise insulin. Read on...

      Aspartame
      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1946186

      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2182973

      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9734727


      Saccharin
      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7652029
      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3046854

      Sucralose
      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19221011
      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21245879
    • Posts: 80 Member
      first step stop the sugar
      second step cut down the sweeteners to zero

      i can drink tea without them now but not the coffee......... yet
    • Posts: 2,673 Member
      show previous quotes

      "Every scientific study can be proven and then disproven ten years later"

      Just look at what's been said about eggs and butter over the years, some say eggs are good for you, some say they're not.....some say real butter is better than the fake stuff, some say it's not.....

      I just listen to my body, and since this is my first "get healthy" quest, I've been drinking LOTS of water, and only drink the Diet Pepsi (which I'm addicted to) on the weekends (my "treat") and all I can say is I feel MUCH better the days I stay away from the Diet Pepsi. That's not to say it's the artificial sweetener in it, but there's definitely something in there that makes me feel "not right"...I'm thinking about cutting them out all together.

      Finding insulin levels is a piece of cake, so is drinking/eating them. Checking for them is simple too.
    • Posts: 411 Member
      I use them in my iced tea and coffee without any issues. I stopped drinking diet soda because I always wanted salty snacks to go with it, but I think that is just my own neurosis and not a side affect.
    • Posts: 359 Member

      No they do not.

      They have zero calories and have zero insulin response.

      Impossible for them to do anything :o))
      ^^This^^
    • Posts: 47 Member
      Not exactly related to weightloss, but...one side effect I noticed was that artificial sweeteners caused tremendous gas and bloating for me! Think part of it is cuz it's not natural and my body doesn't know how to digest it.

      I'm not sure how common this is for other people, but since I stopped adding the fake stuff to my coffee and quit drinking crystal light and other diet teas and juices, my insides have been much happier. It's made a world of difference.

      Sorry if that was TMI! :-)
    • Posts: 1,087 Member
      I gave up sweet N low since Jan 1st and I LOVED my sweet N low in my coffee. I craved my coffee because it was sweetened with my sweet N low. After 30 days, I gave up coffee because it was bland and not a craving anymore. I used to drink 2 cups a day. A month after giving up coffee, I just noticed that my cravings and watching the clock to see when I'm going to eat next changed. I didn't watch the clock so much.

      But then I started drinking coffee with 1 teaspoon of sugar.. it still isn't as sweet as I'd like. My weightloss did not change at all because of giving up sweet n low or swapping sugar for sweet n low.

      The only difference I saw was when I gave up coffee, I wasn't edgy watching the clock all day or craving "bad foods". From my experience, the sweet n low didn't make a difference but giving up coffee did! I'm probably going to give up coffee again because I don't like it as much when it isn't sweet! Thankfully I don't get any side effects from giving up coffee. No headaches, no tiredness, nothing. I generally drink 2 cups a day.
    • Posts: 1,087 Member
      I had this problem when I drank those packets that you put in your water.. the protein packets or crystal light packets.. those things were horrible for me!!! I love plain water!
      Not exactly related to weightloss, but...one side effect I noticed was that artificial sweeteners caused tremendous gas and bloating for me! Think part of it is cuz it's not natural and my body doesn't know how to digest it.

      I'm not sure how common this is for other people, but since I stopped adding the fake stuff to my coffee and quit drinking crystal light and other diet teas and juices, my insides have been much happier. It's made a world of difference.

      Sorry if that was TMI! :-)
    • Posts: 810 Member
      Some ppl used it to get rid of cravings and it has worked for them. Some have tried it and get terrible side effects so no bueno for them. Some will bash it because it is a synthetic substance and harms you/kills you but there is not enough sufficient proof to support those who bash it. Some support it as the end all be all to weight loss but there is not enough sufficient proof to support those ppl either.

      Conclusion: Try it. If you have side effects stop.If it helps you to lose weight, go for it. Find what works for you. There is no right or wrong answer here.
    • Posts: 2,113 Member
      I'm a scientist, and I'm not a huge fan of eating things that were created in a laboratory.

      That being said, I do like a Diet Coke every now and again.

      Everything in moderation, I suppose.
    • Posts: 2,131 Member
      Nope.
    This discussion has been closed.

    Welcome!

    It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
    Sign In
    Register

    Quick Links

    Categories