How bad are artificial sweeteners? Splenda?
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Fitness327wk wrote: »I have read articles that artificial sweeteners can cause belly fat. It makes NO sense to me as it has zero calories!
However in this article it at least says the following:
When consumed in low quantities, artificial sweeteners have been shown to aid weight loss, improve metabolic conditions and even protect against injury during infection. However, this new study suggests that, rather than keeping us healthy, artificial sweeteners, especially when consumed in larger doses, could be contributing to the obesity epidemic.
Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/artificial-sweeteners-may-make-you-fat-180968552/#YM7fmIs8LzmPiLzq.99
There is correlation between using artificial sweeteners and obesity, but there are a number of logical reasons:- People who are already obese switch to sweeteners to save calories - therefore being classified as obese people using sweeteners.
- People start using sweeteners and because they feel like they are saving calories, they subconsciously allow themselves larger portions or an extra treat, thereby using up the calories they saved and not losing weight.
- People don't understand weight loss, so just because they are using artificial sweeteners doesn't mean they are saving calories, and if they aren't in a deficit, they will stay overweight.
- I've heard some people say sweeteners make them crave more sweet foods. I don't find that to be the case, but if it's true for someone who isn't logging, they could end up eating more.
Note, none of those reasons are actually the artificial sweetener causing obesity. We know what is causing obesity - people are eating lots of calorie dense foods (which are much more available and affordable then they've ever been) and are moving less (as work and life in general becomes more and more sedentary).
Weight maintenance comes down to calories, and artificial sweeteners have minimal or none. If you are logging accurately and sticking to your calorie goal, you will lose weight whether you drink a glass of water or a can of diet soda. :drinker:12 -
I use them. Being prediabetic, I take certain precautions: I don't drink diet sodas on an empty stomach, only with food. That way if my insulin goes up in reaction to the sweet taste, there is food there to be processed and I don't suffer a sugar crash. Now I don't use loads of it, but in moderation I have not had any problems.8
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cwolfman13 wrote: »Fitness327wk wrote: »I have read articles that artificial sweeteners can cause belly fat. It makes NO sense to me as it has zero calories!
However in this article it at least says the following:
When consumed in low quantities, artificial sweeteners have been shown to aid weight loss, improve metabolic conditions and even protect against injury during infection. However, this new study suggests that, rather than keeping us healthy, artificial sweeteners, especially when consumed in larger doses, could be contributing to the obesity epidemic.
Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/artificial-sweeteners-may-make-you-fat-180968552/#YM7fmIs8LzmPiLzq.99
I'm not finding any links to the actual studies. You have to be careful with articles...they often misinterpret studies...sometimes on purpose to further an agenda and sometimes they just don't understand the actual study.
My guess would be that the studies conducted did not keep calories constant. Many of these studies are also correlation studies. In many cases, people gaining weight and drinking diet sodas in these studies aren't managing their calories. Many people feel that drinking a diet soda gives them license to just do whatever after that because they're being good in choosing the diet beverage...how many times have you seen someone get a diet soda only to then eat an entire pizza or down a triple bacon double cheeseburger and large fry?
I couldn't find the actual study (or studies), only a press release dated to last March. But it seems that what they did was ask overweight people if they drank anything with artificial sweeteners, then examined their fat cells and then concluded that the sweeteners promoted additional fat accumulation in the cells.
From the sound of it, it's not an intervention study, only an observational study. Meaning, only correlation is possible. I'll wait to pass further judgement before having read the actual study, but until then, I'll happily keep drinking my coke zero.5 -
ladyreva78 wrote: »until then, I'll happily keep drinking my coke zero.
EXACTLY. So many physique competitors drink Diet Coke etc and get down ~4% bodyfat (males)...pretty hard to convince me that a diet soda has wrecked their progress lol
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Why do artificial sweeteners always have to be "good" or "bad"? Why can't they ever be neutral in terms of health and weight management?
Exhaustive studies show they aren't harmful in the quantities generally consumed by most people, and so aren't "bad" for us in the sense that they cause illnesses like cancer or diabetes, though of course they would be "bad" for anyone who has an individual adverse reaction, the same as any other food.
Since they provide zero nutrients they don't add anything useful to our diets, and so aren't "good" for us in terms of getting our daily minimum requirements of necessary macro and micro elements.
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Great 👍 points!0
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debrakgoogins wrote: »Fitness327wk wrote: »
It's interesting that the article doesn't provide a link to the actual scientific study. My initial thoughts would be that people in the study who were using artificial sweeteners were not eating in a defecit which led to their weight gain.
Yes, interesting and agree!
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Artificial sweeteners are not good they cause migraines and other issues..artificial sweeteners are a huge no no good alternatives are stevia, monk fruit and erithotyl.
While they may give you migraines, they absolutely do not give me migraines or any other physical problems.
I don't worry about them being harmful and enjoy them in moderation5 -
I am not going to feel bad adding Splenda to my hot tea. In one day I probably use eight packets. I have given up alcohol, dry January, for the month! I am saving a boat load of calories/sugar from my wine intake!3
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Fitness327wk wrote: »Do you think zero calorie artificial sweeteners create havoc on your diet?
No...I dont.3 -
I'm convinced they do. I had a diet coke at the Golden Corral all-you-can-eat last night and I am up three pounds.Fitness327wk wrote: »Do you think zero calorie artificial sweeteners create havoc on your diet?
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Fatty_Nuff wrote: »
I'm convinced they do. I had a diet coke at the Golden Corral all-you-can-eat last night and I am up three pounds.Fitness327wk wrote: »Do you think zero calorie artificial sweeteners create havoc on your diet?
Hahaha....damned diet coke...lol😂0 -
If artificial sweeteners spiked my insulin, I wouldn't be able to slam half a dozen zero-calorie drinks every day and detect ketones in my urine. I do both.3
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I typically use about twelve packets a day of Sweet-n-low in my tea. I am trying to lose ten pounds in order to get back to my goal. I have been reading articles and great hearing from all of you! I think its so much better for me to drink my hot tea with artificial sweetener than the wine I was drinking at night. I have given up my vino for January and most likely February until I reach my goal (may have a few glasses in Feb).
I am really watching my sodium intake in all of my foods; however, sill feeling a bit bloated. Well...while reading that artificial sweeteners can bloat you. HEY, no calories and I don’t get migraines or any other problems. I may be wrong of correlating sweet-n-low and feeling bloated.3 -
Fitness327wk wrote: »I have read articles that artificial sweeteners can cause belly fat. It makes NO sense to me as it has zero calories!
However in this article it at least says the following:
When consumed in low quantities, artificial sweeteners have been shown to aid weight loss, improve metabolic conditions and even protect against injury during infection. However, this new study suggests that, rather than keeping us healthy, artificial sweeteners, especially when consumed in larger doses, could be contributing to the obesity epidemic.
Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/artificial-sweeteners-may-make-you-fat-180968552/#YM7fmIs8LzmPiLzq.99
The reason it makes no sense is because it's a myth.4 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »Too much aspartame gives me headaches (more than one drink per day containing it), and I hate the taste of xylitol. Other than that, I haven't found any artificial sweeteners to be bad for me.
Sorry to be "that guy" and nitpick but given how much miscommunication and misunderstanding is out there on this topic I thought it worth pointing out that xylitol is not "artificial" at least in the way that "artificial" is typically used in the public to mean not derived from a natural product. Xylitol is produced by plants and is manufactured by purification from plants.
That said the use of the terms "artificial" and "natural" by the public can be somewhat arbitrary with some "natural" products actually undergoing more processing than the "artificial" ones.4 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »Too much aspartame gives me headaches (more than one drink per day containing it), and I hate the taste of xylitol. Other than that, I haven't found any artificial sweeteners to be bad for me.
Sorry to be "that guy" and nitpick but given how much miscommunication and misunderstanding is out there on this topic I thought it worth pointing out that xylitol is not "artificial" at least in the way that "artificial" is typically used in the public to mean not derived from a natural product. Xylitol is produced by plants and is manufactured by purification from plants.
That said the use of the terms "artificial" and "natural" by the public can be somewhat arbitrary with some "natural" products actually undergoing more processing than the "artificial" ones.
Noted. I, personally, lump everything that isn't sugar (or honey, I suppose) into the "artificial sweetener" pile. That's on me.2 -
While we're being pedantic, aspartame is not zero calorie, even though it is an artificial sweetener. It is just ludicrously low calorie because the peptide involved is about 200× sweeter than simple sugars on a per gram basis.0
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magnusthenerd wrote: »While we're being pedantic, aspartame is not zero calorie, even though it is an artificial sweetener. It is just ludicrously low calorie because the peptide involved is about 200× sweeter than simple sugars on a per gram basis.
Yup...its about the same calorically as protein because it is basically just a methylated dipeptide. Its about 4 cal per gram but the amount necessary to sweeten things is typically measured in miligrams...so like you said its pretty negligible.4 -
Gold within this here thread: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1308408/why-aspartame-isnt-scary/p1
If by wreaking havoc you mean able to drink a flavorful beverage without going over my caloric budget...
The testing that any drug or food additive has to go through is monumental and requires that no causative effects are associated within your subject population, but correlative effects as well.
That thread and this one= Mind. Blown. I've been taught that aspartame was the devil, equal causes cancer and that although it wasn't good either, Splenda was the best option besides Stevia if you can't take the aftertaste but that basically any artificial sweetener could do more harm than good, so for someone like me that loves sugar it's been hard to cope with cravings and I've avoided anything w aspartame, like Diet coke and sugar free candy, etc like the plague, being of the school of thought that if I needed a sugar or soda fix to just have the "regular sugar" stuff and allow for that in my daily calorie count. Maybe I should try it and see how it goes, I do have migraines already tho so hope it doesn't pick me to affect. Lol6
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