Artificial Sugar

Artificial Sugar:
Healthy Option or Silent Killer?

By Jessica Zirbes

I know what you’re thinking. “My daily Diet Coke and Fat Free Oreos aren’t going to hurt me.”

Did you know that the average American consumes 24 POUNDS of artificial sugar every year? Our daily artificial sugar consumption adds up. In addition to the sugar packets found on dinner tables and beverage bars, they are widely used in processed products, including baked goods, soft drinks, yogurt, powdered drink mixes, candy, puddings, canned foods, jams and jellies, dairy products, and other foods and beverages.

Here are two reasons why you should STOP using artificial sweeteners.

They are making you fat.

Most of us consume Splenda or NutraSweet to avoid calories, thus maintaining our waistlines. Right? The truth is artificial sweeteners are impairing our body’s ability to naturally regulate appetite. Artificial sweeteners are between 50 and 600 times sweeter than real sugar, which means that its users will need more to satisfy their craving. Our taste buds are quickly becoming desensitized, while our waistlines increase. Did you know that drinking diet soda may be doubling your risk of obesity?

They are making you sick

A group of doctors examined the influence of sugar-sweetened and artificially-sweetened beverages on kidney function decline in a group of 3,000 female subjects. This investigation reported “a significant two-fold increased odds, between two or more servings per day of artificially sweetened soda and faster kidney function decline; no relation between sugar-sweetened beverages and kidney function decline was noted.” This research was conducted by Julie Lin MD, MPH, FASN and Gary Curhan, MD, ScD, FASN.

OMG! According to this study, consuming only two servings of artificial sweeteners daily increased kidney decline two-fold. I don’t think a Diet Coke is worth losing a kidney. Do you?

Aspartame was synthesized in1965 and was first sold under the brand name NutraSweet. It’s also known as Neotame, Amino Sweet and Equal. Aspartame is180 times sweeter than real sugar. It’s hard to believe that despite over 900 published studies on the health hazards of Aspartame – we still consume it. Aspartame can cause depression, blurry vision, ringing in the ears, migraine headaches and brain tumors.

High fructose corn syrup was introduced in 1957. Most people think that this sweetener is safe because it’s made from corn. Wrong! It may be made from corn, but it undergoes a complex chemical process just like the others. High fructose corn syrup can cause insulin resistance, Type 2 Diabetes, Hyperuricemia and a fatty liver.

Sucralose was discovered in 1976. Common brand names of sucralose-based sweeteners are Splenda, Sukrana, SucraPlus, and Nevella. Sucralose is approximately 600 times as sweet as real sugar. Sucralose can cause decreased red blood cells (sign of anemia), increased male infertility, enlarged and calcified kidneys and spontaneous abortions.

Saccharin (Sweet’N Low) and Acesulfane are also artificial sweeteners that should be avoided.
When you purchase food that is prepackaged or canned, CHECK THE LABELS. Avoid foods that contain the artificial sweeteners listed above.

Better sugar options

I will admit to having a sweet tooth. My daily sugar craving MUST be satisfied. Let’s do this together. Trade in your artificial sugar for these smart sugar options: Stevia, honey, agave nectar, real sugar and coconut sap sugar. You can also use Sugar In The Raw, which is unrefined and still tastes great without chemical additives.

Disclaimer: if you have insulin issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and/or diabetes you should avoid sweeteners altogether, including Stevia. But for everyone else, I recommend using Stevia in coffee, honey in tea and homemade breads and real sugar for oatmeal and baking.

Taken from: Health Nut Blog by Jessica Zirbes