Tip 39: Sweet is sweet, no matter how you use it

I think we all get tempted by something sweet that adds 0 calories to our plate.

But think about it, doesn't it sound too good to be true?

Well, it is.

Tip 39: Whether you use sugar or a sugar substitute, the effects are still the same (if not worse)

Click "read more" to see 5 big reasons why splenda, artificial sweeteners, diet soda, and 0-calorie flavored water can do more harm than good to your waistline. 




Sugar substitutes can be just as bad as real sugar, if not worse.

1) Studies have shown that certain artificial sweeteners can actually cause cancer. Scary, right? There have been proven connections between lab rats getting cancer and the artificial sweeteners they are fed. There are also a plethora of proposed links to humans. Don't believe me? I'm not making it up, and heres my proof from The National Cancer Institute and MedicineNet (click on their names to open the links).

Setting aside that frightening bit of information, theres other reasons to worry...

2) Studies have shown that the consumption of artificial sweeteners can cause weight gain. This is exactly the opposite of what we aim for, right? Basically, what happens when you put anything sweet in your mouth, your taste buds signal to your brain (which then signals to your stomach) that you're about to eat something sweet. Then, if the sweet taste is artificial (aka 0 calories) you confuse your body. Your body ends up holding onto more of the calories that you eat. As a result, you end up eating more calories overall than you would have if you would have had a real sweetener. Then, you gain weight. Thats my basic explanation, but theres plenty of scientific research to back me up that you can read if you want the details. Heres my proof from ABC News/Purdue University, Science Daily, and WebMD (click on their names to open the links).

3) Do we even know how these "miracle" sweeteners came into existance? Maybe a better question to ask is, WHAT THE F$%K ARE WE EATING?! (Pardon my french. Haha.) For example, Splenda is made using chlorine. Yes, the chlorine you use in your pool and cause cause chemical burns. YUCK! Just a fun fact, Splenda (or rather, the chemical combination that makes up Splenda) was made when chemists were trying to create an insecticide. AN INSECTICIDE! Are you kidding me? And people EAT this stuff! Sorry, I got a little angry. Haha. I guess I'm just upset that the government approves such foods. Or that a company would sell it to people in the first place... :( See my sources from JStevens on Wordpress (who did their research), Amazon, SplendaExposed, and the Splenda company themselves, although they try to make it sound as good as possible haha (click on their names to open the links). 

4) Artificial sweeteners have been shown to cause cravings. (I know this kinda goes under #2, but I felt it was important to address on its own). As I explained early, when you taste sugar but then your stomach receives a fake, your body gets confused. This can lead to more hunger and food cravings, which quite often lead to overeating. See one of my sources at MedicineNet (click the name to open the link).

5) Many people can have allergic reactions to artificial sweeteners. Although not too common, it does happen. Especially since artificial sweeteners are not natural! See one of my sources at MedicineNet (click the name to open the link).

The bottom line! If you choose to have something sweetened artificially, be smart and keep it to one a week or less. It is preferable that you avoid them at all costs! Keep in mind, artificial sweeteners are very pervasive in our everyday foods- from soda and flavored water, to yogurt, candy, and countless other foods! Check the label! You should be checking it already anyway. :)


Side note: If you have an "addiction" to diet soda, and can't seem to go cold turkey, try to slowly decrease the number of drinks you have each day by one the first week, two the second week, and so on, so that you can "wean" yourself off of them. Another option is to mix regular soda with diet while you're doing the previously mentioned plan. GOOD LUCK! 


Stay safe, and healthy!


Just Another Whale,
MyzzLyzz