Too Sweet to Be True?

Here’s a common question I get: What artificial sweetener do you recommend? Or another version of that question: Are artificial sweeteners bad for me? And here is my typical answer “Use them in moderation, many have have at least one study indicating they are harmful but so is aspirin or water if you over-consume either.”

Then the next question is “will I gain weight if I choose those over sugar? My doctor said that they’ll make me gain weight.” If you replace more caloric foods for less caloric foods, you won’t gain weight. However, continually consuming high intensity sweeteners (ahem, the stuff in those little blue, yellow, pink and now green packets) may increase your desire for sweet foods. I can definitely see that as a possibility though the research is equivocal. If you are pouring packet after packet into your oatmeal, smoothie, coffee or consuming these sweeteners like my niece does Lik-m-aid, I think you should be more concerned about your diminished sense of taste then the packets of stuff you are consuming.

Tomorrow I’ll give a more in-depth look at the differences between each sweetener. Of course, I’ll do this after I have my afternoon beverage of choice: tea or Coke Zero.