Most Americans today consume about 20 teaspoons of sugar on a daily basis through sugar cereals, sweets, processed foods and more. People who are diabetic and obese tend to utilize artificial sweeteners to help cut down on calories. Some common artificial sweeteners are saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, neotame and acesulfame potassium and are found in diet foods, processed foods, diet and flavored beverages, gum and more. Wait until you see what studies have actually shown…
Studies at Harvard and Stanford have shown that people who consume artificial sweeteners on a regular basis actually crave more sweets and lean more towards artificial foods over nutritious foods and ultimately put on more weight. Other studies showed that people who drank diet drinks on a daily basis had a 36% increased risk in Metabolic Syndrome, a 67% increased risk for Type 2 Diabetes, and may double your risk for obesity; diseases that many people are trying to prevent or control by using artificial sweeteners.
Current research has demonstrated that artificial sweeteners can worsen insulin sensitivity to a greater degree than sugar itself, which may be a hidden threat to those trying to manage diabetes. In the Journal Diabetes Care, participants that drank sucralose (common substance in Splenda) before glucose had 20% higher insulin levels than participants who had only consumed water before consuming glucose. It concluded that artificial sweeteners were related to an enhanced blood insulin and glucose response, which could become detrimental to people with diabetes.
The best recommendation is to limit sugar intake in its entirety and try to control sweet cravings in your diet. Some more natural sweeteners are turbinado/raw sugar in its unbleached state, coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, and monk fruit. Stevia is a plant-based sweetener that has been shown to not have much affect on insulin levels. Stevia should be purchased in its natural state, such as a powder with no additives. One concern about Stevia is that it is related to ragweed and people who are allergic to ragweed, may have some allergies when taking Stevia.
Be cautious when consuming foods with artificial sweeteners. They are added to a wide variety of foods and beverages consumed in America on a daily basis. Consuming large amounts of them can lead to increased risk of diabetes, obesity, heart disease and metabolic syndrome.