Are artificial sweeteners that bad for you?

I get that question and hear it alot.

What’s worse? The regular sugars out there that spike insulin levels and cause fat gain or the artficial sweeteners out there that seem to be linked to so many different diseases and problems?

These may seem like the perfect dieting aide.  After all, they’re calorie free, will add extra sweetness and flavour to your foods, and will help kill cravings fast.

But, before you go off adding whatever sweetener you place, you need to realize that not all sweeteners are created equally.

If the truth is told there are some that can be very good for you and some that can be very harmful.

Learning the difference is vital for your success.

Let’s have a look at what you should know.

The Negative Side Effects Of Sweeteners

The very first thing that you’ll need to understand is the negative side effects of sweeteners.

While these will impact different people differently, the most commonly reported side effects include headaches or migraines, feelings of stronger food cravings or hunger after consumption, intestinal discomfort, bloating, gas, as well as diarrhea, and some people do believe that certain sweeteners can increase your risk of cancer.

While there is mixed evidence as far as the science goes with regards to whether this is accurate, you really want to ask yourself whether you’re willing to change it.

Some of the sweeteners that aren’t completely artificial in nature will also provide calories and simple sugars, which will then set you up for blood sugar highs and lows as you go about your day.

This can then make it very difficult to control your food intake and would really serve to just take away from the benefits you were receiving from your fat loss diet plan.

If you’re adding simple sugars, you’ll be turning to simple carbs all day long in an ongoing battle with hunger.

Choosing Wisely

So which are the sweeteners that you should choose?

You want to think natural.

Any sweetener that has very natural origins is likely to be much healthier for the body and will work with you rather than against you.

This includes using stevia, organic evaporated cane juice, maple sugar flakes, sucant, agave, Xylitol, as well as organic honey.

Stevia is actually used in this awesome smoothie recipe you see me holding here.

The Thermoccino Smoothie << click for recipe

Note that some people do have negative reactions to Xylitol so you’ll have to try this one out for yourself as see how it impacts you.

Now the ones that you should add to your avoid list that you need to stay away from if you want to see top results include brown sugar, table sugar,  Splenda, aspartame, as well as any of the variants such as Sweet ‘N Low or Sugar Twin.

Consumed in large quantities, these can have a very negeative effect on your health and set you on the wrong path.

These are only going to set you up for negative health problems and could cause tooth decay as well as all the other issues that we listed above.

So there you have the main facts to know about sweeteners.  There are so many on the market that it can get confusing at times which will be best for you to choose, but by making an informed decision, you can feel confident that you’re going to see best results as you move ahead with your diet plan.

That being said I am always a big fan of moderation and I consider (ok) to consume artifical sweeteners occasionally if that is all you have access to and as long as it not something you do everyday.

Again everything that is consumed in excess is never good for you it is all about balance and the same thing goes for sweeteners.

What is your favorite sweetener?

Karine