Do Artificial Sweeteners Reduce Calorie Intake?

Does that ‘diet’ soda really help?

A recent study released by the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Diabetes Association (ADA)  on the role of nonnutritive sweeteners (NNS) and sugar intake indicates artificial sweeteners have a limited impact on sugar intake and could lead to consuming more calories per day.

Really?

Yes, it turns out drinking diet soda or using artificial sweeteners aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, neotame, and acesulfame-K, and the plant-based sweetener stevia (All approved by the Food and Drug Administration) didn’t decrease the amount of sugar people consumed.  In some cases people ate more calories and took in more sugar.

Why?

The researchers suspect a couple of factors are at work:

• The Treat Factor: If I’m good now, I can have a treat later.  This psychological factor may account for extra calories consumed later in the day.
• The Confuse Your Body Factor: The sweet taste without calories confuses your body into demanding more calories or failing to process the calories you consume.

So, how do you reduce sugar intake?

It seems simple, but don’t eat or drink as much sugar!  Watch out by sugar by another name: high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, fructose.  Look at the label and choose items with a few, easily recognized ingredients.  Even better, try water, fruits & veggies!!

Artificial sweeteners aren’t the answer to controlling sugar intake or weight – eating real, minimally processed food is.

She is a heart attack survivor and the author of the Busy Woman’s Guide to a Healthy Heart as well as 3 other books on wellness. She writes one of the top 50 health and wellness blogs and is a sought-after wellness & stress management speaker.

If you are planning a women’s wellness program, workplace wellness program or programs for healthcare professionals check out EmbraceYourHeart.com to see if Eliz would be a good fit with your organization.