Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial Sweeteners Impact On Health :-
Artificial sweeteners are not food. They are completely synthetic. Any ‘food-like’ substance or chemical that we put into our body that is not from nature increases the toxic load we carry. Any chemical that makes its home in the cells of our body and hangs out for a while has the potential to damage our DNA. When the DNA of our cells gets all kaleidoscoped and we continue to feed ourselves disease-building processed foods, we don’t have what we need to reverse the damage. If our daily activities – which include the food we eat, way we handle stress our activity levels, our digestion and sleep – don’t work in our favour to repair DNA, to improve the integrity of our cell membranes and the efficiency of our own elimination pathways (poop, skin, liver, kidneys, lungs) then we are working towards building disease.
Here are some more details about the ways artificial sweeteners impact our health.
WEIGHT GAIN
As I mentioned earlier, doctors and the public consider artificial sweeteners a calorie-free option and believe that including them in our foods will allow us to lose weight and prevent obesity. “Sweetness decoupled from caloric content offers partial, but not complete, activation of the food reward pathways. Activation of the hedonic component may contribute to increased appetite. Lack of complete satisfaction, likely because of the failure to activate the postingestive component, further fuels the food seeking behavior.”
Essentially, what this means is when we have a sweet taste, our brains and bodies expect the calories to come. When they don’t, we keep looking for them. With artificial sweeteners, we may momentarily satisfy a sweet craving without spiking our blood sugar, but as a result of this fake out, we may find another craving not too long later as our body was all geared up for a little calorie action from actual food. Artificial sweeteners, therefore, can cause the soda-pop sippers to either keep sipping or keep snacking, both of which are vicious cycles.
CANCER
There is a body of research, mostly conducted on animals, that indicate artificial sweeteners are linked to tumor growth and cancer development.
DIABETES
Proponents of artificial sweeteners claim that they are perfect for diabetics because they don’t impact blood sugar levels. But just like the weight loss claim, this is another ‘benefit’ that has proven false.
DENTAL CARE
Artificial sweeteners are used in conventional and natural toothpastes to make them taste better without causing damage to our teeth. One could make the argument that xylitol, a sugar alcohol often found in toothpaste and chewing gum, isn’t carcinogenic and can help prevent cavities (though xylitol can cause diarrhea in large amounts, and don’t give it to your dog because it’s toxic to them).
“By far the biggest use of sugar substitutes is made without concern for teeth or gums.” Most artificial sweeteners are used in diet drinks and other low-fat, low-calorie treats, which may contain other ingredients that damage our teas citric or phosphoric acid.
Also, dental health isn’t just about what comes directly in contact with our teeth or what Artificially-sweetened key lime pie yogurt just isn’t a food that I would consider an important part of the dental health picture.
OTHER HEALTH RISKS
There is an extensive array of ways that artificial sweeteners may impact our health. Investigations show they can also:
*Cause neurotoxicity and neurological symptoms
*Lead to kidney decline
*Trigger migraines
*Cause DNA damage
*May accelerate ageing
*Affect our ability to learn and emotional functions
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