Do you want to reduce your blood sugar levels? Then cut down on your sugar intake. Use artificial sweeteners instead; drink this diet soda; eat this sugar-free cake. Artificial sweetener is better than the real thing for Type 2 diabetics, right?
Or so you think.
Below are three reasons why you should avoid artificial sugars.
#1 – Increases food intake.
One study revealed that sugar substitutes increase your food intake, which then results in weight gain and fat accumulation. Moreover, artificial sweeteners also affect the way our body naturally regulate blood sugar.
Our body has a natural and predictive way of regulating blood sugar and promoting glucose homeostasis. Now, artificial sweeteners are thought to disrupt this natural process and interfere with the way our body has learned to metabolize sugar, resulting in metabolic problems.
#2 – Induces glucose intolerance.
Just because the artificial sweeter is low in calorie doesn’t mean that it is safe for long-term use. In fact, one study has shown that non-caloric artificial sweeteners can actually result in glucose intolerance.
The researchers found out that these non-caloric artificial sweeteners disrupt the way our gastrointestinal microbiota function, altering their metabolic pathways and making us more susceptible to metabolic problems, including glucose intolerance. Additionally, non-caloric artificial sweeteners also cause dysbiosis or an imbalance in the gut’s microbiota, which can also contribute to metabolic problems.
#3 – Increase cardiometabolic risks.
The popularity of artificial sweeteners made us think that they’re okay and safe to use as real sugar substitutes. However, one recent study revealed that they increase cardiometabolic risks.
Based on numerous citations, including trials and clinical studies, they found out that artificial sweeteners have no beneficial effects on the body mass index (BMI) but actually increased weight gain and the waist circumference of the participants involved in the studies. Furthermore, the participants were also at a higher risk for the development of obesity and Type 2 diabetes as well as heart problems including hypertension.
With these studies showing that artificial sweeteners aren’t really good for you, you need to cut down on your intake of these sweeteners and start lowering your blood sugar the right and tested way – avoidance of too much sweet, a healthy diet, and regular exercise.
[expand title=”References“]
Experience with the high-intensity sweetener saccharin impairs glucose homeostasis and GLP-1 release in rats. URL Link. Accessed July 18, 2017.
Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota. URL Link. Accessed July 18, 2017.
Nonnutritive sweeteners and cardiometabolic health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies. URL Link. Accessed July 18, 2017.
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