When we choose them, we believe that we are doing something wonderful for our bodies. But consuming artificial sweeteners is anything but healthy. In fact, most often we are achieving the exact opposite of what we set out to do.
Many artificial sweeteners, like sucralose (brand name Splenda), have been found to not only lead to a diagnosis of cancer but also weight gain. Sucralose, in particular, also spikes insulin production and at higher levels in glucose-challenge tests.
When we eat sugar in its natural form, two things happen in the brain: dopamine and leptin are released. Dopamine activates your brain’s “reward center” and leptin informs your brain that you are “full” after a number of calories are consumed. Dopamine triggers the pleasure; leptin informs that we are full.
But when artificial sweeteners are used instead of sugar the brain is tricked into believing we are getting something pleasurable but, because the leptin is not released, we are never informed we are full. Therefore, consuming sucralose (Splenda) achieves the exact opposite of what we are trying to accomplish by consuming an artificial sweetener.
A 2010 review published in the Yale Journal of Biology & Medicine showed a correlation between the use of artificial sweeteners and a corresponding rise in obesity. More than 11,650 children between the ages of 9 and 14 were observed. The study revealed that with each daily serving of a diet beverage that contained sucralose an associated increase in body mass index resulted.
Further, research executed by the Ramazzini Institute linked sucralose to cancer, specifically leukemia. The findings prompted The Center for Science in the Public Interest to downgrade Splenda – or sucralose – from its “safe” category to one of “caution.” CSPI has since then downgraded Splenda from “caution” to “avoid.”
As I often state, when we choose what to put into our bodies it is always best to take the all-natural route. When we select artificial anything to put into our bodies – whether it’s pharmaceuticals or food additives – there are always consequences. In the case of artificial sweeteners like sucralose – as well as aspartame – we could very well be flirting with cancer.
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