Listen to this article

Artificial sweeteners have remained quite popular during recent years. especially when we talk about the role of these sweeteners in better health. There is a general perception saying that these sweeteners are better than sugar etc.

The reason is quite clear and brands doing clever marketing in this regard deserves all the credit. People find escape in it especially the ones who have been recently diagnosed with diabetes have a sweet tooth and find it difficult to give up on sweets and other such items.

However, little did they know about the role of these sweets towards our overall health. I remember my father who was diagnosed with diabetes found his escape in artificial sweeteners and constantly experienced an increased blood sugar level. After visiting many best doctors in Karachi it was found that this inappropriate usage of these sweeteners was the cause that he was suffering from fluctuating blood sugar levels.

Concerning Facts about Artificial Sweeteners

You may consider these artificial sweeteners safe for everyday use, but here are some of the concerning facts about these artificial sweeteners you may need to know about;

1- You can experience increased appetite

Artificial sweeteners are lighter on your calorie budget but can go to your brain and cross the brain barrier. These sweeteners can affect the activity of the brain hunger center and change the way your body sends appetite signals. As a result, you might experience an increase in appetite thus consequently eating more and more food that definitely won’t save your calorie budget and you will end up exceeding your everyday calorie intake.

2- Not so friendly on your gut microbes

Gut microbiota is of concern whenever it’s about the impact of gut microbes on your overall health. These tiny microbes not only determine the way our body processes food but also help to fight the bad bacteria present in our food. So, in all these ways, the gut microbiota is important for our digestive and immune health but artificial sweeteners can negatively impact this gut flora. This alteration can be the reason for insulin resistance in your body that can be an important risk factor for type 2 diabetes in the future.

3- Artificial sweeteners can alter your taste buds

Food preferences can vary from person to person and certainly your taste buds are to be blamed for this. You may develop a preference for certain foods or flavours and you may end up picking those foods over others. You may be surprised to know but artificial sweeteners can change the way your taste buds perceive different tastes. Artificial sweeteners can change your taste buds in a way that you end up developing a preference for a sweet taste that will make you consume more calories thus affecting your body weight in the long run.

4- Artificial sweeteners may contain hidden calories

Many people start using these sweeteners because they need to go calorie-free. However, not all artificial sugars are completely free from calories. Artificial sweeteners usually come as nutritive and non-nutritive ones and may or not be calorie-free.

Nutritive sweeteners can add calories without you knowing it due to containing hidden calories. So, if you are a calorie watcher and keep each of your calories in the record, then this might be concerning for you. So, here you can read on labels carefully before starting to consume these regularly.

5- Artificial sweeteners can result in GI troubles

Gastrointestinal problems are next on the list when it comes to the side effects of artificial sweeteners. A few components in these artificial sweeteners can be harmful to your digestive health resulting in problems like bloating, abdominal pain alongside poor nutrient absorption in your gut. However, these effects of artificial sweeteners need to be studied in detail.

Bottom Line!

Artificial sweeteners have remained quite popular and every day more and more people are going after these. These sweeteners, though claimed to be harmless, can bring along several health challenges. The problem with these sweeteners is that the condition is poorly understood. You can add these sweeteners to your diet but only if you use them right. You can consult a physician to choose a sweetener for yourself.