Because weight loss is aided by calorie reduction, it would seem to make sense that using a zero calorie sweetener or artificial sugar substitute would boost your chances for losing weight. However, researchers have found that the opposite is true. So before you reach for that diet drink or sprinkle artificial sweetener over your fruit, consider the effect it may have on your weight loss goals.
Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are low-calorie substitutes for white sugar; they are added to foods to reduce the overall calories of the product. According to the University of Massachusetts, there are two types of artificial sweeteners: one made from sugar alcohols that have the same number of calories as sugar and noncaloric sweeteners made from a chemical process that does not involve sugar but rather a mixture of molecules that produce a sweet substance. Each sweetener that reaches the market has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, however, there is some disagreement about the safety of these products.
Prevalence
Zero calorie sweeteners, such as Nutrasweet and Equal, are found in a variety of foods and beverages that are marketed as "diet" or "sugar free." These foods include soft drinks, jellies, baked goods, candy, fruit juice, ice cream and other processed foods, such as cereals, chewing gum, puddings and gelatin. The number of products these sweeteners are found in makes it necessary to read labels before purchasing low-calorie products to ensure that you get what you want.
Weight Loss or Weight Gain
In several research studies, researchers have found that zero calorie sweeteners may trick the body and result in weight gain as opposed to weight loss. In a study reported in 2004 in the "International Journal of Obesity," researchers found that rats given foods with a zero calorie sweetener gained a significant amount of weight and did not control their eating habits. This study was affirmed in 2008 by researchers from Purdue University, who found that rats feed yogurt sweetened with zero calorie saccharin gained more weight, put on more body fat and continued to eat more later than rats that ate yogurt sweetened with sugar. Both studies require follow-up human studies.
Metabolic Syndrome
In a study published in the American Heart Association journal "Circulation," researchers lead by Ravi Dhingra found that adults who drank diet drinks had a higher incidence of metabolic syndrome as did children and adolescents who suffered from a higher incidence of obesity. The National Library of Medicine notes that metabolic syndrome is a series of factors that increase your risk of coronary artery disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is associated with extra weight carried around the middle of the body and the body's resistance to using insulin effectively.
References
- University of Massachusetts: Artificial Sweeteners
- MayoClinic.com: Artificial Sweeteners -- Understanding These and Other Sugar Substitutes
- International Journal of Obesity: A Pavlovian Approach to the Problem of Obesity; T. Davidson, S. Swithers; 2004
- Science Daily: Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Weight Gain; S. Swithers, T. Davidson; February 2008
- Circulation: Soft Drink Consumption and Risk of Developing Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and the Metabolic Sndrom in Middle-Aged Adults in the Community; R. Dhingra, L. Sullivan, P. Jacques, et. al.; June 2011
- National Library of Medicine: Metabolic Syndrome
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