Artificial sweeteners are found in many diet foods, such as soda, protein bars, baked goods and canned goods.. They are significantly sweeter than sugar, contain few or no calories, and are not metabolized by our bodies because we do not have the necessary enzymes to digest them..

Although some sweeteners such as acesulfame potassium, aspartame and stevia are approved and widely used in the food industry, there is controversy about the safety of these sugar substitutes. Eat This, Not That explains what you should consider when consuming foods with artificial sweeteners and what effect they have on the body..

Conflicting Findings on the Effects of Artificial Sweeteners To date, there has been no convincing evidence that nonnutritive sweeteners negatively affect health, particularly weight, cardiovascular disease, or mood.. At the same time, due to limited data and research on this topic, potential harm from the consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners cannot be completely excluded..

Effects of Synthetic Sweeteners on the Brain Artificial sweeteners can cross the blood-brain barrier and affect hippocampal function, which impairs satiety sensitivity and appetite regulation.. This may lead to increased food consumption. Thus, limiting their consumption will help avoid possible changes and improve eating behavior.

Ability to alter taste buds In addition to interfering with hunger signals, artificial sweeteners can make the taste too sweet, causing the taste buds to become accustomed to a more intense taste.. This may reduce the enjoyment of naturally sweet foods, such as fresh fruit, and alter the perception of healthy bitter-tasting foods, such as whole grains or vegetables..

Impact on Gut Health Artificial sweeteners may disrupt the balance of the gut microbiota, which may contribute to obesity and metabolic syndrome in the long term.. This has been confirmed by a number of studies, including a 2014 paper published in the journal Nature.

Risks of Diabetes Artificial sweeteners can affect gut flora and impair glucose tolerance, which in turn can raise blood sugar levels and increase the risk of diabetes.. Therefore, you should control your consumption of sweets, giving preference to their natural sources..

Impact on Gut Bacteria Regular consumption of artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, sucralose and aspartame can change the composition of bacteria in the gut, increasing the risk of insulin insensitivity and weight gain. In addition, artificial sweeteners are not absorbed by the body, but are used to feed harmful bacteria, which leads to their growth. This can disrupt the balance of microflora and affect health.

Causes Other Gastrointestinal Problems Gut dysbiosis, which is common in irritable bowel syndrome, not only causes bloating and pain, but also reduces nutrient absorption, weakens the immune system, and increases the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases.. A study conducted on mice showed the potential effects of acesulfame potassium on the body of men. However, more research in humans is needed to gain a better understanding..

Contain calories Artificial sweeteners are divided into non-nutritive and nutritious. Non-nutritive alternatives contain no calories or carbohydrates, may be sweeter than sugar, and are made from plants. Nutritional sweeteners such as aspartame, although they may have fewer calories than sugar, do add calories to foods..

Triggers overeating Drinking diet soda with meals can make you want to eat more, even if it has no calories.. Artificial sweeteners activate sweet taste receptors, which increases insulin levels, similar to regular sugar.. This may lead to you eating more food, which may increase your risk of weight gain and heart disease..

Aspartame is not for everyone Aspartame is a popular sweetener that contains calories and is 200 times sweeter than sugar, so is used in smaller quantities.

In addition, when heated, aspartame loses its sweetness, so it is not used in baking.. People with phenylketonuria should avoid this ingredient because they cannot process phenylalanine properly..

Conclusions Artificial sweeteners may increase sugar cravings and affect body weight. It is recommended to limit the consumption of sweeteners and sugar, carefully monitoring changes in taste preferences. Reducing sweeteners may be beneficial for overall health.