- Stimulate your appetite
- Increase carbohydrate cravings
- Trigger fat storage
- Cause weight gain
In one recent study, saccharin and aspartame were found to cause greater weight gain than sugar.
If that doesn't make you pause and rethink drinking artificially sweetened soft drinks, what about the reported side effects? Huh?
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave the green light for aspartame to be added to carbonated beverages and extended approval to all foods in 1996. They consider the artificial sweetener safe for human consumption. However, on the FDA's own site, 75 percent of the overall complaints reported are adverse reactions to aspartame, which include—
- Migraines/headaches
- Seizures
- Respiratory difficulties
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Heart palpitations
- Numerous neurological symptoms (e.g., dizziness, blurry vision, memory loss, etc)
There are plenty of questions about the safety of artificial sweeteners. No need to belabor the danger. You can learn more from this article and video (Sweet Misery). The article also describes a process you can follow to determine if you are having reactions to artificial sweeteners.
Information is power.
As you know I recommend you avoid ALL artificial ingredients if you are trying to achieve and maintain optimal wellness. Anything artificial is a potential toxin to the body. Just don't do it.
If you were/are a consumer of artificial sweeteners, do you relate to the any of the symptoms listed here?
