ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS NOT A HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

Headaches, mood changes, vision problems, insomnia, hallucinations, memory loss, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, hives, seizures, change in heart rate, abdominal cramps, rash, fatigue, diarrhea, and joint pain are all reactions that have been reported due to the artificial sweetener, aspartame.

Aspartame is one of the artificial sweeteners that is found in over 6,000 products ranging from toothpaste to diet soda. Research has shown that aspartame affects insulin sensitivity worse than sugar, which can lead to an increased risk for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.

Dr. David Ludwig, an obesity and weight-loss specialist at Harvard-affiliated Boston Children’s Hospital said,

“Sugar-containing foods in their natural form, whole fruit, for example, tend to be highly nutritious—nutrient-dense, high in fiber, and low in glycemic load. On the other hand, refined, concentrated sugar consumed in large amounts rapidly increases blood glucose and insulin levels, increases triglycerides, inflammatory mediators and oxygen radicals, and with them, the risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other chronic illnesses.”

There is no proof that consumption of artificial sweeteners causes multiple sclerosis, but due to inflammation caused by them, they could very well make symptoms worse or create new ones.

Because food companies are getting better at hiding artificial sweeteners in their foods, reading labels is of utmost importance. Artificial sweeteners to look for on labels are: acesulfame potassium, Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), Neotame, Saccharin (SugarTwin, Sweet ‘N Low) , Sucralose (Splenda), Cyclamate, and Advantame. These sweeteners are not limited to just foods such as carbonated soft drinks, pudding, powdered drinks, frozen desserts, chewing gum, toothpaste, cereal, yogurt, baked goods, gelatins, chewable vitamins, dessert mixes, sugar-free cough drops (or really “sugar-free” or “light/lite” anything), dairy products, jams and jellies, canned foods and chewing gum.

Don’t be discouraged and think that “the sweet life” is over as we know it. There are some natural sweeteners that, when used in moderation, are much safer than the artificial chemicals noted above. Switching from refined white sugar and/or artificial sweeteners to cane sugar, date sugar, coconut sugar, molasses, maple syrup, or sucanat would be a much healthier option.

If you suffer from any of the reactions listed above and are curious about whether your symptoms are from an artificial sweetener, the easiest way to tell is to stop consuming the sweeteners and see if your symptoms improve or disappear. Often symptoms will disappear and when an individual consumes the artificial sweetener again, those reactions return and leave no doubt about the culprit.

Do you use any artificial sweeteners?  Do you notice any symptoms when you do have some?  Did you realize how many foods and drinks they are in? 

Comment below your thoughts on this article. I personally think that we shouldn't be putting 'artificial' anythings into our bodies. If I had to choose I'd prefer to cut down my sugar intake instead of replacing it with chemical and unnatural substances. What do you think? Do you disagree? I'd love to hear what you think :)


Source
http://moderndayms.com/2015/04/artificial-sweeteners-not-a-healthy-alternative/