The Dangers of Artificial

By Editorial Staff

Too much added sugar is dangerous, pure and simple. (Too much natural sugar is also dangerous, but that's another story.) Thus the birth of the artificial sugar craze that has swept through just about every aspect of the food and beverage industry. These days, it may actually be more common to find foods / drinks with artificial sugar than the natural kind. Theoretically, that's a good thing, because too much sugar in your diet can lead to insulin resistance and eventually, type 2 diabetes.

But artificial sugar may not be the godsend it's cracked up to be. In fact, recent research suggests artificial sugar may have its own health risks. Published in Cell, the new study found that four sugar substitutes (saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, and stevia) raise blood glucose levels, and two (saccharin and stevia) alter the GI microbiome. The study involved 120 healthy adults who ingested artificial sugar for two weeks vs. taking a glucose pill or nothing at all.

It's important to note that per the study, the artificial sugar dosing was lower than the acceptable daily intake, which probably means significantly lower than the amount many people consume on a daily basis via diet sodas and the increasing variety of foods packed with artificial sugar. One can only imagine how higher levels of the artificial sugars under review might influence blood glucose and our gut microbiome.

The moral to the story: When it comes to sugar intake, less is more in terms of your health; and natural is better than artificial. Talk to your doctor to learn more.