Artificial sweeteners, according to various media outlets, just might be the one thing that wipes us off of the face of the planet. While I wouldn’t go that far, I will say that there’s a strong relationship between artificial sweeteners and stomach fat. Since most people that read this blog read it for physique guidance and want to minimize bodyfat and increase muscle mass, I think it’s important to zero in on artificial sweeteners and stomach fat.
What’s up with that
While I can certainly get more technical and go into the research that points to artificial sweeteners being unhealthy for us and potentially causing cancer, I’m not going to. What I will say about the matter is that at times, common sense trumps all. The word artificial is the first word right? Anything that is artificial isn’t going to be the healthiest choice for us right? It amazes me that the same people that tell us that we shouldn’t eat bread are also the same ones that say “well there’s no research on artificial sweeteners and diseases”. Ahh research, it can be a deadly thing if you let it.
So you don’t want us to eat bread since it’s manufactured yet you think it’s ok to eat artificial sweeteners? It doesn’t make sense. So keep this in mind, if it’s artificial STAY AWAY FROM IT.
Artificial Sweeteners And Stomach Fat
Now that, that rant is over, onto the main point. Can artificial sweeteners lead to more stomach fat? Not directly but through a very strong indirect connection, according to a Purdue University study that was released in 2008.
Dr. Marie Savard, a ABC news medical consultant, has stated that artificial sweeteners tend to change your metabolic limits and brain chemistry.
The Purdue University study gave rats (they use rats since rats have shown the most similarity to humans in research studies) artificial sweeteners and found that those same rats had consumed more calories over the course of the day then rats that were not given the sweeteners.
The researchers stated that the rats core boy temperature (which rises when we eat) did not rise when artificial sweeteners were consumed which led to greater calorie consumption over the course of the day.
How it applies to us
Think about it for a second, if we’re dieting and drinking diet soda, since they have no calories, two things are actually happening. First, the only ingredients in these sweeteners are dextrose and maltodextrose, two very high glycemic carbohydrates. Not that big of a deal but when consumed through calorie free drinks and diet soda over the course of the day, they will matter. Not one or two drinks but a athlete on a ketogenic diet for weight loss or on a six pack diet or any low carb diet will certainly not factor these in.
Secondly, the researchers in the Purdue study theorized that since artificial sweeteners are sweet yet calorie free, the body will further crave sweet foods since it didn’t get the calories that it needed from the drinks.
Look at it this way.
While I’m sure people will argue since there’s not 1001 studies that show this, you need to ask yourself one question.
“Why am I putting a chemical into my body in the first place and why do I think that when it builds up over time, that it wouldn’t harm me?”
Still think that there’s nothing to artificial sweeteners and stomach fat?
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree with you as far as *most* artificial sweeteners, but there are a few exceptions in my mind.
For one, splenda is a sugar molecule, but slightly modified.
Somewhere along the way, a oxygen and hydrogen pairing is substituted for Chlorine.
From what I understand, the end product is C(12)H(19)Cl(3)O(8) and the body can\\\’t use it for energy, while the taste remains more or less the same (and in fact many many times sweeter in a pure form).
Stevia is a natural sweetener, so I\\\’m not sure if that would be counted on your list of chemicals that are harmful to the body.
What do you think about splenda?
thanks man for all the ideas and help
Yeah Jimmy, can you do a podcast or separate post on Splenda?
I’d love to know as well.
Sean,
Great idea, I’ll do one in the next day or two.
Hey. I got a 502 gateway error earlier today when I tried to access this page. Anyone else had the problem?