A number of artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes are found in a variety of food and beverages. Some of the most common artificial sweeteners used in food products are Aspartame (which is about 180 times sweeter than sugar and its 1 g equals to four calories), Acesulfame potassium (around 200 times sweeter than sugar), Sucralose (the best sweetener which is almost 600 times sweeter than sugar) and Saccharin (around 300 times sweeter than sugar). Shushrusha Hospital Group states that there are various other sweeteners known as sugar alcohols like sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol which have less calories and are not as sweets as sugar.
Apart from offering a number of health benefits like regulating blood sugar levels, not contributing to tooth decay and cavities and helping in weight loss, artificial sweeteners have a number of side effects as well. They lead to a number of metabolic diseases and result in various dietary disorders as well. Some of the common side effects include:
Leads to increase in Weight
Artificial sweeteners are likely to result in increase in the weight as they increase your appetite and calorie consumption to a great extent. As a matter of fact, people tend to consume larger portions when they eat food having artificial sweeteners. The amount of carbohydrates present in food having artificial sweeteners is high as well.
One of the major causes of Diabetes
A number of metabolic changes are observed in the body due to the consumption of artificial sweeteners which increase the risk of diabetes. They also lead to the disruption in the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar. A research highlighted that the consumption of artificial sweeteners in high quantity instead of sugar is one of the main causes of diabetes.
High Blood pressure and cardiovascular disease
Consuming more than two artificially-sweetened food items in a day increases the risk of coronary heart diseases to a great extent. The risk of cardiovascular disorders also increases due to it.
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is considered to be one of the most common and major concerning issues. It basically includes the issues like increased blood pressure, high blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels. It results in high risk of stroke, heart disease, and other severe diseases. The consumers of artificial sweeteners on a regular basis have a higher risk of suffering from metabolic syndrome as compared to the non-consumers.
Makes the taste buds dull
The amount of sweetness present in the artificial sweeteners is a lot higher than normal sugar. As a result of the high intensity of sweetness present in the artificial sweeteners makes the taste buds less receptive to naturally occurring sweet foods, such as fruits. Also, when taste buds become less receptive, you tend to crave for sweeter food products.
Keeping in mind the harmful effects of artificial sweeteners, it is highly recommended to avoid the food that is artificially-sweetened. There are various natural sweeteners like honey considered to be the best sugar substitute without posing any threat to your health and wellbeing.
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