A new study by the Journal of Behavioral Neuroscience has conclusively show that using artificial sweeteners not only does not prevent weight gain, but may actually help you gain weight.
Researchers fed one group of rats yogurt sweetened with sugar and another group of rats yogurt sweetened with saccharin. The total amount of food eaten dramatically increased in the artificial sweetener group. After 14 days, the saccharin rats gained weight, had increased body fat and a slowed metabolism.
The researchers believe that artificial sweetener increases your appetite. Yikes! They say any sweet taste will signal your body that calories are on the way and trigger hormonal and metabolic responses (i.e. hunger). When you consume non-nutritive or non-caloric sweeteners, like aspartame or saccharin, you are tricking your body and you will feel hungrier and eat more.
Being on a low-carb diet, I find this study pretty disturbing. I guess I'll have to re-think how to get my sweet fix.
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