We have been hearing for
quite sometime that artificial sweeteners are bad for you but on September 18,
2014 news about a study done by Eran Elinav MD and Eran Segal PhD of the
Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel spoke at a press conference held by the
health magazine Nature.
Artificial Sweeteners Cause Weight Gain and Diabetes
It seems that the scientists
have discovered that the very substances that dieters thought were helping them
lose weight were doing the opposite. The
research done suggested that artificial sweeteners including saccharin a.k.a.
Sweet’N’Low, sucralose a.k.a. Splenda and aspartame a.k.a. Equal and Nutrasweet
caused blood sugar levels to skyrocket in studies done in both humans and mice.
When mice were given artificially
sweetened water over a period of weeks the ice became almost diabetic and their
blood sugar levels were higher regardless of whether or not they were eating a
high fat or low fat diet.
The reason human blood sugar
rises when ingesting these substances is because these sweeteners have the
effect of dramatically changing the microorganisms in the gut that help you
absorb nutritional components from food.
In addition, they found out that the suppression of these microorganisms
in the human gut could also lead to compromised immune function and more susceptibility
to illness in general. [1]
This is not just a matter of
a substance affecting a few cells in the body. The microorganisms in your gut
make up for about four pounds of your body weight and even more if you are
overweight.
These findings really do beg
the question of whether or not any human being should go near a packet of
Splenda, Nutrasweet, Equal or Sweet’ N’ Low ever again.
What Is a Healthy Sweetener?
Thankfully people that are
on a diet still have two healthy sweeteners to choose from that, like
artificial sweeteners, have a zero calorie count.
The first type of sweetener
is Stevia that is made from the leaves of a plant that has 300 times the
sweetness of sugar but unfortunately is also known for its metallic, bitter or
licorice –like aftertaste. However,
there is one brand of Stevia called Truvia, available in most Loblaws stores in
Canada that seems to have remedied this problem. There is no aftertaste as is the case with other types of stevia.
Another recommended sweetener
that is actually healthy for your gums, tooth enamel, the middle ear and
digestive health is xylitol, which is technically a poly aclohol or sugar
alcohol. It is roughly as sweet as sugar but has 33% fewer calories.
Both Stevia and Xylitol have
been around for over a century and have been used as a safe substitute for sugar
for diabetics and individuals with hyperglycemia. Neither Xylitol or Stevia has
any known toxicity to human beings and both are considered safe in Europe, the
U.S. and Canada.
For more information
or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or
any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health
Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office
at (416)-656- 8100. We also have an office in Pickering,
Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer
any question that you have about our holistic health services
[1]
You can read more in-depth information about this ground-breaking study in an
article by Rita Rubin at WebMDHealth News at http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20140917/artificial-sweeteners-blood-sugar
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