Artificial Sweeteners and Weight Gain
Do artificial sweeteners cause Weight Gain?
If you want to lose the extra weight, banish sugar cravings and improve your gut health you may want to consider getting rid of the pink, blue and yellow packets of artificial sweeteners that you are adding to your food and beverages. Studies show that people who consume artificial sweeteners are likely to be overweight and with type 2 diabetes.
They trigger your brain to create a cephalic phase insulin response because they are 1,000 times sweeter than sugar! They actually trigger the brain as if you are consuming sugar. As soon as your tongue is stimulated by the taste of artificial sweeteners, the tongue sends messages to the brain and you get a metabolic affect as if you were eating the real stuff, SUGAR! It’s a secondary metabolic effect.
There is an increase in insulin secretion which is known as cephalic phase insulin response, which stimulates a response of hunger and to eat more. This is the opposite effect of what we want with people who are trying to banish sugar cravings, lose weight and regulate their blood sugar levels.
In addition to stimulating an insulin response, artificial sweeteners also damage your microbiome which can lead to increase diabetes, obesity and altered brain activity impacting mood.
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