5 Facts to Know About Artificial Sweetners
Artificial sweeteners are basically sugar substitutes used to sweeten foods. These are made from various chemicals to suit the needs of those suffering from diabetes and other sugar related problems. They are a favorite of those people who are dieting and are in a weight loss programs. Also, they are used by people who want to maintain their weight after losing it. Unfortunately, people are unaware of many things related to these sweeteners and they use them without consulting their doctors. Though these are not prescribed by doctors, yet one must consult a doctor before taking them. Here are some facts about artificial sweeteners.
1. They could be fattening
Surprised? This is a warning for all those people who are using artificial sweeteners to control or reduce body weight. For us, ‘sugar-free’ or ‘fat-free’ means it has low calories. But we are mistaken here. Artificial sweeteners when mixed with certain kind of foods can actually increase blood sugar levels and also increase your appetite. For example, when artificial sweetener is mixed with white flour, it increases your blood sugar. There are so many such combinations that could do you more harm than have a positive effect on your health.
2. They can be harmful to the brain
If you are diabetic or for some reason you are using an artificial sweetener, you must consult your doctor regarding the amount you can consume in a day. If ‘aspartame’ is taken in quantity that is more than what your body can consume, it can cause damage to the brain cells and thus cause tumors and also seizures. It is advisable to avoid diet soft drinks as well.
3. They are hazardous for lever and kidneys
It is scientifically proven that sucralose when consumed, breaks into dichlofructose which has not been laboratory tested and is not safe for humans. It can create obstacles in the functioning of liver and kidneys. Not only that, the long term use of artificial sweeteners (using sucralose), tend to harm the skin also. Rashes could appear on the skin and it can get damaged to a great extent.
