Are Artificial Sweeteners Really Healthier Than Sugar?

Whether you're gulping down regular Coke or diet Pepsi, neither are probably going to benefit your health. In fact, both of these beverages are harmful in different ways.

The first has obvious health consequences. Regular soda consumption has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, which causes an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Yet many Americans have turned to artificially sweetened beverages in the hopes of losing weight without missing out on the taste of their favorite drink. Unfortunately, new research shows that calorie-free soda's laced with artificial sweetner's probably won't help you lose weight and they're not necessarily better for your health, either. 

"It is not uncommon for people to be given messages that artificially sweetened products are healthy, will help them lose weight or will help prevent weight gain," study author Susan E. Swithers of Purdue University said, according to a press release. "The data to support those claims are not very strong, and although it seems like common sense that diet sodas would not be as problematic as regular sodas, common sense is not always right."

Background information from the research shows that people who regularly consume artificial sweetners show abnormal activation patterns in the pleasure centers of the brain in response to sweet taste. This suggests that these products may not satisfy desires related to sweet cravings. Animal studies previously conducted also showed that mice and rats given non-caloric sweetners have dampened psyiological responses to sweet taste. This desensitization can cause rodents to overindulge in calorie-rich, sweet-tasting food and gain weight.

Recent findings even suggest that artificial sweetners increase the risk for health problems to an extent similar to sugar products and may exacerbate the negative effects of sugar.

"These studies suggest that telling people to drink diet sodas could backfire as a public health message," said Swithers, according to the release. "So the current public health message to limit the intake of sugars needs to be expanded to limit intake of all sweeteners, not just sugars."

What do you think? 

More information regarding the research can be found in a paper published in the journal Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism.