Hi all, question about artificial sweeteners.
To my understanding, the bad effect of artificial sweeteners “prime” your digestive system to get ready for something sugary. This messes up with your body and gut bacteria because they prepare for that spike in glucose but don’t actually receive it since there’s no actual sugar/carbs in the food.
If you consume artificial sweeteners with a meal or something else that has carbohydrates, does the meal cancel out the bad effects of artificial sweeteners since you provide your body with carbs? (e.x. drinking a zero-sugar Red Bull after a heavy meal)
also lmk if my understanding of artificial sweeteners is right/wrong
Many artificial sweeteners trigger an insulin response in your body which means that it is primed to eat sugar or sugary foods. Stevia and monkfruit are the only ones that don’t although technically those are not artificial. Saccharine, aspartame, and other sugar adjacent additives like maltodetrine will not only prime your body but cause an actual insulin spike.
Aspartame has been found to mess with your gut microbiome.
If you want to know what types of artificial sweeteners and additives do to your body, this Huberman Lab guy knows his stuff. All data and research based. This episode is all about sugar, artificial sweeteners, and how your body responds. Fascinating stuff!
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3bcL7bCXqKJaJdiiFIgbX8?si=8ezgksDYQga1zsY3E8amFQ (Neurobiologist and professor at Stanford medical school)
You mostly have the right idea on the artificial sweeteners (there’s another problem I’ll mention below). Here we’re wandering into theoretical territory though, because unless there are studies on it, we’re just using our intuition. The reasoning seems pretty good, but whether or not it’s right is a crap shoot without studies.
The other problem: not everyone responds the same and there’s a belief (as yet unconfirmed) that the composition of the individual’s gut biome may decide whether or not artificial sweetener are actually problematic.
Personally, I avoid artificial sweeteners entirely. They’re just too sketchy to me. I don’t use real sweeteners much either unless I’m making cinnamon swirl bread or Asian food (how is Asian food so healthy with all that sugar?). But it’s easy for me. I’ve never really had a taste for sweets. I prefer fat. Butter, cheese, more cheese, and then a big bowl of unsalted mixed nuts. That describes a pretty significant portion of my diet right there. lol.