When the researchers conducted spatial learning and memory tests using the Barnes maze, the aspartame mice at four months consistently moved more slowly and covered less distance during training than animals in the control group. They also took nearly twice as long on average to locate the target escape hole, showing impaired memory recall (however, this was inconsistent and not seen as statistically meaningful). By eight months, performance gaps widened even further, with two out of six aspartame-treated mice failing to complete the task at all.
It makes you dumb, unfit and fat (around the organs).
Here’s the actual open-access study instead of clickbait tabloid trash. One of the study’s conclusions is pretty chilling:
I always tend to avoid stuff with the “Diet” or “sugar free” labels, just for this reason.
And it didn’t require a study to convince me that random stuff that is not a part of nutrition, is better off being out of a regular diet.
But it definitely takes a study to validate my concerns.
Exactly my reasoning as well. My body knows what sugar is and how to handle it.
The big problem with diet sodas is that the pancreas is activated by the taste of sweet, not just blood sugar levels. People drink gallons of this garbage a year and diabetes rates only go up.
My understanding is this is just with sucralose. You can easily validate this yourself with a continuous glucose monitor. Diet sodas have their problems and the one in this article is particularly concerning but they don’t typically trigger insulin responses.
The continuous glucose monitor shows only glucose; I’d love a continuous insulin monitor.
Fiber also has no nutritional value.
Fun little technicality. It won’t provide energy, fat or protein, but it does serve an important function nonetheless. Does that count as “value”? Depends on who you ask.
The important function of artificial sweeteners is to make food taste good.
The important part of taste is to tell if food is good.
Similarly for smell.
Thanks to capitalistic food engineering, that doesn’t work very well.
And the important function of fiber is to provide satiation, as well as playing an important role in digestion.
Artificial sweeteners are valuable for those who are unable to resist sweetness but need to reduce sugar intake, but fiber is actually an important nutritional component. People take fiber supplements for good reason.
I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not a good idea to test your willpower all the time. If your healthy lifestyle mostly depends on sheer willpower, you’re playing this game on hard mode.
If you want to reduce your sugar intake, simply don’t fill the pantry with cookies, candy and cake. Buy healthy stuff instead. When sugar cravings strike, you don’t really have any unhealthy options available, so you’ll end up eating something better. Think of it like a framework that supports your desire to live a healthier life. Sooner or later, your willpower will fail you, but you won’t end up violating your long term goals too severely.
Still a part of nutrition though, no?
I’ll also take this opportunity to point out that taking just fibre is not particularly useful either.
It only really makes sense when in conjunction with other substances in forms that come with traditional foods.
Eh fiber supplements can be massively beneficial. Yeah it’s better to get it naturally, but for those whose bodies need higher fiber than normal and those who aren’t willing to eat a naturally high fiber diet it’s a good option. There’s a reason some people swear by pscylium husk.
How so?
Natural fiber foods have other critical nutrients that benefit the host, as well as positive effects on the microbiome.
I wasn’t asking about what else might be in foods that contain fiber though. Artificial sweeteners can also be in foods that also contain nutrients.
keeps taking a liter of coke on a daily basis. You are missing the point entirely. Sweeteners are here not for the people that can live without Sugar but for those we can’t.
I have a few kilograms of sugar right now and I use it when I feel like.
Sugar maybe a sweetener, but not all sweeteners are sugar. Also, I don’t shy away from eating it when I feel like it.