Fatter Because of Artificial Sweeteners

It's better to stick with real sugar than use an artificial sweetener even if you are on a diet. This is because researchers at Purdue University in Indiana, US, have discovered that the sweetness from artificial sweeteners can send the wrong message to the body, prompting it to demand more food or burn less energy. This in turn causes weight gain.

The scientists, according to a report in the Daily Mail, fed some rats yoghurt sweetened with saccharin and others with yoghurt sweetened with glucose, a natural sugar. The rats fed the saccharin went on to consume more calories and put on more weight and body fat. Other artificial no-calorie sweeteners such as aspartame could have similar effects, the researchers said in the journal Behavioural Neuroscience, published by the American Psychological Association.

The findings drew criticism from the Calorie Control Council which represents diet food and drinks companies. It said that the study oversimplifies the causes of obesity, and that findings in animal studies might not be applicable to people, which the scientists acknowledged.

However, watch the real sugar if you are taking it, or leave it out altogether, as too much can lead to Type 2 diabetes, raising the risk of heart attack and stroke.