Is Artificial Sweetener Bad for Your Health? Research Says 'Yes'

Being that it's devoid of calories, many people assume that artificial sweetener better for their health than sugar. Just 1 tablespoon of sugar can pack up to 40 calories. The same amount of artificial sweetener, however, contains 0 calories. With that said, you can't determine whether a substance is good or bad for your health based strictly on its caloric content. While artificial sweetener doesn't contain calories, it may pose some risks to your health.

Raises Blood Sugar Levels

Even though it's not really sugar, artificial sweetener can raise your blood sugar levels. It essentially "tricks" your body into thinking that it's sugar. In response, your blood sugar levels will rise. Why is this a problem? Chronically elevated blood sugar levels can lead to diabetes as well as other serious medical conditions. To stay healthy, you must keep your blood sugar levels in check, which means avoiding or limiting artificial sweetener in your diet.

Weight Gain

You may even gain weight from consuming an excessive amount of artificial sweetener. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 40% of all adults are overweight. Unfortunately, many people assume that calories are responsible for weight gain. While calories often play a role in weight gain, as well as obesity, it's not the only factor at play. Artificial sweetener, for instance, doesn't contain any calories, yet it's been shown to promote weight gain. If you're struggling weight gain, you should avoid consuming this substance.

Increases Risk of Heart Disease

Studies have shown a correlation between heart disease and the consumption of artificial sweetener. People who frequently consume artificial sweetener are more likely to develop heart disease than people who rarely consume this substance. Considering that heart disease is responsible for more deaths than any other disease or medical condition, this alone should be reason enough to eliminate artificial sweetener from your diet.

Addictive

Like sugar, artificial sweetener can be addictive. Assuming it's a regular part of your diet, your body will become accustomed to having it. If you stop consuming artificial sweetener, it could result in a myriad of negative effects, such as fatigue, insomnia and even mood swings.

The bottom line is that you shouldn't assume artificial sweetener is better for your health than sugar just because it doesn't contain calories. It can still raise your blood sugar levels, promote weight gain, increase your risk of heart disease and pose addition problems.