Does Saccharine Cause Overeating?
A new study seems to suggest that the artificial sweetener saccharine could be the culprit behind overeating and weight gain that plagues so many dieters. The new study could help explain modern research linking diet soda and obesity.
Many researchers, along with members of the food and beverage industry, put the blame on the consumer – it makes sense that people who consume diet products gain more, because they were struggling with their weight when they turned to diet products in the first place. But this research, led by Purdue’s Susan E. Swithers, took a novel approach to the problem. In the experiment, rats were given a snack of either saccharin-sweetened yogurt or glucose-sweetened yogurt, used because glucose is very close to the composition of sugar. After receiving the snack, the rats were given access to typical food. After a five-week period, the rats in the saccharine condition had gained 22% more weight than the glucose rats, consumed greater amounts of calories, and had 5% more body fat.
Though it’s too early to propose causality or make the leap to humans, the study does provide intriguing evidence that low-calorie sweeteners trigger biological or behavioral signals to overeat.
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Excellent info
I was wondering if Splenda would also fit into this category. I know sweeteners like saccharin or the other sweet poison, Equal, cause weird reactions in my body, from strange headaches to my eyes turning very red. After stopping with these, those symptoms went away. However, with Splenda, I have no kind of reactions. I could see that behaviorally, any artificial sweetener may trigger psychological justification (although probably not consciously) to eat more of something. I just hope that they don't find out anything bad about Splenda, because then I'll have to drink water and carrot juice for the rest of my life. Sodas I don't drink, but I use Splenda for my morning ritual of cappuccinos.
Beverly
Yes I second...
that great article.. Making me aware of how much sweetner I use, mmmmmmm WOW?
Thanks again!!
Sean Aka "SUPERMAN"
"FIT LIFE"
Great article Nick thank
Great article Nick thank you.
Very interesting.
Nick I had read this article on Friday and was running out the door so I forgot to respond. I think this is a very interesting study. You know my appetite over the past week and a half has increased seemingly a lot. Ravinous looked at my nutrition and wondered if maybe my metabolism is just speeding up causing my increased hunger. But I also started making "home-made chocolate". The ingredients are Cocoa and Splenda with water. I'm wondering if perhaps this excess Splenda (I'm consuming a lot more than normal now) has possibly shut off my "your-full!!" alarm. Or if im just needing more food.
My brother and I were aways wondering if the sweeteners were causing this, so its very thought-provoking that you came out with this article.
Thank you for the article And glad to see you back!!