In fact. some research shows they make your waist bigger.
A new study has found that artificial sweeteners, such as NutraSweet, Stevia or Splenda, won’t help you lose weight, NPR reported Monday (July 17) , citing a study by the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
The CMAJ study, released Monday, states: « Nonnutritive sweeteners, such as aspartame, sucralose and stevioside, are widely consumed, yet their long-term health impact is uncertain. We synthesized evidence from prospective studies to determine whether routine consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners was associated with long-term adverse cardiometabolic effects. »
The study found that « nonnutritive sweeteners had no significant effect » on body mass index.
Not only that, CMAJ said medical research shows that « consumption of nonnutritive sweeteners was associated with increases in weight and waist circumference, and higher incidence of obesity, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular events. »
NPR reports: « There are a bunch of hypotheses for why artificial sweeteners may not promote weight loss or health. They may sharpen a sweet tooth, for example, prompting you to eat more sugary foods, or they may make you feel virtuous but then overcompensate later. »
Read the full NPR story here. And read the full CMAJ study here.
