2 risks of sweeteners that you did not expect

The sweeteners are sweet substances with few or no calories Used as an alternative to sugar. But not everything is the same. Each sweetener is a different chemical compound and its behavior varies in the body.

Now, a suspicion falls on everyone: that trick the body and that has its consequences.

1. Instead of losing weight, they make you fat

When we take a sweetener, the body associates the sweet taste with calories. In response, the production of the hormone insulin increases and the appetite is stimulated. The consequence is that can cause weight gainjust the opposite of what you are trying to achieve with your consumption.

We can offer at least two proofs of this phenomenon. The first is that farmers use sweeteners such as saccharin to promote fattening.

The second is the study carried out by Dr. Steven Stellman, from Columbia University (United States), with 80,000 women and who associates the consumption of sweeteners with weight gain.

2. They alter your intestinal microbiota

One of the metabolic processes altered by sweeteners has to do with the intestinal microbiota.

A study conducted with mice by researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel) found that saccharin, sucralose and aspartame cause modifications in the composition and behavior of the intestinal flora that are related to the tendency to obesity.

The most controversial sweeteners

Specific, aspartame has been linked to different symptoms, such as headaches, memory loss, vision disturbances and hyperactivity. In animal experimentation, it has caused cancer of the brain, lymph nodes, and urinary tract. But other studies have not confirmed these suspicions and there is no scientific consensus.

Refering to saccharin, the most popular sweetener in recent years, has a controversial history. In animal experimentation and at high doses it has been associated with bladder cancer, but the results have not been considered to be extrapolated to humans.

The dextroseFor its part, it is a form of glucose, a natural sugar obtained from wheat or corn.

The conclusion we can draw from all this data is that, in general, sweeteners should be avoided, especially the sweeteners that have more studies against them: aspartame (E951 and E962), acesulfame (E950) and cyclamate (E952).

However, the safest sweetenerssuch as steviosides (E960) or stevia powder, may occasionally be used in small amounts.

How to replace them

As a general rule, it is advisable moderate the presence of sweet taste in the dietalthough it comes hand in hand with natural substances such as whole cane sugar, honey or agave syrup.

The pleasure provided by this flavor can be obtained in a healthier way from certain foods. Can sweeten with fresh whole or dried fruit or vegetables like carrots. All these foods are sweet and also provide a good dose of minerals, vitamins and fiber.