Drop that diet soda! Artificial sweeteners (like Splenda) can actually be really bad for you. According to research conducted by Diabetes Care, these types of sweeteners can actually spike your insulin levels.
Artificial sweeteners were designed to be a less fattening, and similar tasting substitute for sugar (typically found in yogurt and diet soda). There are five sugar substitutes on the market which have been approved for consumer use. These include: neotame, saccharin, acesulfame, potassium, sucralose, and aspartame. The two most dangerous of the five are aspartame (also known as Equal or NutraSweet) and sucralose (also known as Splenda).
The same study found that those who drank a Splenda/sucrose solution before they drank sugar in a glucose drink had an increase which was 20% greater in insulin levels than those who only drank water and glucose.
However, scientists are unsure of the effects that sucralose, specifically has on the body – or what negative impacts it can have on your health. Although they’re unsure – they do find the insulin spikes to be concerning.
When insulin remains high constantly it can lead to insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes.
In short: Know that just because it’s diet – that doesn’t mean it’s a free pass.
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