There are so many artificial sweeteners out there that it's hard to keep them straight. And with all the information swirling around about the safety of each one, it can be hard to know which to choose. Are you a fan of sugar substitutes? Here's a list of the artificial sweeteners and the big pros and cons of each.
| Type of Artificial Sweetener | General Info | Pros | Cons |
| Sucralose (Splenda) |
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Want to see the rest of the list? Read on after the break.
If you're a fan of artificial sweeteners for weight loss then you may want to rethink it before you tear open a packet.
New research has found that saccharin altered the ability of rats to control their appetites. Why? Well apparently it is based on the subconscious. For most of us, a sweet taste is a sign that calories are on their way. The problem comes in when sweetness is not followed by calories. This can lead to confusion in the body's digestive system, and the metabolism rate may not gear up as much the next time sweetness is tasted. The result is that over time our bodies may learn to not expect much in terms of getting calories from sweet foods, leading us to consume more and more, artificial or not.
The semigood news? The head of an artificial sweetener trade group dismissed such claims, saying they don't translate to human behavior. Hum.
Me, I've never been a fan of artificial sweeteners for many reasons (mainly taste) but this just adds to my list of reasons to avoid them. What about you guys — do you regularly eat artificial sweeteners?
