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Sugar Verses the Artificial Sweetener

We have all grown up being told that getting too much sugar isn't good for you. As an adult, capable of making your own decisions concerning sugary treats, you may have tried to skirt this issue by opting to go for the artificial stuff, expecting it to be healthier for you. But are the manmade sweeteners really better than the natural sugar choice?
Well let’s review the options. First, compared to artificial sweeteners, real sugar has more calories. So, when consuming products containing real sugar, it may be difficult not to exceeding your daily calorie count thereby making it easier to gain weight.
However this doesn’t give you free license to consume unlimited amounts of foods made with artificial sweeteners, either. One reason people who primarily consume artificial sweeteners wind up gaining more weight than their real-sugar-eating counterparts is because they rely solely on the fact that an artificial sweetener has fewer calories. As a result, they mistakenly believe that they can eat more - cookies, cakes, and other foods that are unfortunately still filled with useless calories.
Secondly, when sugar alternatives first hit the market, there was a big scare that artificial sweeteners were linked to cancer. Although a number of careful studies have been performed to disprove this idea, they have not been able to definitely prove or disprove a link between cancer risk and the use of artificial sweeteners.
On a side note: While the jury is still out, early testing has found that use of aspartame may actually give your health the upper hand. In a study at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, researchers found aspartame to be useful in providing pain relief to individuals suffering from sickle cell anemia, osteoarthritis, and multiple sclerosis. Only time will tell if these initial findings will hold up and artificial sweeteners will one day be used as a medical therapy.
In the mean time, as with all things, moderation Is key
For most people, big weight fluctuations or health problems won’t result from choosing to eat natural sugar over the artificial counterpart. The real trouble will stem from general over eating. Stay safe with your sweets by avoiding too much of any good thing.
Until next time - Live Life Well,
John Aaron Villarreal
johnaaron-massage.com
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PS: If you've ever seen sugar right off the cane, you know that sugar is naturally yellow or brown in color. So how do they make that pure, white color for the sugar you may use every day? It’s done through a bleaching process. In other words, the “white” sugar you use in your tea is “technically” an artificial sweetener. Want nothing but nature? Better make sure your sugar is brown or yellow.
The content and information on this site is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Please consult your physician prior to starting any exercise or diet program.
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