A study in Australia found that artificial sweeteners increase hunger and lead to weight gain.
The taste tricks the brain into thinking it is getting a sugary high-calorie treat. When our bodies fail to get the energy boost our brains expect, they compensate for the shortfall by making us feel peckish and reach for more food.
This could be a blow to the billions of people who consume the calorie-free sugar substitutes hoping to lose weight.
It should be noted that the study was not done on humans!!!! It was on fruit-flies and mice. However, fruit flies ate 30 per cent more calories after days of being given food laced with an artficial sweetener called sucralose. The mice also ate significantly more. In the UK, sucralose is sold under the name Splenda, for adding to coffee and tea in tablet form. However, it is also found in other products, such as Heinz Salad Cream, Wrigleys Gum, Red Bull drinks and Robinsons Fruit Shoot drinks.
Importantly, the Australian study detected hyperactivity and insomnia as other symptoms. The leader of the study concluded: "when sweetness versus energy is out of balance, the brain recalibrates and increases calories consumed."
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