An Honest Confession about…..Artificial Sweeteners — erinlamb

There have been animal studies showing effects on the gut microbiome, dysbiosis (an imbalance of bacteria), blood sugar issues + weight gain…but these don’t translate to humans. Human studies of artificial sweeteners are inconsistent: some show it’s beneficial as a sugar alternative, others show it’s NO good! Our gut is like a fingerprint – no two people peoples are the same which can explain why the information is conflicting, as everyone’s gut will respond differently to artificial sweeteners.

In the past – assessments on whether artificial sweeteners are safe to consume haven’t addressed the affects they have on the gut. There is constantly new research, but the initial FDA approvals were done at a time where we didn’t understand as much as we do today about the gut! This is why it is “safe” to consume although there can be negative long term effects.

From my experience with clients as well as myself – I have seen the benefits on their gut health + digestive issues when artificial sweeteners are removed. People will often become less tolerant to sugar by consuming artificial sweeteners. Although more research needs to be done, I don’t recommend using artificial sweeteners. 

What are your favourite foods that contain artificial sweeteners?