What Are Artificial Sweeteners?

These are chemicals designed in the lab to “replace” sugar. They are made by chemically combining different molecules in a lab to mimic the flavor of sugary foods and beverages. Artificial sweeteners are often many times sweeter than real sugar. 

How Artificial Sweeteners Effect Your Body

1. Contributes to obesity

They contribute to obesity be negatively altering the gut microbiome, reducing satiety levels, dysregulating blood glucose, and causing you to eat more.

2. Increases cancer risk

Artificial sweeteners have been associated with increased cancer risk, especially acesulfame potassium, and aspartame.

3. Disruption of the microbiome

They also have been associated with disrupting the microbiome, and causing glucose intolerance.

Natural Sweetener Alternatives

1. Honey

Raw honey has been around sense the dawn of time. Our ancestors would use it anytime they can get their hands on it. Honey is the most enzymatically active food in the world. Enzymes are the catalysts in are body to unlock process, and make things happen faster. A benefit of honey is that it helps reduce allergies. This happens because it contains a small amount of bee pollen. This is what’s in the atmosphere, and causes allergies for many people. When you ingest it in small amounts, you will become less sensitive to it. This study show how high intake of honey can significantly improve overall symptoms of allergies.

2. Stevia

Stevia is derived from the stevia plant, and is much more sweeter than sugar by weight. We want to get things as close to their natural state as possible, and the drops are good for that. Stevia also may lower blood glucose.

3. Monk fruit

Monk fruit (Lo Han Guo) was first cultivated by monks, which is why it’s called monk fruit. It gets it’s sweetness form antioxidants called morgrosides.