For a person who wants to shed extra pounds and get back into shape, a common advice given is to cut down on Sugar (Sucrose) and Fats in the diet. Cutting down on fats is relatively easy but for a common man, omitting sugar from diet becomes very difficult. It will not be wrong if we say that our taste buds are addicted to the sweet taste. For people suffering from Diabetes the situation is even worse, they just can’t afford to eat sweet in their diet if they want their blood sugar to remain under control and avoid complications.
To overcome this the concept of sugar substitute and artificial sweeteners came forward. These artificial sweeteners provide almost none to very less calories and are structurally not related to sugar. At the same time, they are intensely sweet in taste, even sweeter than regular sugar! They are widely recommended as an ideal option for the Diabetic and health conscious people to let them enjoy a sweet taste without consuming sugar! Sounds good! But is it healthy? Unfortunately, the answer is NO
The regular consumption of an artificial sweetener can actually make a healthy person Diabetic, and for an already diabetic person it can worsen the blood sugar control and invite many complications.
Artificial sweeteners induce an Insulin resistance. Hormone Insulin plays a key role in the effective metabolism of blood sugar and its proper utilization in the tissues within body (Liver, Muscle, etc.). In the situation of an Insulin Resistance, Insulin fails to effectively metabolize and utilize the blood sugar, which can manifest as a persistent high blood sugar level and Diabetes.
The following Infographic explains how the consumption of Artificial sweetener can actually worsen your Diabetes or even make you Diabetic
