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Last week, a bunch of sciblings wrote about a study from Purdue psychologists suggesting that high consumption of artificial sweeteners is linked to obesity. In the study—published in Behavioral Neuroscience in February—rats fed a sugar substitute gained significantly more weight than those fed regular glucose.
Not gonna lie: As someone who consumes those sweet yellow packets in high numbers, I was somewhat alarmed by these results. (Not that I've decreased my intake since, of course.)
Are y'all as addicted as I am?
Want to know the results? We'll publish them exclusively in next week's ScienceBlogs Weekly Recap—the fun e-newsletter that brings you the top posts, quotes, photos and videos from the previous week on ScienceBlogs. (Click here to subscribe to the newsletter.)
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Comments
Blecccchhhhhhhh. They all either taste horrible - saccharine tastes "chemical" (whatever that means, it's just plain weird) and Nutra-Sweet leaves behind a sickengly-sweet taste for 15 minutes - or are ridiculously expensive (Splenda) or both. The only artificial sweetener I could ever stand was cyclamate.
Besides, I doubt very seriously that a spoonful of real sugar in my morning coffee, or on my cereal, is going to kill me.
Posted by: themadlolscientist | June 16, 2008 3:41 PM
It's a good thing rat studies don't always tell you what's going to happen with humans ;)
http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/heightened-sense-taste-can-promote-weight-loss-16695.html
Posted by: Steve Higgins | June 16, 2008 4:04 PM
I'll be the eccentric data point.
Except for vodka tonics, i can count the number of times i've had soda with sugar, or coffee with real sugar, since about 1986. I can't stand the feeling of real sugar on my teeth, and i have no cavities. My sense of smell has never been so great, so i don't really notice the "chemical" taste.
Maybe i'm doing myself more damage this way than the extra pounds if i had several hundred more calories a day, but i put this firmly in the category of "things that stressing about are more trouble than it's worth" ;)
Posted by: yttrai | June 16, 2008 4:24 PM
Another vote for "Blech." I haven't tried an artificial sweetener that didn't taste awful. Same thing with the aftereffect of artichokes.
Posted by: rehana | June 16, 2008 11:02 PM
Ahhhhh Saaacharrriiinne, sweeeeet Saaacharrriiine .... (Think Gilda Radner / Jane Curtain duet for those sciencey types with a little mileage and a love of retro pop culture)
Posted by: Blinkin' | June 17, 2008 6:46 AM
Have never encountered an artificial sweetener that tasted even halfway edible. I'm not a big user of real sugar either, but then I don't seem to have quite as bad an addiction to sweets as some folks I know. My feelings about artificial sweeteners are along the same lines as the way I feel about vegetarian "meat" (e.g., tofu burgers): if you can't have or don't want the real thing why substitute a fake?
Posted by: Nan | June 17, 2008 8:53 AM
If I have a couple of regular cans of pop I feel crummy for a few hours. Kind of fuzzy. I hate the feeling and never drink sugared pop; always diet everything, and aspartame is my favorite sweetener.
Posted by: beecee49 | June 17, 2008 9:55 AM
I use a good bit of Splenda and the soda I drink is always diet. I'm not going to worry about it, sugar is not a realistic alternative and I do love a sweet taste.
Posted by: Eric | June 17, 2008 4:08 PM