According to a study done by the University of Texas, “people who drank diet soda were 65 percent more likely to be overweight than people who drank no soda and, more bizarre, they were more likely to be overweight than people who drank regular soda.” This is all due to artificial sweeteners in the things we eat and drink. Since way back to before WWI, the history of artificial sweeteners have shown us the positive and the negative effects of them, and what they do to your body. Through these things, we have learned just how artificial sweeteners can affect your body, in good ways and bad.
The history of artificial sweeteners is very extensive and complex. The first artificial sweetener discovered was saccharin. It was discovered accidentally by a chemistry assistant named Constantine Fahlberg. Fahlberg was working on new food preservatives and accidentally spilled some of the compounds he made on his hands. As he went home that night and ate his dinner, he noticed how sweet the compounds made the food he was eating. He then went back to his lab and created a bulk amount of the sweetener, which he named saccharin. According to the article “The History, Synthesis, Metabolism and Uses of Artificial Sweeteners”, “Saccharin was used as a sweetener only sporadically until the advent of World War I” (Hodgin). The increase in use of saccharin was due to the amount of real sugar we were sending to troops over in Europe. In 1960, several studies that were done on saccharin
It is commonplace that diet soda is an acceptable diet food. So many people believe that by drinking diet soda they will reduce their calories and sugar intake therefore, lose weight. Even though it is not natural sugar, artificial sweeteners are just as addictive. Cheryl Forberg R.D. author of Flavor First states, when the taste buds sense sweetness, the body expects calories to come with it. There are no calories in diet soda so your body is craving calories for energy, which makes you crave food and overeat, leading to obesity (Lajollamom). In addition, many diet soda drinkers feel that
The use of artificial sweeteners in beverages and food has been on a steady rise since 1969, the year it was authorized in the United States of America. The popularity of artificial sweeteners has been on a rise because of the benefit that it is a zero calorie sweetener .Even though artificial sweeteners have some great benefits many scientists believe that it causes adverse effects such as cancer, weight gain and depression. I strongly believe that consumers are not aware of the side effects of artificial sweeteners hence the increase in consumption since 1969.
In conclusion, there is nothing healthy about diet soda and it is simply water with artificial sweeteners and other additives, especially phosphoric acid. So the less soda you drink, the better. In addition, people should not keep sodas in their home such as refrigerator because it is a big temptation. Instead, people can put healthier options include fresh juice, low fat milk, green tea, hot chocolate, and ginger tea. Moreover, people should drink more water instead of reaching for diet soda. Liquid helps human’s body get rid of toxins that can cause a big risk for diseases like cancer. As you know, water has zero calories so it is one of the healthiest ways for people to stay hydrated. According to my research, people should drink at least
Think of the countless times at a restaurant you have been put on the spot to choose a beverage once seated by the waiter. Considering what you may have heard about sugar- free soda, would the possibly harmful affects it may have on your body outweigh the number of calories you may be saving by allowing you to consume a high calorie meal? To some, artificially sweetened carbonated beverages, such as diet soda, have the same delicious taste as regular soda, but only with the satisfaction of knowing the beverage spares calories to compensate in a high calorie meal. Some people enjoy nothing more than a nice cold glass of sugar-free and calorie free diet soda to wash down
What is your favorite soda? Coke? Do you know what is in soda? Cutting down on soda can lead to a healthy and better lifestyle. Studies show that soda, though it tastes good, has many negative effects that outweigh the positive effects. Soda, especially diet, is detrimental to the health of your body.
Are artificial sweeteners bad for humans and the environment? Many people eat artificial sugars and don’t even realize what is in artificial sugars or what they do to the environment. Sucralose is very bad for people and the environment and is not a good replacement for sugar. Some people may ask these questions. What is in sucralose and how to make sucralose? How does sucralose affect humans? How does sucralose affect the environment? Are artificial sweeteners really that bad?
After reading the article "Sweeteners: Facts and Fallacies" the alternative sweetener I have chosen is stevia. Upon the completion of reading facts on stevia, I refute the toxicology safety of consumer use on this alternative sweetener. According to the article "The Sweet Facts on Stevia" it was only sold as a dietary supplement in the 1980's after being linked to cancer and reproductive problems in animals. In 2008, stevia manufacturers petitioned the FDA until Reb A, the plants sweetest sugar molecule, was deemed "generally recognized as safe" or GRAS. "According to CSPI, the FDA did not perform the amount of testing usually required for GRAS status, and further testing on Reb A is needed (Palmer, 2013). With the number of different
Soda contains Phosphoric acid, which interferes with the bodies ability to absorb calcium and can lead to osteoporosis, cavities and bone softening. For steric acid also interact with stomach acid, slowing digestion and blocking nutrient absorption, which then leads to obesity. The xx obesity has on your body is astronomical. For example, you could have hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, joint problems, cancer, stroke, liver and gallbladder disease, gynecological problems. “osteoporosis & sodas (softDrinks): phosphoric acid and other causes.” WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 18 march. 2018.)
People nowadays generally believe that, by simply consuming artificial sweetened food product like diet soda instead of naturally sweetened food product could help them researching their weight loss goal without changing any of their dietary habit. Most of them had gain this knowledge through advertisements on television, magazine, or the internet. America, being the highest soda consumption country, average on 170 liters per year per person, has the most serious obesity problem in the world. According to JAMA Internal Medicine, 75 percent of men and 67 percent of women ages 25 and older are now overweight or obese. Where about one-fifth of the soda in America are labeled as “diet” drinks, and most of them use aspartame
With the increase in the number of the diseases and awareness regarding the health care system, Sugar tax is the simple remedy which will not only reduce the sales of the drinks but also lower the kilojoule intake leading to reduction in the body weight and ultimately improvement in the heath. The sugar-sweetened beverages are less healthy than other sources of added sugars and calories and are more likely to contribute to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay than other foods. According to the recent research diet soda and artificial sweeteners contained in diet soda may adversely affect glucose levels and may increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome and diabetes, in part, through impairment of glucose and increase in waist circumference.
Another assumption is that the artificial sweeteners affect the stomach bacteria differently then common sugar. A study done by Purdue University researchers, by using rats, showed that diet sodas and weight gain revolves around the artificial sweeteners (Global Healing Center). For ten days, the pair fed the first group of rat’s sugar-sweetened beverages, and the other group of rats sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages. After ten days, they gave the groups chocolate pudding. The data revealed that the rats that had been fed both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages consumed more calories than the rats that only drank the sugar-sweetened beverage (Global Healing Center). This proved that since artificial sweeteners lack calories while remaining sweet, it interferes with the brain’s ability to register calorie intake. It tricks the brain into thinking its not eating as much as it is. In reality it does not directly put pounds on the body but can indirectly put pounds on the body by the amount you eat. Debunking the theory that diet drinks actually help you lose
NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure are all brand names for aspartame, a low calorie sugar substitute used in more than 90 countries to sweeten foods and beverages. Aspartame is a synthetic chemical that is created through the combination of the amino acids phenylalanine and aspartic acid, and a small amount of methanol. Aspartame can be found in several products, such as soft drinks, over-the counter drugs, vitamin and herb supplements, instant breakfasts, candy, breath mints, cereals, sugar-free chewing gum, coffee, juice, and tea beverages, tabletop sweeteners, and gelatin desserts. This product may have seemed like a dream come true when it was first invented in 1981
The debate between naturally derived sugars and low-calorie artificial sweeteners has been going on for years now. As our population’s obesity rate grows every year and health concerns related to weight-control grows along with it, natural sugar is scrutinized and we are told to keep away from it as it is our enemy. Over the last couple of decades, we have been introduced to more and more varieties of artificial sweeteners promising to deliver the same sweetness or even more sweetness than natural sugar (some offer as much as 200 times more sweetness than sugar) but with a much lower calorie content, or some even no calories at all. Artificial sweeteners such as Splenda, Sweet n’ Low, NutraSweet, and Equal have become popular as “better alternatives” to table sugar, promising to help battle weight gain and actually assist in losing weight. However, does this make it the healthier option? As with all things, both natural sugar and artificial sugar have their pros and cons, but in order to find the best option in regards to our health and futures, it’s important to weigh them according to scientific findings and research.
“Artificial Sweeteners: Sugar-Free, but at What Cost?” Harvard Health Blog, Harvard Medical School, 12 Dec. 2016, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030. Accessed 28 Feb. 2017. Holly Strawbridge is an author for Harvard Health Blog. Strawbridge’s purpose in writing this article was to inform the general public of the dangers of artificial sweeteners. The article mainly briefs over the negative effects of consuming artificial sweeteners, specifically the diseases potentially caused by them. This article speaks more negatively of artificial sweeteners than any other source used. It is also fairly short and direct. It can be determined unbiased and credible due to the fact that it was published through Harvard Medical School. This source would not be optimal for this essay because it provides information showing that artificial sweeteners are unhealthy and lead to weight
Saccharin is an artificial sweetener which is commonly used to sweeten drinks as many believe that it has lower calorific values compared to sugar. The scientific name of saccharin is 2-benzothiazol-1,1,3-trione. Saccharin is used as an artificial sweetener as even though only a small amount of it is used, it is as sweet as sugar when used in large amount. This concept which leads many people to have the belief that it is healthier to use artificial sweeteners such as saccharin compared to sugar.