Question: I heard that some artificial sweeteners, such as Aspartame, can be counterproductive in that they may have the effect of stimulating your appetite. Is this true?
Answer: Probably not the answer your looking for, but I don't know. The reason I post this inconclusive response is because there is still a lot of ongoing research in regards to artificial sweeteners. No, it has not been conclusively shown in any reputable research study that I am aware of that it stimulates the appetite. But I am also not aware that it has been conclusively shown that it doesn't either. We do know that a couple studies have shown that people that consume artificial sweeteners on a daily basis can still weigh more than their counter-parts. However, this may be for several reasons. It could possibly be that artificial sweeteners make you crave the "real thing" and people end up consuming high-sugar items in addition to the calorie-free alternatives. It could also be because they eat more to "make up" for the fact that they, for instance, drank a diet soda instead of a regular soda. I think we should all be aware of the amount of artifical sweetener we are consuming, but my opinion remains that artificial sweeteners on the whole are safe and are a good alternative to high-sugar, high-calorie foods for those that are diabetic as well as those that are trying to maintian weight and/or maintain a healthy weight.
