The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss (Why Intermittent Fasting Is the Key to Controlling Your Weight)

by Jason Fung

Caloric reduction is the main advantage of artificial sweeteners. But it is not calories that drives obesity; it’s insulin. Since artificial sweeteners also raise insulin levels, there is no benefit to using them. Eating chemicals that are not foods (such as aspartame, sucralose or acesulfame potassium) is not a good idea. They are synthesized in large chemical vats and added to foods because they happen to be sweet and not kill you. Small amounts of glue won’t kill you either. That doesn’t mean we should be eating it. The bottom line is that these chemicals do not help you lose weight and may actually cause you to gain it. They may cause cravings that induce overeating of sweet foods. And continually eating sweet foods, even if they have no calories, may lead us to crave other sweet foods.