Zero Calories & Weight Gain?

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The incidence of people who are obese has increased dramatically in the past 30 years.  This suggests that this is not only an epidemic, but it has environmental factors and origins tied into it.  This alarming epidemic of weight gain is apparent and can be found across all age groups, ethnic groups and social strata all over the United States.  One major factor that is correlated to the current obesity epidemic is the wide scale introduction of non-caloric, high-intensity sweeteners.   I dedicate July’s article to calorie conscious individuals or diet and non-calorie food seekers.  I recently read an article that described research done on adult rats that were given differential experience with a sweet taste that either predicted increased caloric content (natural sugar) or did not predict increased calories (synthetic sugars).  What was found through this research was that reducing the correlation between sweet taste and the caloric content of foods using artificial sweeteners in rats resulted in increased caloric intake, thus increasing body weight, and adiposity or fat.  This also causes diminished caloric compensation and  diets.
In simple terms this research teaches us the important relation between sweet taste and predication of caloric content of food.  We use sweet taste to predict the caloric contents of foods.   If you use sweet non-caloric substances, you may degrade this predictive relationship which then leads to positive energy balance; this means increased food intake.   
The best way to go about this is to avoid all artificial and chemical sweetener substitutes.  Synthetic sugar has no food value.  Some of these additives have toxic by-products that are harmful to human body and many of them have been linked with altered cephalic (brain) function, cancer and a list of other side effects.  Dangerous additives under FDA approval include: Aspartame, Saccharin, Sucralose, and Acesulfame K, and Neotame.
Most baked goods that you buy in the store contain these substances. If you are a fan of diet beverages, zero-calorie drinks, Splenda or other artificial sweeteners and you think you are being ‘healthy’, or on a ‘healthy’ low calorie diet, think twice!  A healthy alternative to satisfy your sweet tooth can be found in delicious fruits. There are no substitute for exercise and a healthy, organic and natural diet.

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