Artificial sweeteners better for weight loss than water: study

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The use of artificial sweeteners results to lower calorie intake and weight loss as compared to its sugary counterpart, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Obesity. The findings also show that it could result in shedding more pounds than drinking water.

Researchers from the University of Bristol conducted this unprecedented study, which makes use of all available science integrated into a single review, to find out the real effect of artificial sweeteners, also known as low-energy sweeteners (LES), such as saccharin, aspartame, sucralose and stevia, on the body weight and energy intake.

"We believe that we should shift the question from whether LES are 'good' or 'bad,' and rather focus on how they should be best used in practice to help in the achievement of specific public health goals, such as the reduction of intakes of free sugars and energy," the lead author of the study, professor Peter Rogers from the University of Bristol, said in a press release.

The study took into account 240 different long and short-term human studies and an additional 90 animal studies that involve artificial sweeteners. There were studies comparing the use of artificial sweeteners to regular table sugar while the others compared artificial sweeteners to water.

The researchers found out that replacing sugar with these artificial sweeteners leads to a decrease in the calories and weight of both children and adults. And when the water intake was replaced, there is an even more reduction in calories and weight.

According to the Medical Daily, Americans consumes 350 calories from added sugars on the average, which is more than double the amount of daily recommended intake for men, and triple the amount for women's.

There has been a constant debate on the effect of artificial sweeteners in terms of losing weight. Those who are advocating the replacement of sugar are claiming that people will reduce the amount of their calorie intake by using these by these sweetener alternatives.

On the other hand, there are those who claim that these sugar imitators are not only unsuccessful in keeping you from gaining weight, but it can also give you an increase in body fats. When you consume these kinds of sweeteners, you deceive your body and this triggers a whole set of physiological and hormonal responses. These changes can make you gain more weight because it stimulates the appetite that lead to eating more food, a slow-down in the metabolism and more body fats in stored, according to drhyman.com.