The Sweet Deception Article of the week November 6-10
One of the topics I have written about in the past is being duped by diet products. I want you to ask yourself these two questions this week: When you go to the grocery store, do you feel you are making a healthier choice when you see the word “diet” or “light” listed on a product? Are there diet products that currently find their way into your grocery cart?
I believe that diet products are one of the most deceptive aspects of our current food industry. The word “diet” for many people represents a food or beverage product that they can indulge in as a treat without suffering weight gain and related health repercussions. The mentality of diet products is guilt-free indulgence that will help you lose weight or maintain a good figure.
Diet products are simply products that have removed sugar and replaced it with artificial sweeteners. Food companies claim that these products will help with healthy weight management because artificial sweeteners contain no calories. There is now no question in the scientific community that artificial sweeteners like aspartame (aka Nutra Sweet or Equal), sucralose (aka Splenda) and acesulfame interfere with your metabolism, destroy the healthy bacteria in your gut and actually increase your appetite and lead to greater overall calorie consumption and weight gain. That's right, “diet” products do the exact opposite thing that they claim to do.
Dozens of scientific studies have confirmed this. The most recent one was just published in July 2017 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. These researchers looked at 37 studies that followed more than 400,000 people over a 10 year period, and linked the use of artificial sweeteners to obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart problems. Go to the following link if you would like to see the study for yourself: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170717091043.htm
When I stand in line at the grocery store waiting to check out, I make a point of looking at the products that others are placing on the conveyor belt. When I walk around my block on garbage day I glance into the recycling bins of my neighbours to see what products they are using. It breaks my heart to see people still spending their hard-earned dollars on products that they feel may be healthier, when in reality diet products will actually cut their lives short.
What finds it's way into your grocery cart? If you haven't already done it, it's time to completely ditch products containing artificial sweeteners. Any product that says “diet” or “light” should set off alarm bells, but the best way of knowing is by reading the labels of the foods and beverages that you choose and eat most consistently. Artificial sweeteners are tucked into soda, fruit juices, cereal, yogurt, baked goods, chewing gum, ice cream, jams, ketchup and so much more.
As mentioned above, the most common ones to watch out for are aspartame (Nutra Sweet/Equal), sucralose (Splenda) or acesulfame. It's time to put an end to the sweet deception. Always aim to eat products that are as natural as possible with the least amount of processing. I know it can be confusing reading labels, but remember, the fewer the number of ingredients listed the better.
Yours in Health, Dr. Tim
ps – Keep your eyes and ears open for our Christmas Gift of Health outreach in the days to come!
Upcoming Closures – Wednesday November 22 2017
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