The Shocking Truth About Artificial Sweeteners: Are They Shortening Your Life?

Would you knowingly consume something that could increase your risk of heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes?

In this 2% Solution Podcast episode, host Dai Manuel reveals the hidden dangers of artificial sweeteners like xylitol, aspartame, and sucralose. What you think is a healthier choice might be a silent saboteur.

Tune in to hear eye-opening insights from recent studies that reveal these sneaky sweeteners' cardiovascular and metabolic impacts.

But don't worry, we're not just about the doom and gloom! We'll provide practical, healthier alternatives like honey, maple syrup, and stevia and share actionable tips for making more intelligent choices. 

Listen to the inspiring stories of those who have transformed their health by ditching artificial sweeteners, and learn how you can do the same. 

Whether you aim to lose weight, boost energy, or live a healthier life, this episode guides you to making sweet decisions that benefit your well-being.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Hey there, wellness warriors, welcome back to another episode of the 2% Solution Podcast. I'm your host, diamond Wall, and today, bit Tip Friday, we will uncover a sweet little secret that might impact your health more than you realize. The theme of today's show is the sneaky sweeteners that may be shortening your life. We're diving into the bad, the good and the ugly of artificial sweeteners that may be shortening your life. We're diving into the bad, the good and the ugly of artificial sweeteners, why we're attracted to them, how media and big business benefit from them, and what's better off consuming natural sugars versus artificial ones. Let's get into it.

Speaker 1: 0:43

I remember thinking I was making healthy choices by opting for diet sodas and sugar-free snacks. Little did I know that these sneaky sweeteners did more harm than good, and today we will explore why that is and how we can make better choices for our health. So what exactly are sneaky sweeteners? These are sugar substitutes like xylitol, aspartame and sucralose, often added to foods and drinks to reduce calorie content without sacrificing the sweetness. You'll typically find them in everything from diet sodas to sugar-free gum, and, according to a recent CNN article, studies have shown that some sweeteners, like xylitol, may increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Understanding where these sweeteners hide is crucial to making informed choices. They're often found in products marketed as healthy or diet-friendly, so always look at the food labels. Now let's talk about the impact of these sneaky sweeteners on our health. First up, cardiovascular risks. The CNN article highlights recent studies linking xylitol to increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Thinking that something marketed as a healthier option could be so harmful is a little scary.

Speaker 1: 2:11

Artificial sweeteners also affect our metabolism. Research shows that sweeteners can disrupt insulin regulation and contribute to weight gain and diabetes. It's a paradox we consume them to avoid sugar and calories, but they might set us up for even more significant health issues later on down the road. And it doesn't stop there. Other health concerns include digestive problems and changes in gut microbiota. Studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can alter the balance of bacteria in our guts, leading to various digestive issues.

Speaker 1: 2:49

These sneaky sweeteners are not as harmless as they seem. Hmm, now that we know the risks, what can we do about it? One solution is to use natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, stevia. These alternatives provide sweetness without the harmful side effects of artificial sweeteners. Plus, they come with additional health benefits like antioxidants and vitamins, incorporating natural sweeteners and reducing our overall sugar intake can significantly improve our health. Start by reading labels carefully and choosing products with natural ingredients. Cook more at home, where you can control what goes into your food. Small, consistent changes can make a big, big difference.

Speaker 1: 3:38

Mindful consumption is also vital. Pay attention to what you're eating and drinking. Ask yourself if you need that extra sweetness or are reaching for it out of habit. Being aware of your choices is the first step toward making healthier ones. Now let's look at some real life examples.

Speaker 1: 3:59

I once knew someone who switched from diet sodas to water and natural teas and literally within months they saw improvements in their weight, energy levels and overall health. It's incredible what a difference of cutting out artificial sweeteners can make. But it's one of those things until you do it you just don't realize. And it's actually that little hump at the beginning that can be the most challenging. I know for myself.

Speaker 1: 4:24

When I stopped drinking alcohol, I switched to diet sodas, and you know, when you're at the pubs or you're in a restaurant, it's pretty cool Sodas, free refills. So I found myself consuming a good deal of diet soda. They still have caffeine, your body still thinks you're getting the sugar too, and man, it is quite the mixture and after about a year I was consuming a pretty close to on a day of diet sodas and that's on a good day and probably on a slower day it'd be about two liters, about half a gallon, and it just happened all day long and I started to develop edema in my ankles. Now, for those that don't know what edema is, the way the doctor described it was pitting edema. I started to build basically an intolerance to these sweeteners to the point that it was actually causing this swelling below my knees, like very, very astute, like I could literally drink some aspartame in a drink or in some sort of.

Speaker 1: 5:35

You know the snacks that come off the shelves, all packaged nice and you know they taste really nice and sweet some of those bars, don't get me started, anyways and that sweeteners, literally my ankles exploded where I could push on my ankle and it would indent and this is where they would call this pitting and it was edema because it was like this hot to the touch, swelling, anyways, it was the craziest thing, and I've also found out that I'm allergic to MSG Similar response my body has if I have anything with MSG in it. And so it's just interesting, some of these, uh, artificial sweeteners or or additional, um flavor enhancement, uh products that they put into to to a lot of the foods that we have and sometimes we don't even know that with it, what that is, yeah, anyways. Yeah, that's my horror story. But uh, the crazy part was when I gave up the soda, I still had that hypersensitivity at times. Even if I had too much sodium in my diet, I would find that I could almost trigger a similar response with that inflammation in the ankles and, uh, it's gotten way better, I don't have that issue anymore. Uh, do I seek out sweeteners? Heck, no, I. I learned from that one the hard way. So my invitation to you go do some research, check in with your body. The mindful check-ins are just hey, how's my body feel after consuming? Do I feel? Okay? Great Rock on Not feeling so good. Why is that? Look into it, right, all right. Anyways, scientific case studies back up a lot of what I've just been talking about. Research consistently shows that reducing or eliminating artificial sweeteners from our diet leads to better health outcomes. It's not just about avoiding the bad, but embracing the good. All right, so that's all for today. Remember, those sneaky sweeteners might be shortening your life without you realizing it. We can improve our health and well-being by choosing natural alternatives and being mindful of our consumption before we go.

Speaker 1: 7:47

I I'd love to hear your feedback, your stories, suggestions. What topics do you want to see covered in a future episode? Do you have guests that you think would be just great for the 2% Solution community? Hey, your input helps shape the future of this podcast. Connect with me on Instagram, facebook, the tickety-tockety and all those other usual places, and I'm always happy to engage in a conversation. And if you enjoy the podcast review, subscription would mean the world to me. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey and here's to the next hundred episodes. We're well on our way and beyond. Keep pushing your limits, stay positive and always aim to improve by just 2% every day. I'm Diamond Well and you've been listening to another episode of the 2% Solution. Let's keep thriving together.