Fitness Friday - Do Sugar Substitutes Make You Fat?

Quick Quiz: True or False

If you're trying to slim down, you should switch from sugar to an artificial sweetener.





Did you say false? You're right!

According to early studies, the fake stuff could actually lead to overeating. You may not be able to tell a difference but your body can. In a study, lab animals fed saccharin-sweetened yogurt consumed more calories (and packed on more pounds) than the animals that ate the treat with real sugar added. Like humans, animals are conditioned to expect lots of calories from sweet-tasting foods. But it seems that no-calorie substitutes may put the brain and the body at odds. The brain says, "Mmm, sweet and satisfying," but the body says, "I need more." And we know there are already human studies linking diet soda to excess weight. (Here's another reason diet soda may be bad for you.)

So when you want something sweet . . .try one of these ideas:
Pile on the berries. These naturally sweet treats are good on cereal, in yogurt, or by themselves in a bowl. And they're chock-full of fiber.
Think quality, not quantity. A few nibbles of the richest dark chocolate can be more satisfying than a pound of cheap milk chocolate.