Should I avoid all artificial sweeteners?
We know that diet soda consumption has been positively correlated to weight gain, but do we have any idea why? I stopped drinking all sodas, but still use Splenda in my coffee and tea on a daily basis. Is there any evidence that artificial sweeteners are the culprit rather than diet sodas per se? Would we be better off with sugar?
Dr. Gourmet Says...
There has been some research that shows an association of artificially flavored diet soft drinks and obesity. The evidence is thin right now but worrisome. While I have used Splenda in some recipes on the Dr. Gourmet web site including muffins, quickbreads and desserts I have tried to be sparing about this. Recently I have tested stevia in baked goods and it works well and is a more natural choice.
I don't see any reason to use Splenda in your coffee or tea. A teaspoon of sugar contains only 16 calories and shouldn't add that much to your diet on a daily basis. The key is to use ingredients like sugar, stevia or even Splenda but use them carefully.
Thanks for writing,
Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.
Dr. Gourmet