Fat 2 Fit Show #53 – The Skinny on Artificial Sweeteners


Written on January 19, 2009 – 10:27 am | by Russ Turley

What is the difference between Equal, Splenda, Sweet and Low, and Stevia? There’s a lot of marketing hype behind these products so it’s understandable that there could be some misconceptions about theses products. We go over the differences between them, how much you can safely consume, and offer suggestions as to how you should really be using them if at all.

In our e-mail and comments section we answer questions about how to work-out on a budget without much equipment, whether to remove the skin off of chicken before or after cooking, and how to deal with people who try to pressure you to lose weight fast by going on crash diets.

Links Mentioned in the Show:
10 exercises you can do with just your body
Chicken Brine solution recipe #1
Chicken Brine solution recipe #2
The Science of Weight Loss – Scientific American
Does Exercise Matter? – Scientific American

Recipe of the Week:
Black Bean and Beef Chili Recipe with Cilantro, Lime, and Avocado Salsa

Homework:
Start a food diary to truly keep track of what you are eating every single day. If you are truly looking for something that will help you lose some lbs, this is guaranteed to help you become more accountable and aware of your eating. In fact, I was not able to find a single nutrition or weight loss study that did not come to the conclusion that keeping an accurate food diary keeps you on track and helps people lose weight for the long term.

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  1. 5 Responses to “Fat 2 Fit Show #53 – The Skinny on Artificial Sweeteners”

  2. By Kevin on Jan 19, 2009 | Reply

    Hey guys, love the show. I started listening way back at episode 3, and I have been subscribed ever since. Your show really helps keep me on track. I normally find the facts you present to be scientifically accurate. One thing from this episode: Russ said that Stevia may be a better option since it is a natural product. This idea of “natural products are better” is a common fallacy.

    In a graduate level course I took on natural products chemistry our professor pointed out that many plants contain unsafe substances, and the idea that “natural products must be better” really has no basis. Each chemical (even herbs are made up of thousands of chemicals) should be evaluated on its own merit to decide on how healthy or safe it is. Also, one must evaluate the quantity of a given substance that an average person might consume. So, just because Stevia is natural/non-synthetic does not *necessarily* mean it is safer or a more healthy. I hesitate to take many herbs/functional foods/dietary supplements/etc because these products have not undergone significant testing for safety or efficacy. That being said, I think Stevia is a perfectly acceptable product and would not hesitate to use it. Thanks guys, keep up the good work!

  3. By Katy on Jan 22, 2009 | Reply

    No matter what the studies say, I think equal & splenda are EVIL! They both make me break out in a rash :( They can’t be good! I’m sticking to organic cane sugar & stevia :)
    moderation is the key, as you guys said!

  4. By paxye on Feb 4, 2009 | Reply

    I am with Katy on this one… I could never eat aspartame, splenda or any other artificial sweetener… they are evil…

    I also think that they are detrimental to weight loss… there have been studies that show that these chemicals can make it harder for people to control their intake and are most likely to gain weight…

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080210183902.htm

    Another problem that I see with the chemical sugar substitutes are that they make things so sweet that you lose the ability too taste the natural sweetness of real foods…

    I believe that whole, natural foods are best for us.
    Real sugar is not bad for you, it is eating too much sugar that is bad…

  5. By terry on Jul 12, 2009 | Reply

    Thank you for presenting the research on the MANY fitness benefits of exercise in this episode.
    I don’t ever hear dancing mentioned on your show as part of a fitness routine. With the right music you can get a great cardio w/o. Ever try a couple hours of Swing dancing???
    And it doesn’t feel like a w/o, it just feels fun!
    I try to keep a piece of paper (folded to make it stiff) and pen in my pocket when I hike to write down all my great ideas. It really helps my productivity in the rest of my life.
    And lastly, I long ago discovered that cooking lots of BASIC ingredients to eat day after day works great because you can take the same ingredients and vary the preparation (spices, heated vs cold, and maybe adding/subtracting components) so you don’t get bored. My decades long habit of this has kept my diet healthy, inexpensive and full of “real” food. Unfortunately it’s SO good I tend to eat too much – but that’s another issue!

  6. By jeff on Jul 20, 2009 | Reply

    Good article. Check out some of the articles we have on this subject, sugars, nutrition and more and let me know what u think.

    Keep up the good work.

    Jeff Behar
    http://www.mybesthealthportal.com
    http://www.MuscleMagFitness.com

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