Artificial Sweeteners May Heighten the Risk for Strokes and Dementia
Artificial sweeteners are processed differently
Except for stevia, which comes naturally from a plant, all the other FDA-approved sugar substitutes are artificial, meaning that they originate in a chemical lab. While most of them are relatively new so not too many life-long effects have been studied, the research that does exist warns that such a study would likely not have good findings. In an animal study, rats choose the artificial sweetener saccharine over cocaine, which alludes to its pleasurably rich and possibly addictive character. Other studies have proven that the body processes such artificial sweeteners differently than sugar, and not in a good way.