Artificial Sweeteners
Increase Risk of Disease
Video by Dr. Bryan Stephens
Artificial sweeteners
Patients often ask me “what foods should I avoid?” One of the foods to avoid is processed sugar. Which inevitably brings the next question. “What should I use instead?” There are a number of options to lean on when needing a little extra kick of sweetness but make sure it is a natural source. Fruit is always a great place to start. It has natural sugars that develop as it ripens. My go to fruits are pineapple, peaches, and bananas. I realize that fruit is not always the best sweetener especially since I don’t plan on adding a banana to my coffee in the morning. This is usually what the patients are more interested in.
When I want to add some flavor to things like coffee and tea, I lean on pure organic maple syrup and honey. I personally like the flavor of the maple syrup with the coffee and the honey with tea, but either way, stay away from the processed sugars and artificial sweeteners like sucralose and aspartame. Besides adding in inflammation which causes pain and causes our body to breakdown faster, it also affects your gut and your microbiome. When you are adding in the artificial sweeteners, you are killing your microbiome. The microbiome is the good bacteria that resides in our gut, and it helps our inflammation levels and aids our immune system. So, these sweeteners add inflammation and kill the things that help lower inflammation. It’s a double whammy. They have also been associated with higher levels of cancer, depression, headaches, Alzheimer’s, and cellular damage which is especially harmful for the nervous system.
When available, go for the fruit. It will add the sweetness and they have other nutrients which our body needs. As I mentioned above, my fallbacks are then maple syrup and honey, but I know other people who use monk fruit and stevia as alternatives as well. Whatever your choice, keep it natural, and your body will thank you.
Our Message
When you are looking for a Chiropractor near you who you can trust, choose one who will not only get rid of your back pain, neck pain, or headaches but who will also guide you to living a healthier lifestyle to keep you out of pain. Our Doctors, located near the corner of Mockingbird Ln. and Abrams Rd., will teach you what the research says about how and why we should eat a better diet, move more and have more positive thoughts. Choosing a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is the best way eat healthy to avoid disease.