About Hodgson Mill

Can You Slim Down with Sugar?

Here’s an interesting tidbit that should put weight watchers on alert: new research at Purdue University has linked artificial sweeteners such as saccharin and sucralose to weight gain. Watch out!

In an animal study, researchers found that ingesting regular sugar rather than zero-calorie substitutes resulted in fewer overall calories consumed. This finding correlates with another recent study that linked diet soda to obesity, as reported in the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association in 2005, where they gave the surprising statistic that overweight risk soars by as much as 41% with each daily can of diet soft drink.

It was also quickly pointed out, however, that diet sodas do not necessarily cause obesity. More likely, it showed that something linked to diet soda drinking is also linked to obesity. Scientists believe that it is the disruption of the connection between sweet taste and high caloric content that makes people crave more food. This means that by drinking soda, you actually tell the brain and the body that you are drinking something with calories in it. But no calories are present, so the body ends up looking for calories somewhere else, or at least craving those calories that are promised but not delivered. According to scientists, it makes perfect sense.

One researcher puts it this way: “People think they can just fool the body, but the body isn’t fooled. If you are not giving your body those calories you promised it, your body may retaliate by wanting more calories.  Some soft drink studies do suggest that diet drinks stimulate appetite. This explains it.”

So be wary of no-calorie products with artificial sweeteners; they may end up doing you more harm than good. Hodgson Mill creates products for you that are just right in calories, with no artificial sweeteners of any kind. Most of all, we encourage increased awareness of how the body and mind react to food; a little flexibility in your weight plan can go a long way. Hodgson Mill supports you in your bid to a healthier weight, and a healthier you.