What About Artificial & Other Sweeteners?

Many people ask if it's okay to substitute another type of sweetener for sugar, especially as they are starting out on the program. A few examples include:

  • Aspartame/Nutrasweet
  • Saccharin
  • Splenda
  • Stevia
  • Sucralose


Stevia Plant


Why Avoid Them?

I do not encourage you using artificial or other sweeteners as an alternative to sugars for a number of reasons. The taste of sweet, whether from table sugar, corn syrup, or aspartame, evokes a beta-endorphin response in your body. This reaction will create cravings. Essentially, artificial sweeteners, while not evoking the same insulin response, will prime your brain to want more "sweet." This sets you up to go back to the sugars.

How About Sugar-Free Products?

Most sugar-free products use aspartame (Nutrasweet) as a sweetener. Aspartame is made from phenylalanine, which is an amino acid. I have observed that a very large number of sugar addicts are dependent upon sugar-free products. Phenylalanine is the precursor to dopamine just like tryptophan is the precursor to serotonin. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter which creates an upper-like effect. Cocaine and speed both activate dopamine receptors.

I have a hunch that sugar-sensitive people get a bigger reaction to this than do people who are not sugar sensitive. This drug-like effect can be addictive, sometimes as addictive as sugar. Caffeine in diet sodas heightens the effect even more. You can test this out by experimenting. Stop having your diet drink for a few days, then have one. Try the same experiment with a caffeine free diet drink. You may find that it is the nutrasweet rather than the caffeine that calls you.

Do not switch to sugar-free products as a way to ease into a sugar-free life. If you are already strongly attached to them, work on holding your sugar "dose" steady while you detox from regular sugars. You can then work on a sugar-free detox down the line. Don't go off sugar-free products all at once. Cut down over time and use your journal to guide your progress.

Excerpted from The Sugar Addict's Total Recovery Program, Kathleen DesMaisons, PhD, Addictive Nutrition.

Tips From the Field

Splenda may not have any calories, but your brain will still think it's sugar - it's sweet and it will spike your BEs (Beta Endorphins), thus causing cravings and such. And it has chlorine in it, which somehow doesn't sound like a great thing to eat ...Michelle

Artificial sweeteners of any kind will cause a BE release. This will prime you to want more of the same and set up cravings. For that reason they are best avoided. ...Grant

Remember that the taste of sweet (in any form) evokes beta endorphins, and will cause a spike and then a sudden nosedive in your BEs. Of course we crave sweets after using sweeteners, because we inadvertently prime our system with them. ...Laurie

It isn't about insulin. It is about BE priming. ...Kathleen

Stevia has the same effect on sugar sensitive people as does any other sweetener - it primes us to want more sweet things! ...Shani

Even broccoli tastes sweet to me now, believe it or not. I can really taste all my food. Eating stevia keeps your taste buds adjusted for sweet, which means all those good, healthy foods won't taste as good. ...Allison

Simple solutions for sugar sensitivity.
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