Artificial Sweeteners & Blood Sugar: Zero Calories, Zero Impact?

Artificial sweeteners are everywhere these days — soft drinks, iced coffees, yogurt, energy drinks, pre-workout powders, protein bars and the list runs on. The prevailing logic is that they’re smart swaps for regular sugar. But could artificial sweeteners be too good to be true? In this episode, we explore how even a “zero calorie” food or drink might still affect your blood sugar. Expert: Mag Ayyad, Exercise Dietitian Interviewer: Katie McCallum Notable topics covered: What are blood sugar spikes? When are they bad? A surprising fact you probably didn’t know about artificial sweeteners Are artificial sweeteners always better than added sugars? Why sugar-free foods can still spike your blood sugar Sugar cravings? Gut problems? Cancer? How else might artificial sweeteners affect the body? What people with diabetes need to know about artificial sweeteners Are some artificial sweeteners better for you than others? If you enjoy these kinds of conversations, be sure to subscribe. And for more topics like this, visit our blog at houstonmethodist.org/blog.