Which Artificial Sweeteners are Okay During Intermittent Fasting?
The topic of artificial sweeteners and fasting is a surprisingly tricky topic.
Is it okay to have a diet soda during a fast? Or to add sweetener to your coffee? The topic of artificial sweeteners and fasting is a surprisingly tricky topic. In this post, we’ll explore why it’s a complicated question, and what the best guidelines are for using artificial sweeteners while fasting.
Why Are Some Artificial Sweeteners Not Okay?
In order to understand why some sweeteners might be okay, while others are not, we need to talk about what happens to the body during intermittent fasting. Briefly, we’re trying to reduce calorie intake, and keep blood sugar and insulin levels low so that our body begins to use fat as a fuel source. This happens in conjunction with a number of other hormonal changes that lead to benefits of intermittent fasting.
In short, we want to avoid caloric intake and raising blood sugar or insulin, so these are the criteria we will use to determine which sweeteners are okay. Although all zero-calorie sweeteners should in theory have no effect on blood sugar or insulin, some research has indicated they may cause insulin levels to rise. More research is needed to truly…
