More Harm Than Good?Diet, Lite, Low-Cal … these all typically indicate some substitution for fat and/or sugar. It’s not 100% of the time, but more often than not, it’s true. Today we’re going to focus on sugar substitutes or artificial sweeteners and why they make you crave MORE sugar.When we eat sugar two things happen: First, our brains receive a spike in sugar levels and this sets off a chain reaction in our other organs. Soon after cravings for the sweet stuff dissipate. We feel satisfied or, taken to the extreme, we actually are repelled by the thought of eating more. Just like those times when, as a kid, I went on a cannoli eating binge at my grandmother’s house in Brooklyn!Additionally, when we are very hungry, our bodies crave quick fuel and sugar fits the bill very nicely. Artificial sweeteners don’t fill this need. Our tastebuds might be having a party, but our bodies are not fooled. Our sweet tooth continues to grow and we have to satisfy this physiological need for quick fuel. That’s when we tend to over eat because we are trying to fill the void of quick carbohydrates with other types of calories that simply aren’t getting the job done.Second, artificial sweeteners are so much sweeter than real sugar, therefore when we do eat real sugar we tend to eat more of it because we are “chasing the high” of artificial sweeteners (don’t even get me started on high fructose corn sweeteners)!Ok, so artificial sweeteners are bad and real sugar is bad … what an I left with? Well, with 86 percent of all Americans are in a slightly dehydrated state, we should all drink more water and start cutting back on the sweetened stuff. You can read more on how making the switch can help.Read how you can “chew your way” to weight loss.Like us? Love us? Let us know. Your suggestions and feedback are a valuable part of what makes this site so powerful.