Sucralose and the Hungry Brain
In a study of 75 participants, researchers used functional MRI scans to compare the effects of sucralose and real sugar. The results were striking: sucralose sparked heightened activity in the hypothalamus, the brain’s hunger hub, while strengthening neural links to motivation and decision-making areas. As reported by DailyMail, this primes the brain to seek more food. “The body expects calories with sweetness,” said Dr. Kathleen Alanna Page, the study’s lead author. “When they don’t arrive, cravings intensify.” Unlike sugar, sucralose failed to trigger appetite-suppressing hormones, leaving the body unsatisfied—especially in obese individuals and women.
The Obesity Paradox Unveiled
Why does cutting calories with artificial sweeteners backfire? Evolutionary biology offers clues. During scarcity, the body slows metabolism and stores fat to survive—traits triggered today by synthetic substitutes. Nutrisense notes that restrictive diets can lead to rebound weight gain as the body fights to conserve energy. With obesity rates soaring—over 60% in England—the reliance on “diet” products may be fueling the crisis they aim to curb.

Diet Foods vs. Whole Foods
The study underscores a vital lesson: artificial shortcuts disrupt hormonal balance, while whole foods—think pasture-raised meats and organic vegetables—deliver true satiety. History repeats itself: the low-fat craze of the ’80s swapped healthy fats for sugar, spiking diabetes. Now, zero-calorie sweeteners may be the new culprit. “Your body isn’t fooled by lab-made sweetness,” Dr. Page warns. “It demands more when shortchanged.”
A Call to Rethink ‘Healthy’ Labels
With plans to study sucralose’s effects on children—a group increasingly targeted by diet marketing—the findings raise urgent questions. If artificial sweeteners drive hunger, fat gain, and metabolic chaos, why are they still touted as healthy? Perhaps it’s time to ditch processed imitations and embrace the nutrient-dense foods that sustained humanity for millennia. The science is clear: nature trumps deception.
Author: Planet Today
По материалам: http://www.planet-today.com/2025/03/artificial-sweeteners-like-sucralose.html