It is 600 times sweeter than sugar and has no calories: it is a pity that (probably) it increases hunger, and therefore it is not exactly a good idea if you want to lose weight. It is the Sucralose, a highly appreciated artificial sweetener and used (also known as E955) whose characteristics have been investigated in a very recent study carried out by researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. Scholars examined 75 people, going to study the effects that the intake of Sucralose caused on the hypothalamus, that is, that part of the brain that among other things regulates the instinct of hunger, therefore the appetite and consequently the body weight.
During the three steps of the study, the participants had to take three different drinks: one was based on water alone, the second water with sugar and the third water with Sucralose. After each intake, the researchers carried out some medical checks on 75 volunteers, including both blood samples and cerebral imaging activities. Two hours after taking each drink, participants were asked to evaluate their own sense of hunger. The results proved to be quite surprising: after taking the drink with Sucralose, the tests on all the seventy -five participants highlighted an increase in brain activity concentrated in thehypothalamus It is a greater sense of hunger than the intake of water with sugar. In addition, Sucralose also showed that it could change the ways in which the hypothalamus communicated with other brain regions. This suggested a possible link between the sweetener and an increase in hunger, especially in obese people. Already in the past, moreover, another study conducted by researchers from the University of Sydney had observed that animals exposed to Sucralose increased their calorie income by a third.
Studies on Sucralose aside, it is good to remember that in the guidelines issued in 2023 The World Health Organization He warned consumers (apart from diabetics) from the use of all artificial sweeteners to lose weight, since “they do not bring any long -term benefit in the reduction of fat”. Due to potential side effects, they could instead lead to an increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The guidelines refer to all the products that are not classified as sugars present in food or drinks, namely “acesulfame K, aspartame, Advantame, cyclamatate, neotheme, saccharin, subcralose, stevia and stevia derivatives”. Better sugar: but always, of course, in moderation.
