This small study revealed how our brains react to “fake” sweetness.
Diet soda drinkers who consumed a greater number of diet sodas had reduced activation in a part of the brain responsible for signaling “reward” and controlling food intake.
Because sweetness didn’t actually predict incoming calories, the brain had trained itself to respondless when tasting something sweet. This threw off normal predictions about calories and energy, making it more likely that diet soda drinkers would consume additional calories later in the day.
WHAT CAN YOU DRINK INSTEAD that is CALORIE FREE?
Water, sparkling water, tea, coffee.
But don’t add artificial sweeteners! Use honey or agave nectar in tea and coffee.
I like to put about 1 ounce of organic fresh squeezed orange juice in a tall glass and fill the rest with sparkling water. Refreshing and only 15 calories!