So, I have to go off on this. It’s not just because I am corn intolerant. It’s because there should be a way for me to not have to hunt for a good deal on clean protein powders. BCAA’s, pre-workouts and other supplements for a good price that won’t kill my pocketbook. I’ll provide a list of some companies that I trust at the end of this. Feel free to tack on names I do not know of.
Artificial sweeteners. Really? What year is this? Corn Syrup and maltodextrin still popular ingredients? Why are we still using that crap other than to keep calorie count and prices of manufacturing down? Oh, that’s the reason. Shocker! Here’s the deal. Supplements are supposed to be a health related products. People who buy these products to aide their workouts care about their level of physical fitness. So, why would you want to put something in your body that isn’t natural or possibly has ties to GMO? There are not enough studies out there to make me believe it’s OK to consume artificial sweeteners or GMO products.
What I can tell you is that I used to pound-down the diet sodas back in the day. At that time, my cardio was not nearly as good, and I was struggling with keep the weight off. When I say “pounding them down” I’m being 100% truthful on that. It got to a point where it would throw off my heart rate from the amount of caffeine I was ingesting. Too much of anything, is a bad thing. I am not a scientist. But, I have lived life on this planet and learned the following from personal experience. I know that if the hubby consumes artificial sweeteners, he gets splitting headaches and can even black out. We avoid aspartame, sucralose, etc. to keep Jon alive and myself from a soda addiction and horrible gassy after effects accompanied by cramping. I have a corn intolerance, so that limits a lot of products for me. The fact that there are a lot of studies out there on corn syrup and artificial sweeteners suggests to me that something is up. Also, fun fact! Aspartame comes from fecal matter derived from bacteria. I’m not joking. Look it up. Seriously. Do it. Too lazy? Here you go. http://www.metro.us/news/aspartame-is-made-from-bacteria-feces-patent-confirms/tmWmhA---1bRGJsAbdX4fk/
Anyhow, back to the subject at hand, I found this interesting while poking around on the internet. There is this thing called “bio-accumulation” you may have heard of. Lately, there have been an array of studies and reports of our water being polluted because of the increased production (and thus consumption) of artificial sweeteners. What comes in, must come out - and it’s getting into our water supply and effecting the environment. Not to sound crazy, but here’s a link for you. Interesting stuff. If anything, this should motivate the tree hugger in you to think twice about what you are consuming.
Again, I am not a scientist. I just know what I believe to be healthy based off of my past unhealthy habits. I believe consumers should have more choices when it comes to supplements. I also believe that simple ingredients are the best ingredients out there. Keep it natural - and your body will know how to respond. Give it crap, and you might get crap out.
There is a theory out there that the reason people experience negative effects or weight gain from artificial sweeteners and corn syrup is because they consume more products with those ingredients due to the fact that the brain does not register calories being consumed. The thought being it doesn't see any sugar calories - and the noggin' just doesn't "get it" so then people keep shoving down more food till they get the feeling of satisfaction. It's almost worse than consuming something with "empty calories". With that, here are a couple of articles that you can read from reliable sites/sources to help you come to your own conclusion.
From The Harvard School of Public Health The Nutrition Source - Artificial Sweeteners
From The New York Times Artificial Sweeteners May Disrupt Body’s Blood Sugar Controls
From The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine Gain weight by “going diet?” Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings
From Scientific American Artificial Sweeteners May Change Our Gut Bacteria in Dangerous Ways
Below are some supplement companies I have been using or know of/respect. They have versions of products that are unflavored and/or use stevia to sweeten. I’m sure there are a lot more worth mentioning. If you check out bodybuilding.com and go to “shop” you will be able to search and find ingredient labels that are clear and easy to read and some amazing articles. Knowledge is power. Look up names of ingredients you do not know and learn what they are! Maybe it’s no big deal. Then again, maybe it is. It’s ultimately up to you to decide. In the meantime, here is a link to a health.com article that will help you recognize the names of sweeteners and what they are. http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20424821,00.html
There is a theory out there that the reason people experience negative effects or weight gain from artificial sweeteners and corn syrup is because they consume more products with those ingredients due to the fact that the brain does not register calories being consumed. The thought being it doesn't see any sugar calories - and the noggin' just doesn't "get it" so then people keep shoving down more food till they get the feeling of satisfaction. It's almost worse than consuming something with "empty calories". With that, here are a couple of articles that you can read from reliable sites/sources to help you come to your own conclusion.
From The Harvard School of Public Health The Nutrition Source - Artificial Sweeteners
From The New York Times Artificial Sweeteners May Disrupt Body’s Blood Sugar Controls
From The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine Gain weight by “going diet?” Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings
From Scientific American Artificial Sweeteners May Change Our Gut Bacteria in Dangerous Ways
Below are some supplement companies I have been using or know of/respect. They have versions of products that are unflavored and/or use stevia to sweeten. I’m sure there are a lot more worth mentioning. If you check out bodybuilding.com and go to “shop” you will be able to search and find ingredient labels that are clear and easy to read and some amazing articles. Knowledge is power. Look up names of ingredients you do not know and learn what they are! Maybe it’s no big deal. Then again, maybe it is. It’s ultimately up to you to decide. In the meantime, here is a link to a health.com article that will help you recognize the names of sweeteners and what they are. http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20424821,00.html
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