How to Give Up Artificial Sweeteners

Other than taste, there is no benefit to consuming artificial sweeteners, as there are many reasons they do not promote good health. To begin with, they often lead to weight gain in that they disrupt the body's ability to decipher a food's true sweetness, thus leading to overindulgence. Trouble is, giving them up is harder than it initially seems, as they are included in so many food products sold today. It takes more than the mere forgoing of the packets on the restaurant table. While it is challenging to cut them out of your diet, it's not impossible.

Instructions

• 1

  Decrease your intake gradually. For example, start out by forgoing the packets themselves. As mentioned, artificial sweeteners are found in many products, so quitting cold turkey all at once may prove to be overwhelming. Once you have taken this initial step, begin cutting out other things, one at a time, such as diet soda one week and fat free sweets the next.

• 2

  Replace each forgone item with a healthy one. One common misstep with giving up bad habits is to replace them with something else unhealthy. Whatever you do, don't opt for regular sugar in your coffee in lieu of an artificial sweetener. Instead, incorporate sweet fruits in your diet, such as pineapples or bananas.

• 3

  Add healthy sweeteners to your diet, such as stevia. It's a widely accessible herb that is hundreds of times more sweet than sugar. However, unlike artificial sweeteners, it's more healthy in that it doesn't throw your liver and pancreas for a loop, and doesn't alter the brain's processing of cravings. Plus, it's virtually free of calories.

• 4

  Stock up on protein. Don't overdo it by gorging on a meat lover's pizza, but make sure that you get plenty of healthy lean meats, such as fish or chicken. Also, vegetable proteins like beans and broccoli work as well. According to Susan Dopart, a registered dietitian who works for the Huffington Post, this is a healthy way to fill up and reduce your body's craving for sweets.