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Study Finds Link Between Artificial Sweeteners and Glucose Intolerance
onproton (3434437) writes The journal Nature released a study today that reveals a link between the consumption of artificial sweeteners and the development of glucose intolerance [note: abstract online; paper itself is paywalled], a leading risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes, citing a critical alteration of intestinal bacteria. Paradoxically, these non-caloric sweeteners, which can be up to 20,000 times sweeter than natural sugars, are often recommended to diabetes patients to control blood glucose levels. Sugar substitutes have come under additional fire lately from studies showing that eating artificially sweetened foods can lead to greater overall calorie consumption and even weight gain. While some, especially food industry officials, remain highly skeptical of such studies, more research still needs to be done to determine the actual risks these substances may pose to health.
I drink reverse osmosis water with a squirt of organic juice in it. The water I buy from a water store in re-filled 5 gallon jugs at $0.36 per gallon and the juice is from a $3 half gallon carton that lasts about two weeks at about an once per glass of water. So the 8oz glass of water costs $0.02 and the ounce of juice costs $0.05 for a total of $0.07 per glass of healthy water with "non-chemical" flavoring.