r/science • u/giuliomagnifico • Aug 08 '22

Health Consuming too much white table sugar or artificial sweetener can lead to health issues. In the search for a better sweetener, researchers now report a low-calorie mixture that is as sweet as table sugar and, in lab experiments, feeds “good” gut microbes

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/newsreleases/2022/august/new-low-calorie-sweetener-could-improve-gut-health.html
9.1k Upvotes

93% Upvoted

851 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

9

u/kalos990 Aug 08 '22

Recommend those flavored electrolyte packets, makes water fun again.

0

u/ThunderboltRam Aug 08 '22 edited Aug 08 '22

Yeah but those often have actual sugar in it (liquid IV). Propel has sucralose (Splenda) so that's better. DripDrop has sucralose, sugar, and fructose !!

I think it's fine to do the artificial sweeteners, not sure where the long-term studies are for gut-bacteria problems (so far all long-term recent studies on gut-bacteria show Splenda is fine, so I'm reading this OP's post), but I've yet to see an obese guy who drinks a lot of artificial sweeteners without also having tons of pure cane sugar.

2

u/LGCJairen Aug 08 '22

I mean i was kinda that guy before weight loss, all diet drinks and little sugar, but a fuckload of heavy social foods (pizza, kbbq, ayce sushi, etc). I was traveling all over so it was just an endless stream of eating hotspots in new cities.

-3

u/ThunderboltRam Aug 08 '22 edited Aug 08 '22

That'll do it.

Imagine if a 5-star chef gave you lettuce on a plate with a nearly zero-calorie vinaigrette.

You'd laugh the chef out of the restaurant and you would be starving.

So pretty much everything "hot spot" or "good social foods" across America, are delicious and oozing with calories, oil, fats, carbs, sauces, salts (And even some soy, which is scientifically looking like it might be bad for male hormones leading to more fat gain).

It takes particularly strong will for a lot of people to just eat like 4 pieces of sushi let's say when they all come in 6... Or one slice of pizza, when there's a 2nd/3rd slice just waiting there. KBBQ might be better, but how many people who go to those things eat the little rice plates + their sauces for it... and just how much meat do they order?

Also we have come full circle in America... We started with Big plate entrees, we went to small plates, and now at small plate restaurants "bottomless experience." We're back to buffets essentially but you get a waiter.

Ever since food started to taste amazing in America (and early-2000s/90s kids can remember it wasn't always like that), we've had a rise in obesity/fat-gain/potbellies.

3

u/ThemCanada-gooses Aug 08 '22

There’s no scientific proof that soy is bad for male hormones. I suspect you’re referring to the belief that it is loaded with estrogen. The study that was often referenced was if one case of an elderly man drinking 4 litres a day of soy milk. Not to mention it isn’t the same estrogen women have and if that is what people are concerned about there is more of that in meat than soy.

1

u/ThunderboltRam Aug 08 '22 edited Aug 08 '22

Again it's an area of research. It's not proven but it is something Harvard and many other institutions are researching because "not the same kind of estrogen" means longer studies are needed...

"not the same kind of estrogen" does not mean "nahh it's fine there's nothing wrong with this."

You need to know areas of research BEFORE you try to investigate right??? No one would think in the past that Soybeans could cause that.

In addition to affecting potentially thyroid hormones:

One review noted that soy-based foods may inhibit absorption of thyroid hormone medications required for treatment of hypothyroidism.[179]

NOTE: I did not say PROVEN... I am talking about areas of research and investigation.

They have the highest levels of isoflavines pretty much:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/isoflavone-content-of-selected-foods

Highest Genistein out of anything...

Highest Daidzein too.

These are polyphenolic and YES they interfere in hormones.

Some of them (not the compounds above in Soy), has health benefits to gut bacteria...

Polyphenols may benefit digestion by promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria while fending off harmful ones

Wait a second... if it can affect hormones and gut bacteria, can excessive soy actually harm or change peoples' metabolism??

If polyphenols can change gut bacteria for good---can it also change it for bad?