(New Study) Zero Cal drinks can make you FAT

I've been sounding the alarm about artificial sweeteners for a long time now...

But this new study published in Nature Metabolism is absolutely WILD and confirms everything I've been telling you about these chemical garbage ingredients (PMID: 40140714):

Researchers gave 75 people three different drinks on separate occasions: plain water, water sweetened with regular sugar (sucrose), and water sweetened with sucralose (aka Splenda).

Then they did brain scans to see what was happening in the hypothalamus - the region that controls hunger and appetite.

The results? ​
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Sucralose literally hijacked their brains.

It’s so crazy…

Despite having ZERO calories, sucralose activated the hypothalamus MORE than sugar did... and made people significantly hungrier.

Let me repeat that: artificial sweeteners made people HUNGRIER than actual sugar!

This explains why so many people who drink Diet Coke religiously never seem to keep the weight off...

You're literally training your brain to crave more food!

And when you look at the underlying mechanism, it makes a ton of sense…

Sucralose changes blood flow to the hypothalamus… right where your satiety centers are.

Your brain detects sweetness and anticipates an incoming energy boost…
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But when no calories arrive, those appetite-regulating neurons shift into “find food” mode, ramping UP hunger signals.

It's like promising your body a steak dinner… and then giving it nothing.

Your body doesn't just shrug it off - it gets PISSED and demands real food.

This isn't the first study showing artificial sweeteners mess with your metabolism either…

I've talked about Dana Small's research at Yale showing that sucralose combined with carbohydrates creates massive insulin resistance in humans (PMID: 32130881).

There's also mounting evidence that artificial sweeteners disrupt your gut microbiome, leading to glucose intolerance and metabolic dysfunction (PMID: 36063408, 35995459).

Basically, these chemicals are doing the EXACT opposite of what they're supposed to do.

This is my beef with all the zero-cal beverages, protein-forward bars, cereals etc

They all leverage these artificial sweeteners to fit the “zero sugar” marketing that people crave.

But what this study proves is…
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​Even NON-CALORIC molecules can impact us differently.

This is why I am NOT a fan of fake sweeteners at all.

Not even stevia… Or even monk fruit….

Studies show stevia disrupts the communication (quorum sensing) between bacteria in your gut, which is critical for proper metabolic function.

As I always say...

The further we move from nature, the sicker we get.

And I believe if you stick to what humans have been eating for hundreds of thousands of years, your body will reward you with better health, easier weight management, and freedom from constant cravings.

So, if you want something sweet, use nature's candy:

🍯 Raw honey - contains beneficial enzymes and antimicrobial compounds
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🍎 Fresh fruit - packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber
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🥛 Raw milk - has natural lactose plus bioavailable nutrients
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These natural sources of sweetness work WITH your biology, not against it.

They provide the calories your brain expects when it tastes sweetness, so you don't get the metabolic chaos that artificial sweeteners can create.

Bottom line: Your body knows how to handle real food. It has NO IDEA what to do with artificial chemicals.

Every time you reach for a Diet Coke, sugar-free gum, or "zero calorie" anything, you're literally sabotaging your metabolism and making weight loss harder.

So, do yourself a favor and skip the sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame-K, or any other artificial sweetener and focus on food quality.

If you want something sweet and refreshing, try sparkling water with a splash of fresh fruit juice.

Or make your own electrolyte drink with sea salt, a squeeze of lemon, and a touch of raw honey.

Trust me - once you get off the artificial sweetener roller coaster, you’ll realise you never needed to rely on them to achieve optimal health!

Welcome to the Remembering 🏹

Paul

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