• Liz@midwest.social
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    5 months ago

    The sugar tax didn’t include artificial sweeteners? That’s an oversight. Those things are bad for you in ways that are different from digestable sugars.

    • TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      They’re nowhere near as bad as consuming a huge amount of sugar.

      They only cause issues for a vanishingly tiny amount of people that have pre-existing genetic conditions.

      • EnderMB@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        That’s highly debatable. It’s swapping one set of side effects for another, especially when drunk at high volumes.

        • TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          It’s not highly debatable, it’s been studied to death. Sweeteners have existed for a long time.

          There were rumours they cause cancer, this has been proven false. There were rumours they cause headaches, this has been proven false. There were rumours they cause infertility, this has been proven false. There have been rumours they stimulate your appetite, this likewise has zero scientific backing.

          Aspartame, the most common sweetener, does cause issues for people with phenylketonuria, a rare genetic disorder, because it contains stuff they can’t metabolise. But so does a long list of foods people eat every day.

          Some polyol sweeteners have a mild laxative effect if consumed in very high quantities, but the same is true for stuff like tea, coffee, most fruits, etc.

          Sugar is far worse for your health.

    • uis@lemm.ee
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      5 months ago

      Artificial sweeteners were created to fight glycation and allow people with diabetes enjoy sweetness.

      And glycation is bad thing.