While some say they are calorie-free, that doesn’t mean they are good for you.

Let’s just cut straight to the point: natural sweeteners and sugar alcohols have been just as problematic as sugar and artificial sweeteners in over 80% of the 14,000 clients I’ve worked with over the last decade. 

It doesn’t matter how good their diet is, whether they’re men or women, or how active they are, natural sweeteners prove to be counterproductive towards my client’s achieving their health goals. Common examples you’ve likely heard of include stevia, xylitol, erythritol or Swerve.

Many people report the following when they choose to consume natural sweeteners and sugar alcohols on a regular basis:

• Trouble losing weight
• Inability to reduce glucose and A1c levels
• Struggle to fasting due to intense hunger pangs
• Stomach issues, such as abdominal pain and diarrhea 

I understand why people don’t want to cut the sweeteners out right away. You’re already making overwhelming adjustments to your diet and lifestyle as it is. I get it. I’ve been there myself. 

But if you really want to reach your health goals, you should actively try to scale back and stop consuming them on a regular basis.

These so-called natural sweeteners, which are often heavily processed, have been used for decades. We’ve not yet met anybody who switched to sweeteners and lost a lot of weight, and we certainly have not seen the diabetes epidemic go away. 

Even though they don’t contain many calories, they still stimulate insulin, which drives weight gain. This is the opposite of everything we’re trying to achieve through fasting or low-carb dieting. 

It’s not that you can never use natural sweeteners or sugar alcohols, but it is important to save them for special occasions. Think: holiday baking, special occasions or a weekly or monthly treat.

Patient show results almost immediately after cutting them from their feasting and fasting routines. The most surprising feedback from most is how quickly they start to feel better and are able to fast after discontinuing the sweeteners. Within a few days of cutting them out most people notice improvement in their digestion, blood sugar levels, and start to experience weight loss.

So, if artificial and natural sweeteners are slowing down your progress, try to avoid the following: 

• Agave
• Aspartame
• Acesulfam-K
• Allulose
• Artificial sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame K, saccharin, sucralose, Splenda, etc)
• Beet Sugar
• Cane Sugar
• Coconut Palm Sugar
• Erythritol (Swerve)
• Fructose
• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Honey
• Malt
• Maple Syrup
• Monk Fruit
• Sucralose
• Stevia
• Xylitol

By Megan Ramos

By The Fasting Method

For many health reasons, losing weight is important. It can improve your blood sugars, blood pressure and metabolic health, lowering your risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer. But it’s not easy. That’s where we can help.