When you’re trying to avoid added sugar and the high glucose spikes it can cause, it’s easy to turn to versions of your favorite packaged foods that use alternative sweeteners instead. And while these don’t typically produce the glucose and insulin response of regular sugar, building research suggests they are not consequence-free.⁠ ⁠ 🆕 This new clinical trial investigated four of the most widely consumed sugar substitutes—saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, and stevia—and their effects on metabolic health and the microbiome. ⁠ ⁠ In short, the human body doesn’t just ignore these sweeteners, as scientists once assumed. Saccharin and sucralose led to spikes in blood glucose levels, stevia impacted insulin levels, and all four sugar substitutes were linked to changes in the gut microbiome.⁠ ⁠ To find out more about the study and what it means, check out our breakdown at the link in our bio.