Q: We know that diet soda consumption has been positively correlated to weight gain, but do we have any idea why? I stopped drinking all sodas, but still use Splenda in my coffee and tea on a daily basis. Is there any evidence that artificial sweeteners are the culprit rather than diet sodas per se? Would we be better off with sugar?
A: There has been some research that shows an association of artificially flavored diet soft drinks and obesity. The evidence is thin right now but worrisome. While I have used Splenda in some recipes on the Dr. Gourmet web site including muffins, quickbreads and desserts I have tried to be sparing about this. Recently I have tested stevia in baked goods and it works well and is a more natural choice. Splenda vs. Sugar
