I know the headline sounds funny, but remember that could kill a diabetic.

  • GingaNinga@lemmy.world
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    19 days ago

    FYI there is no such thing as truly “zero calorie”. Sure, we can’t use aspartame and those “0 calorie” sweeteners for energy BUT our gut microbes can metabolize those compounds into products that we can then use for energy. So one way or another you’re still taking in calories. Now do you gain more energy from straight sugar vs the sweeteners? I have no idea, I haven’t studied this in years. I just like to bring up that little bit of trivia whenever anyone brings up zero calorie drinks in conversation :)

    • Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      19 days ago

      It doesn’t really matter if aspartame and sugar have the same amount of calories when you use 1/200th as much to get the same level of sweetness.

      • GingaNinga@lemmy.world
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        19 days ago

        ya I did a lit review for my thesis a few years back, plenty of papers on microbes metabolizing these compounds, shouldn’t be hard to find.

            • Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world
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              18 days ago

              So after a little research the caloric intake might be more than 0. I feel like your original comment came across as suggesting that “0 calorie” drinks had just as many calories as sugar, which is obviously far from the truth. But this research is interesting and important, and there’s a good chance I read your first comment in bad faith. Thanks for sharing