Boxing has been called the "Sweet Science," but if you've ever tried your hand (or glove) at it, you know the word "sweet" is meant ironically. And boxing's pretend sweetness can deliver the same kind of nasty shock to your system as today's artificial sweeteners seem to do!
 

The latest info indicates that sucralose is not inactive metabolically (and we worry the same also is true of other artificial sweeteners). Sucralose actively conspires to deceive receptors in the stomach and intestines that detect sweetness. That causes two problems: It stimulates extra-high blood glucose levels - seems the sucralose increases absorption of glucose from food (such as carbs) and that spike high blood sugar levels. It also raises insulin levels by 20 percent; too much of that good thing can lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
 

Our (oft-repeated) recommendation is: "Avoid all added sugars and sugar syrups." We'd like to expand that to say added fake sugars, too. Stick with nature's own, found in veggies and fruits. At breakfast, enjoy nonfat Greek yogurt with the sweet flavor of 100 percent whole grains, like steel-cut oatmeal or shredded wheat, topped with blueberries and strawberries, the real sweets. For lunch, a mango-chili pepper-lime-and-cilantro salsa on salmon or tuna salad will electrify your taste buds. And for dinner, try a baked beta-carotene-loaded sweet potato topped with a veggie compote of zucchini, onions, red peppers, garlic and fresh thyme. It'll feel very sweet to get your sugars from the healthy foods you love.