Could Diet Sodas Be Making Us Fatter?

The artificial sweeteners in "diet" beverages, thought to help people trim their waistlines, may be having the opposite effect. A new study reveals that three of the leading artificial sweeteners produce an increase ­in blood-sugar levels in both mice and humans, by disrupting the balance of helpful gut bacteria. High blood-sugar levels, in turn, are the telltale sign of glucose intolerance, a condition which can evolve into diabetes and metabolic disease. It Takes Guts The role artific