MD (but not an endocrinologist) here. My family and I have been on a low carb diet for years now. I frequently do literature searches on the topic, and the sci

MD (but not an endocrinologist) here. My family and I have been on a low carb diet for years now. I frequently do literature searches on the topic, and the scientific evidence remains less than perfect for just about anything nutrition related. In talking to metabolism people over the years, the bad artificial sweeteners theories go something like this. When you taste something sweet, your body prepares itself for true sugar. When you don't input the sugar to the body, you become hungry faster. Additionally, when you repeatedly use artificial sugars, you may decrease your sensitivity to the actual sweet taste. Thus, once again, subconsciously you end up eating more sweet things (and thus more calories) to make things taste better. Anecdotally, I believe I see this. When I drink a diet beverage, I end up getting very hungry soon afterwards. Additionally, when I drop all diet beverages for a while, I notice that things such as veggies taste sweeter. But you asked for empirical evidence. Here are the latest articles that I've noticed... Diet beverages increased risk of diabetes in middle-aged men. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23575771 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23575771 fMRI shows the process of taste is altered in chronic diet soda drinkers. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22583859 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22583859 Sugar and diet sodas associated with stroke. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22492378 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22492378