Do artificial sweeteners make you crave sugar?

A major criticism of artificial sweeteners is that they trigger cravings for sweet foods, even though they contain no calories. However, recent studies indicate that artificial sweeteners do not actually increase cravings for sweets or stimulate hunger. Additionally, consuming foods with artificial or plant-based sweeteners might help lower blood sugar and insulin levels. While this might seem unexpected, the advantages of calorie-free sweeteners have been recognized for some time. A previous review showed that "non-nutritive sweeteners" (the term for calorie-free sweeteners) do not boost appetite or caloric intake. This is likely why many studies have shown that sugar-free beverages often lead to weight loss. For example, in a 52-week randomized controlled trial, participants who drank sugar-free beverages daily lost more weight than those who drank water.

However, this doesn’t mean you should eliminate water from your diet. And if you dislike artificial or plant-based sweeteners, or they upset your stomach, there's no need to include them in your diet. But if you're worried about appetite, hunger, or weight gain, numerous studies suggest that artificial sweeteners are likely safe and can support your health goals.