![](https://cdn.healthyhabits.care/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/13-diabetes.jpg)
Just say “no” to artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners may seem like a great alternative to sugar, but Dr. Friedman recommends avoiding them at all cost. “Artificial sweeteners are created using an array of synthetic chemicals that can disrupt the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, cause metabolic changes and are a precursor to diabetes,” he says. “In fact, research suggests, artificial sweeteners may lead to type 2 diabetes as much as eating sugar does.”