If you want to lose weight, get real. That means avoiding fake food-like products that contain artificial sweeteners and synthetic fat substitutes. Not only are they unhealthy, they don’t help you develop good eating habits. Most importantly, the research shows they do not promote weight loss, and in fact, they are more likely to promote weight gain.

Get to know the names that these health-distracting ingredients go by:

1. Sucralose
2. Acesulfame
3. Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil
4. Aspartame
5. Saccharin

Instead of artificial sweeteners, small amounts of pure honey or maple syrup are better choices when you want something sweet (sugar is safe when used in moderation, and relatively low in calories, about 15 per teaspoon). Be careful of the sugar alcohols like erythritol and mannitol. While more natural in origin and less blood sugar-spiking, some people may experience significant bloating from these. For fats, small amounts of healthy fats such as extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil or grass fed butter are a much better choice for your health and your waistline than synthetic fats.

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