# Are (almost) all fat people "allergic" to artificial sweeteners?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-almost-all-fat-people-allergic-to-artificial-sweeteners/553071
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [September 8, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-almost-all-fat-people-allergic-to-artificial-sweeteners/553071 "2010-09-08T17:05:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 5
### Author:  [@Dunkelheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunkelheit)
#### Post date: [September 10, 2010, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-almost-all-fat-people-allergic-to-artificial-sweeteners/553071/81 "2010-09-10T09:58:46Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#):
>
> ETA: Forgot to say that I have actually found two diet sodas I don’t hate - diet ginger ale and Fresca.
Fresca was better with cyclamates. 😉 Then they started using saccharin instead. Ah, for the Fresca of my youth! 😜
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### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [September 10, 2010, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-almost-all-fat-people-allergic-to-artificial-sweeteners/553071/82 "2010-09-10T10:14:11Z")
> [@Cazzle](#):
>
> I’ve claimed to be allergic to things that I don’t strictly have an allergy to, things that inevitably upset my stomach and cause… erm, gastric distress. It’s not usually something I want to be detailed about, so “allergy” is a nice way to just put that conversation behind us.
I know celiacs who say “allergic to wheat” and beam at me when I say “oh, celiac?” “yes!” They’re used to people not having the foggiest what “celiac” means but being respectful of “allergic to [insert food here]”. Similar for lactose intolerant folk: if I try to explain “lactose intolerant”, most people just won’t grok it and keep asking “but why?” and offering solutions, but if I say “allergic to something called lactose, which is in regular milk but not in lactofree”, then all is well in their universe and I can go on drinking my quasi-milky goodness.
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### Author:  [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)
#### Post date: [September 10, 2010, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-almost-all-fat-people-allergic-to-artificial-sweeteners/553071/83 "2010-09-10T10:41:59Z")
My BMI is 19- I drink don’t drink diet sodas (because I don’t like the taste) and have 2 sugars in my coffee. I also drink whole milk and eat full fat cheese, yogurts and butter.
Since I don’t snack between meals and drink maybe 1 can of coke a week, and 2 coffees a day, I reckon I can afford the calories.
This is not a “ha ha I can’t eat everything I want and stay skinny” thing- I eat whatever I want to eat, I just don’t eat much of it, or know that I’ll have to cut back somewhere else. Big lunch= small dinner. Pudding with dinner=smaller portion of main course.
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [September 10, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-almost-all-fat-people-allergic-to-artificial-sweeteners/553071/84 "2010-09-10T12:35:18Z")
I find that aspertame can make an already existing headache worse. That’s all, though. I wouldn’t call it allergic.
I will say that sucralose (Splenda) is the only sweetener that I like the taste of, and even it starts tasting bad if I use it too much–it lacks the bite of real sugar.
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### Author:  [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)
#### Post date: [September 10, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-almost-all-fat-people-allergic-to-artificial-sweeteners/553071/85 "2010-09-10T22:36:03Z")
> [@Gruntled](#):
>
> The other day I offered a (morbidly obese) acquaintance a diet soda. He held up his hands in a very dramatic rejection pose and said that he would “never dream of” drinking diet-anything. “I’m allergic”, he said.
>
> Really?
>
> Come to think of it, almost every fat person I’ve ever known has made this same claim.
I am very fat and have known many fat people, and I’ve never heard ANYONE claim to be allergic to artificial sweeteners. In fact, despite my girth, I almost exclusively drink diet sodas when I have soda at all, because they taste just fine, and the sugar is “invisible” calories.
Joe
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### Author:  [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)
#### Post date: [September 10, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-almost-all-fat-people-allergic-to-artificial-sweeteners/553071/86 "2010-09-10T22:39:37Z")
I am fat and not allergic to any artificial sweeteners.
That said, drinks (and gum, for that matter) with acesulfame potassium (ace-K) like Coke Zero often give me a raging headache. So, while I will kindly refuse your offer of a Coke Zero, I will gladly drink Diet Dr. Pepper.
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### Author:  [@Lady\_Venom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_Venom)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2010, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-almost-all-fat-people-allergic-to-artificial-sweeteners/553071/87 "2010-09-11T01:00:54Z")
I don’t drink soft drinks, regular or diet. I am slightly overweight and actually allergic to aspartame.
It’s a PITA. Luckily it’s pretty easy to avoid.
My doctor diagnosed me in high school (I’m 37 now). When exposed to aspartame, I end up with hives all over my face and neck and have a slightly difficult time breathing.
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