Sugar substitutes might make you fat

I try to steer clear of sugar. I first ditched the sweet stuff to cure headaches -- it worked -- and then realized I feel so much better, headaches aside, without the refined stuff sailing through my veins. I credit some of my recent weight loss to my sugar ban too.

What do I do about artificial sweeteners, though? RealAge says I should be cautious, because stuff like saccharin-sweeteners can lead to overeating and weight gain too.

Studies on lab animals tell us that those fed with no-sugar-added yogurt packed on more pounds than those fed with full-sugar yogurt. Seems that no-calorie substitutes put the brain and body at odds. The brain is happy. The body wants more. Time will tell if humans gain like animals do. Chances are, we do -- studies linking diet soda to excess weight already exist.

Your best bet for satisfying a sweet tooth: Go natural -- dive into a bowl of berries -- or indulge in just a bite of the real thing, like an ounce of rich dark chocolate.