I am a fan of mixed martial arts, which under the umbrella of the UFC is the fastest growing sport in the world.  I have found that this combat sport is a lightning rod of opinions, however, with some who are convinced that it is art in motion while others believe it’s a brutal form of human cockfighting.  Regardless of your opinion on the sport, the fact remains that the competitors are some of the best conditioned athletes in the world.  Their cardio, strength, flexibility, and timing top all of the athletic performance charts.  To get to the highest levels of performance, these athletes follow health and diet plans that exceed those in any other sport today.

One of the legends of this emerging sport is former Middleweight Champion Rich “Ace” Franklin.  A former teacher with a Masters Degree in Mathematics, he is very bright, and the systematic approach he has taken to manage his diet provides some valuable insights.  He recently posted an excellent piece on artificial sweeteners, with a particular emphasis on Sucralose (found in sweeteners such as Splenda).  Rather than regurgitate his blog, I’ll point you there!  Click on the link to read about the problems with artificial sweeteners and their effects on your health.

Artificial Sweetener: Sucralose