News Health & Medicine Diet sodas may confuse brain’s ‘calorie counter’ Sugar-free drinks may make sweet-detecting circuits numb to the real stuff By Janet Raloff June 13, 2012 at 10:43 am - More than 2 years ago Share this:Share Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to print (Opens in new window) Print By baffling the brain, saccharin and other sugar-free sweeteners — key weapons in the war on obesity — may paradoxically foster overeating. At some level, the brain can sense a difference between sugar and no-calorie sweeteners, several studies have demonstrated.