subject: Sugar Choices: What Folks Need To Hear About Natural And Artificial Sweeteners [print this page] In more basic times we had to decide only between white or brown sugar. In todays times, there are natural sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, semi-natural sweeteners, sugar alternatives, and many more. In the days of health awareness, people decrease their sugar intake to circumvent weight gain or diabetes and other health issues. But who knew that sweetening ones tea could be this difficult to figure out!
You probably have come across them a few times. Pretty yellow and pink packets reach out to you every morning. Pastels are good, white and brown are negative. How do we ascertain which is an improvement for our wellbeing? Original or copy?
Artificial sugar substitutes are composed of chemicals or natural compounds. Some people buy them because they offer sweetness without the calories that come from the real thing. And people with diabetes prefer them because they dont increase blood sugar levels like sugar will. In addition, the FDA has certified four artificial sweeteners: saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame-K, and sucralose. But, there are still talks as to which sweetener is truly beneficial to you.
Saccharin
Saccharin (Sweet'N Low) has been on the market since 1879. Having been found to lead to cancer in lab rats in 1977, it changed into a controversial product. But, the ban on saccharin was removed in part because rats consumed 800 diet sodas a day. Also, a later study determined that for the general population there was no greater risk of bladder cancer than for non-Saccharin users.
Aspartame
Aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal) is known to the FDA to be one of the most thoroughly tested artificial sweeteners. Its been researched over 100 times, toxologically and clinically, and was found to be a safe sweetener. Folks with phenylketonuria and consumers with high levels of phenylalanine such as mommies to be, however, need to be frugal with their aspartame use amounts because it can lead to brain damage.
Acesulfame-K
Acesulfame-K (Sunette or Sweet One) has been established to be safe by the FDA, because it maintains blood sugar levels. However, some factions such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest support that more thorough testing needs to be performed to study its link to cancer.
Sucralose
Sucralose (Splenda) issplendid for pastries and well suited for diabetics, contains no calories and in over 110 studies was noted to have no toxic or carcinogenic causalities and have no reproductive or neurologic risk. Still, some critics caution it can lead to organ damage.
Other Sweeteners
Stevia, which is made from a South American herb, has not yet been approved by the FDA. And agave nectar, which you can find in health food stores, is known for its high calories and fructose syrup so its health possibilities are still up for discussion . And many natural sweeteners such as honey, molasses, evaporated cane juice, rice syrup, barley malt, and fructose, also come with high calories which undermine the purpose of using a sweetener other than sugar.
So many choices, claiming such different health benefits. The bottom line is that you ought to be conscious of what you are putting in your mouth and how much sugar youre consuming. As with everything in life, moderation is the best way to balance and wellbeing, however you sweeten your tea!
