IT'S OK! THIS SUBSTITUTE IS SAFE!

Last week we talked about the White Death. You may know it as sugar. This week, we’re going to continue the discussion for all of you who have given up sugar for “healthier alternatives”. But are they really? You’ve all seen the labels, “Sugar Free”. See if any of these “healthy alternatives” ring a bell:

Sucralose or Splenda

Aspartame or Equal, NutraSweet

Saccharin or Sweet and Low

We’ve been sold yet another bill of goods by the advertising and food industries that tell us that there are healthier alternatives to sugar. Claims made to set our minds at ease like, "this substitute is SAFE!" Some of the “Pros” of artificial sweeteners are:

·        Artificial sweeteners have no calories.

·        They are not carbohydrates, and therefore do not raise blood sugar levels.

·        Smart use of non-nutritive sweeteners could help you reduce added sugars in your diet, therefore lowering the number of calories you eat.

·        Since sugar substitutes don’t contain sugar, they can help prevent tooth decay.

·        Artificial sweeteners can help you avoid the crash and ensuing fatigue that comes with high-sugar snacks.

Sounds Good, right? Here’s the rest of the story:

·        Artificial sweeteners may change the composition of your gut, reducing the number of good bacteria you have, and hampering the growth of new good bacteria. This can lead to symptoms like cramping, gas and bloating.

·        Research shows that having a sweet tooth doesn’t stop without the calories. People can develop cravings for sweet foods because getting used to the sweet taste without the calories confuses your body and interferes with appetite regulation.

·        Weight gain is actually common even when using artificial sweeteners, likely because of metabolic changes induced by them, OR because of “compensatory behavior” (i.e. thinking things like, “I drank a diet soda so I can have extra cake.”)

Unless they are natural substitutes, like Stevia, artificial sweeteners are made of chemicals. The word ARTIFICIAL on its own should give you pause. Do you really want to put artificial things into your body?

The latest float in this parade of alternatives is Sugar Alcohols. Just a thought – if sugar truly ISN’T harmful, why do they keep coming up with “alternatives”? Just saying.

Anyhow, Sugar alcohols are a type of sweetener used in food and beverages as a substitute for regular sugar. They are carbohydrates with a structure that partially resembles sugar and alcohol, but they don't contain ethanol.         

While they are sweet and can activate taste receptors, they are not as easily absorbed and metabolized as regular sugar, resulting in fewer calories per gram. Instead, small intestine bacteria ferment these carbohydrates, causing indigestion. You can get gas, bloating and diarrhea from sugar alcohol sweeteners. The packaging of foods containing two sugar alcohols in particular—sorbitol and mannitol—must contain a warning that eating too much of those foods can have a laxative effect. Common examples include sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, lactitol, and maltitol.

Sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin (Sweet & Low®) and aspartame (Equal® or NutraSweet®), are not one and the same. One difference between the two types of sugar substitutes is that the artificial sweeteners contain zero calories whereas sugar alcohols contain about 2.6 calories per gram. Another issue is diabetes management. Artificial sweeteners do not contain carbohydrates, so they do not cause blood sugar to elevate, whereas sugar alcohols have some effect on blood sugar, so diabetics need to monitor this closely.

Here's an interesting tidbit. Manufacturers are only required to list sugar alcohols if they’ve identified their product as being sugar-free.

Bottom line, none of these “alternatives” are good for you, and if they’re going to increase inflammation in the body, why would you want that? I’ve spoken before about healthy sugar and that is what comes from nature. So pure, raw honey as we discussed last week, natural UP maple syrup, molasses, or stevia are all natural and healthy for you. But even these need to be used in moderation.

One note of caution here, I have seen sweeteners labeled “Stevia” that contain sugar alcohols like maltitol. I grow my own stevia in a pot on my porch. You can get it in a liquid form, but read those labels to make sure that the only thing you’re consuming is pure stevia. If there’s anything else in there, PASS.

That’s it for this week, gang! By next week I’ll be back in the beautiful, cool UP. We love coming to see the boys, but can’t wait to get home. Stay healthy out there and make wise choices. And trust me. Once you stop the sugar, you will begin to appreciate the natural sweetness of fruits and even some veggies like carrots! It just takes a little willpower, but I know you can do this! And with all the downsides to sugar consumption, why risk it? So come on,

LET’S GET BETTER!

Talk to me!