Sugar Substitutes - Whose The Good Guy?
Fun (or scary) fact…. did you know that sweeteners are categorised into 6 different groups? I don’t know about you, but when I think about it, I’m horrified to know that we are able to modify one ingredient that many times.
To break it down for you (so you know what I’m talking about) here they are.
We’ve got,
1. Sugars.
2. Sugar Alcohols.
3. Natural Caloric Sweeteners.
4. Natural Zero Calories Sweeteners.
5. Modified Sugars.
6. Artificial Sweeteners.
** For reference I’ve listed them in alphabetical order at the bottom of this article, so you have a better understanding of which falls into what category**
In a perfect world, I’d say “try and avoid sweeteners as much as possible” but realistically speaking, almost everything packaged (sweet that is) is full of them. So how do we know which one is the “safest” and “most desirable”.
If you were to ask a room full of physicians and holistic health practitioners what they think, guaranteed you will receive several different responses from each and every one of them.
Some will say there is no evidence backing that sugar substitutes (like high-fructose corn syrup & aspartame) cause health issues whereas others will probably tell you they may have adverse effects on your microbiome, liver, kidney, and brain function.
Look, I have to be honest. I’ve read the papers and clinical studies (from both sides) and the jury is still out. There is no definitive answer as to whether these are safe to consume.
Frustrating, I know.
However, I’ve always had the personal mindset that anything chemically processed shouldn’t be consumed on a regular basis. So, what I can do for you, is provide you with a little insight as to what I (personally) believe to be the superior choices.
In no direct order, I lean towards;
1. Honey
2. Stevia
3. Monk Fruit
Honey has a surprising number of benefits and anti-inflammatory properties. Some of which have been studied and shown to help (not cure) with;
- GI disorders
- Oral health
- Wound healing
- Breast Cancer
- Colon Cancer
- Liver and pancreatic disease
If I were to pick which type to consume, I’d go straight for manuka honey and I’d have a teaspoon a day on an empty stomach.
Stevia, a non-caloric sweetener is extracted from the leaves of the plant Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and is one of my favourites. It has been shown to be safe in more than 200 studies, and JECFA has established an ADI of 4 mg/kg body weight per day to be safe for consumerws.
If purchasing, just make sure you buy pure stevia and not one lased with Erythritol
Last but not least, Monk Fruit. Some call this one “the good guy” because it hasn’t shown to have any adverse effects on blood sugar levels or your health. The con of this sweetener? It’s difficult to grow this making it tres expensive….and some think it has a funky after-taste.
The take home message…if you can avoid sweeteners the better, but if you need that extra something, I’d personally opt for the three mentioned above. Just be mindful of how much/often you consume it.
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commonly used sweeteners
¨ Acesulfame K – E950 Artificial Sweetener
¨ Agave Syrup – Modified Sugar
¨ Aspartame – E951 Artificial Sweetener
¨ Aspartame-Acesulfame Salt – Artificial Sweetener
¨ Barley Malt Syrup – Modified Sugar
¨ Blackstrap Molasses – Sugar extract
¨ Brown Rice syrup – Modified Sugar
¨ Cane Juice – Sugar extract
¨ Coconut Palm Sugar – Sugar Extract
¨ Corn Sugar HFCS – Modified sugar
¨ Dextrose – Sugar
¨ Erythritol – Sugar Alcohol
¨ Fructose – Sugar
¨ Galactose – Sugar
¨ Honey – Natural Sugar
¨ Isomalt – Sugar Alcohol
¨ Lactitol – Sugar Alcohol
¨ Lactose – Sugar
¨ Maltitol – Sugar Alcohol
¨ Maltodextrin – Sugar
¨ Maltose – Sugar
¨ Mannitol – Sugar Alcohol
¨ Maple Syrup – Sugar Extract
¨ Monk Fruit – Natural Sweetener
¨ Palm Sugar – Sugar Extract
¨ Polydextrose – Sugar Fibre
¨ Saccharin – Artificial Sweetener
¨ Saccharose (sucrose) – Sugar
¨ Sorbitol – Alcohol Sugar
¨ Stevia – Natural Sweetener
¨ Sucralose – Artificial Sweetener
¨ Sucrose – Sugar
¨ Xylitol – Sugar Alcohol