Is sugar sweet enough?

Sugar vs. Sweetener.

I feel like we often become very dependent on artificial sweeteners, especially those of us to have dieted. We all probably know that the best way to decrease sugar consumption is gradual, ultimately resulting in whatever your goal is. Though we understand this we don't necessarily follow it and often rely on artificial sweeteners to satisfy our sweet tooth.

I believe that there is plenty of sugar we consume that we do not know about, so we shouldn't forget to look at the hidden sugar in our foods when trying to decrease sugar intake. But today I thought I'd take a little look at artificial sweeteners.

What we eat depends on who we are and what are conditions are. I generally believe that sugar in small amounts is much, much healthier then artificial sweeteners. But I understand that for some people using sweeteners could dramatically decrease their weight, especially if they are a avid pop drinker (though the pop should gradually be removed from the regular diet). But we cannot be perfect at what we do, including eating.

For those of you who don't know much about artificial sweeteners there are many different types. Most people are at least familiar with Aspartame and Splenda (which is actually a brand name).

Here is a little overview of some of sweeteners (at least that I am familiar with)

1. Aspartame (Equal) - I think this may be one of the most well known sweeteners, it was introduced to the market around 1980. There has been a great deal of controversy over whether it should be on the market or not. Mainly because of concerns regarding the initial research completed in the 70's on safety. But alas, it still is on the market. I would personally limit aspartame consumption because I believe the research that says byproducts of aspartame breakdown cause alot of harm.

2. Sucralose (Splenda)- This is the MOST SWEET sweetener. Surcralose is rather new on the market, or it would seem that way. It was certified for the market in the early '90's. But, I think it has gotten to be the dominant sweetener on the current market. I imagine you all remember the initial (fairly recent) commercials for Splenda, they were very homely and showed mothers and children. The main benefits is it is very strong so very minut amounts are needed to increase sweetness. Sucralose is just sucrose (table sugar) with a chlorine atom replacing a hydroxy group (hydrogen + oxygen). So in theory is it was broken down to the subsequent parts it should be safe because we consumed sugar and chlorine daily. I personally believe this is one of the safer sweeteners on the market. But...not as safe as sugar (in reasonable amount of course)!

4. Acesulfame potassium - Typically blended with other sweeteners because it can have a bitter after taste. You see this in diet pop often with aspartame. There are safety concerns over this sweetener, and on top of that it is mixed with another sweetener that could be bad for us!? Some have suggested it may be a carcinogen...which basically means it can cause cancer. Animals studies have suggested that acesulfame potassium can affect insulin secretions in rats. Which is pretty strange if you think about it. I do not feel comfortable taking in something that will affect my insulin levels...I am happy with my insulin levels thank you.

5. Saccharin (sweet'n'low) - Just another example of a sweetener that has always had differing opinions on whether it was healthy or not. If the FDA is not sure if it is healthy why was it ever legalized for use?....

6. Steviol glycoside (Stevia)- Heat-stable, pH-stable, and does not ferment, does not induce a glycemic response when ingested - sounds like a miracle! Too bad it may be a mutagen...which is exactly what it sounds like - it might mutate your DNA causing cancer.

7. Sugar alcohols - These are not as sweet as sugar and contain less calories. I guess they do not really fit in the with the group listed above because they are nutritive...they give calories and I don't think they are created in a lab. I believe that they have less calories largely because we cannot properly digest them in our bodies and so we pass them more or less intact. When they reach the intestines still intact water moves into the intestines causing -OOOPSY - some watery stool. Have you even noticed that diet pop gives you diarrhea? These little buggers could be why!

So that's just a little overview of some of the sweeteners. I did not really go into as much detail as I would like. But I am getting a little sleepy! So I will just outline my main issues with sweeteners and then be off:

1. Health concerns - Basically all of the sweeteners mentioned (and probably most that haven't been) have been suggested to cause some kind of harmful health effects. The ones that don't, like splenda/sucralose, simply may not have been on the market long enough to see long term effects. We have to remember that everyone is out to get a buck, and sometimes other people ultimately pay the price. Do we really trust the people who are deciding what products are allowed on the market?

2. Calories - How many calories are we really saving?...Is the risk of health concerns worth it...or would you rather teach yourself to enjoy sugarless tea?

3. Cost - Should we be willing to drop an extra few dollars for sweeteners to bake with instead of sugar?...Or could I just find a new recipe that uses half the sugar? Or uses applesauce?...

4. Where are these sweeteners coming from? Typically I think they have been created in labs...it is weird to eat things that are not natural at all?...


I guess there is plenty of competition in the food industry...so who knows what is true and what is a smear campaign. I am by all means not covering all the artificial sweeteners out there, and some of my information may be a little off....so don't quote me on anything. But I really do feel it is important to think about what it is we are putting in out bodies. Why is it such a big deal if people splice genes of fish into fruit, but we're completely fine with eating items that come from a lab that are basically poison?

Just a thought.