Sugar and Sugar Substitutes
Raise your hand if you have a sweet tooth!! (Mine is waving frantically)
For many of us, sweets are our downfall. We just can't resist those cookies, brownies, candy, soda - you name it!
There are lots of ways to get the Sugar Monkey off your back in the form of artificial sweeteners which promise to satisfy your sugar craving without the calories. But are they safe?
Artificial sweeteners are often the subject of stories in the popular press and on the Internet, claiming that they cause a variety of health problems, including cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, however, there's no scientific evidence that any of the artificial sweeteners approved for use in the United States cause cancer. And numerous studies confirm that artificial sweeteners are safe for the general population.
One big thing to remember is that these sweeteners tend to be much sweeter than sugar, so you should use much less.
And many people start eating/drinking more of foods containing these sweeteners, because they are lower in calories than the original. (DietCoke-A-Holics). Just removing sugar from soda, cookies and chocolates doesn't make them a healthy food. Filling up on these foods will get you more calories than you need and prevent you from getting enough nutritious foods. Unlike fruits, vegetables and whole grains, sugar-free soft drinks, candy and desserts often provide few -- if any -- beneficial nutrients. Artifical Sweetener Facts:1. Saccharin (Sweet'NLow, Sugar Twin, Sweet'NLow Brown, Necta Sweet)· Chemical derived from coal tar · FDA approved; has been around a long time Daily Limit of 12 packets2. Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)· FDA Approved · Combination of amino acids · Daily Limit of 74 packets,or 22 cans of diet soda3. Sucralose (Splenda)· FDA Approved · Compound of sucrose (sugar) and chlorine · Daily Limit of 28 packets4. Acesulfame Potassium (Sunett, Sweet One)· Combo of potassium, sulfur, nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen · FDA approved· Daily Limit of 20 packets or 30 cans of diet soda5. Sugar Alcohols (sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, mattitol,lactitol ,isomalt, erythritol)· Sugar combined with hydrogen, which hinders digestion(found in many gums)· No daily limit but large amounts may cause gas or bloating6. D-Tagatose (Naturlose)Sugar · Milk-based sugar altered to hinder digestion · No daily limits, but large amounts may cause gas or bloating7. Stevia · Herbal supplement derived from a South American shrub · Not FDA Approved (the FDA does not regulate herbal supplements; still being reviewed)