Sugar Substitutes - Which Are The Most Suitable?
Author: Karen Lennox
Time for reading: ~2
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
CHAPTERS (Table Of Contents)
In this article, learn more about Sugar Substitutes - Which Are The Most Suitable?. Their main advantage is in delivering a sweet taste with little or no calories.
From an early age, a person shows a preference for sweet taste. Cakes, pastries, ice cream, soft drinks, juices, all drinks high in sugar, are the daily diet of many. The negative effects of systemic and excessive sugar consumption are known and associated with chronic and degenerative diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, cancer.
The main advantage of natural and artificial sugar substitutes is that they deliver a sweet taste with few or no calories, and can be consumed by people with diabetes.
Advantages of sugar substitutes
They do not affect body weight. Most sugar substitutes do not store calories in our bodies. However, their use must be done in moderation. They are suitable for diabetics.
Most of these sweeteners are ideal for people who suffer from diabetes because their consumption does not increase blood sugar.
Exemplary substitutes
- Saccharin
It has been used as a sweetener since 1879. Saccharin is 200 to 700 times sweeter than sugar. No calories.
It is widely used in the food industry for the production of cakes, beverages, ready-made fruit juices.
Studies indicate a possible risk of developing bladder cancer, which at this stage has not been confirmed by a clinical study.
- Aspartame
Aspartame does not contain calories and is many times sweeter than sugar. It loses its sweetness when heated, so it is not used for foods that require cooking at high temperatures. Despite conflicting opinions, there is no study showing harm from taking it.
- Acesulfam K
This is another low-calorie sugar substitute. Also much sweeter than her. It is thermally stable and can be used for baked goods.
- Sucralose
Many studies rank it among the safe non-caloric sweeteners. Sucralose withstands heat treatment.
- Fructose
It is the "sugar" of the fruit that carries the same calories. Fructose has been widely used in previous years as a substitute. It is not considered an ideal sweetener, as it is associated with increased fatty acid synthesis in the body, which leads to increased cholesterol levels, as well as increased uric acid, increased liver fat and the risk of diabetes. In its safe form, the monosaccharide is extracted from the fruit.
- Steviol glycosides
They are the natural ingredients of the stevia plant from South America. Stevia is 200 to 400 times sweeter than sugar. It is considered completely safe and suitable for diabetics because it does not raise blood sugar.
In conclusion, it can be said that the consumption of sugar substitutes is safer for human health and can contribute to positive results in healthy eating and control of body weight and blood sugar. In addition to sweeteners, foods such as honey, agave syrup and molasses can be used in small amounts to produce the desired sweet taste, replacing sugar.
Related Articles
- Carbs to Sugar Conversion: Understanding Types of Carbohydrates and Their Impact
- The Impact of Coca-Cola on Nutrition: Caloric Content, Blood Sugar Levels, and More
- Therapeutic Nutrition For Diabetes: Managing Blood Sugar Through Diet
- Carbs to Sugar Conversion: Understanding the Impact on Nutrition, Diets, and Recipes
- Therapeutic Nutrition for Diabetes: Managing Blood Sugar Through Diet