What And Why To Replace Sugar: A Review Of Safe Sweeteners, Top 10 Desserts Without Harm To The Figure

History of sugar. Types of sugars

In Europe, the era of sugar began in the 9th century, it began to be cultivated in Egypt, Sicily and southern Spain. With the beginning of the Crusades in the 11th century, sugar also came to Western Europe. There it was already used not only as a medicine, but also as a sweet, although it was a significantly expensive product. Sugar fell in price in the 15th-16th centuries, as it began to be massively grown in the Canary Islands and imported from European colonies. By the 18th century, sugar had ceased to be a luxury and a medicine, it had become affordable and was now enjoyed everywhere.

In Russia, sugar became widespread during the reign of Peter I, but at that time raw materials for its production were imported from abroad. In the middle of the 18th century, they learned how to make sugar from beets and purify it with lime.

The method of purifying beetroot juice with lime is still used today. Calcium oxide (quicklime) is mainly used in construction, for example in the production of cement and sand-lime bricks. In the food industry, it is an approved additive and is designated as E-529.

Sugar can be of different types depending on the raw materials from which it is obtained:

• Cane sugar - obtained from sugar cane growing in tropical and subtropical climates, by diffusion and subsequent purification.
• Beet sugar is extracted from sugar beets, a root vegetable that grows in temperate climates with moderate rainfall and fertile soil.
• Maple sugar - extracted from sugar maple trees in the East of Canada: first they collect the juice from the trunks, then they make syrup, and then sugar.
• Palm sugar - extracted from date, coconut and other types of palms in South Asia, India, Sri Lanka
• Sorghum sugar - extracted from sugar sorghum mainly in the United States; this species is the least common, as it is less profitable, but still it has the advantage that sorghum can grow in arid regions where other raw sugar options cannot withstand the climate.

Why replace sugar?

When it comes to sweeteners, the question arises - why replace sugar at all? Why is he so bad?

1. Sugar is a "fast" carbohydrate. Its molecule - sucrose - consists of glucose and fructose (disaccharide - "di" means "two"), in the body it quickly breaks down and is absorbed, spreads through organs and tissues, and is used as energy. With excessive use, unused glucose is converted into adipose tissue, which is deposited and accumulated in the tissues of the internal organs. This can contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome, which includes obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia (increased blood lipid levels leading to the development of cardiovascular disease). Subsequently, hypertension, caries, neurological diseases, such as, for example, Alzheimer's disease, may develop.

2. The absorption of sugar requires a huge amount of body resources, important minerals are spent, for example, magnesium, zinc, chromium. As a result, the body with sugar does not receive any benefit, except for quick energy, but only spends the resources necessary for more important needs. After a “sugar” meal, hunger sets in very quickly - after 40-60 minutes, the blood level drops sharply and again you want to “chew” something.

3. Frequent “sugar” meals not only increase the calorie content of the daily diet, which is absolutely natural, but also deplete the pancreas, which is forced to constantly produce the hormone insulin to transport glucose (sugar) from the blood to organs and tissues. As a result, the cells' receptors for insulin become insensitive and insulin resistance develops.

4. Sugar is addictive. Animal data have shown significant overlap between added sugar intake and drug-like effects, including binge eating, cravings for the next “dose”, withdrawal symptoms (disorders upon drug withdrawal or dose reduction), cross-dependence, and opioid effects. This is due to the fact that sugary foods affect the same mechanisms in the body as drugs, such as dopamine * release.

* Dopamine is a "pleasure" hormone produced in the brain.

There are many reasons to find a suitable substitute for sugar. But the replacement should be more beneficial and should not cause negative health effects. And it's not so easy.

Reduce sugar in the diet gradually: first, you should give up store-bought desserts, sweets, coffee with syrups, and sweet tea. Then, when the cravings begin to weaken a little, you can switch to the use of sweeteners. Why not vice versa? Because sweeteners are needed only to support you when you refuse sweets, and not to become a replacement in the same volume as sugar was.

Sweeteners - natural and artificial

In the 19th century, Konstantin Falberg, a Russian immigrant working in a chemical laboratory in Baltimore, forgot to wash his hands before dinner. All his food turned out to be cloyingly sweet, no one else at the table had this happen. It turned out that he worked with sulfaminbenzoic acid, compounds of which give a sweet taste. Thus, the world's first synthetic sweetener, saccharin, was discovered.

Sweeteners can be divided into 2 groups:

• Natural - natural substances with a sweet taste, most often having a fairly high calorie content and affecting the insulin response.
• Synthetic - chemicals with zero calorie content that are not absorbed by the human body.

1. Stevia is a plant whose leaves have a sweet taste. Glycosides (stevioside and rebaudioside) are isolated from them, which are 300 times sweeter than sugar. This sweetener has a peculiar bitter aftertaste, so it is rarely used in its pure form. More often in combination with other natural sweeteners.

   The advantage of this product is that it has zero calories, does not affect the release of glucose and insulin into the blood, thus becoming an ideal option for people with type 2 diabetes.

    

2. Sorbitol (sorbitol) - a six-hydric sugar alcohol, occurs naturally in stone fruits and algae, and in industrial production it is obtained from glucose. It is often used in industrial sweets for diet food, in chewing gums. Sorbitol has a calorie content two times lower than sugar, but its sweetness is about half as much. With excessive use, it causes a laxative effect and flatulence.

3. Xylitol (xylitol) is a polyhydric sugar alcohol derived from plant materials such as almond and oat husks, birch wood, and corn cobs. The calorie content is close to the calorie content of sugar, but it does not have any effect on the release of insulin. When consumed in excess, it has a laxative effect. In medicine, it is used in oral products as it is considered to be friendly to the teeth. It can also be found in chewing gums.

1. Erythritol (erythritol) is a tetrahydric sugar alcohol obtained by fermentation of starch-containing raw materials - corn, tapioca, etc. It has zero calorie content, and, unlike the above sugar alcohols, does not affect the level of insulin in the blood and does not adversely affect digestion. Its absorption occurs very quickly, so only a small percentage reaches the large intestine. The risk of bowel problems is minimized, there is no bloating, gas formation.

   This sweetener option is suitable for baking - it is almost equal in sweetness to sugar and is convenient to replace in recipes. It has a peculiar aftertaste - a slight chill, but this practically does not affect the taste of the dish itself. But its constant use can cause receptor dependence on the sweet taste.

    

2. Fructose is a monosaccharide carbohydrate found in fruits. It is widely used in the industrial production of sweets for people with diabetes, as it does not raise the level of glucose in the blood. But fructose metabolism differs from glucose metabolism in that the body's organs and tissues cannot use it for energy. The only organ that works with it is the liver. With the constant use of fructose in large quantities:

   • the liver is overloaded, its functionality and detoxification processes are disturbed;
   • increases the production of low-density lipoproteins, “bad cholesterol”, an increase in which can cause fatty deposits in the walls of blood vessels;
   • the concentration of uric acid increases, which leads to an increase in inflammation in the body and, as a result, gout may develop;
   • proteins are glycated, “candied”, which leads to a violation of the vascular wall, cataracts, and premature aging.

    

   It is safest to consume fructose in its natural form - in fruits and berries. Thus, we get not only sweetness, but also useful fiber. But do not forget about the norm - no more than 25 g per day. It can be 1-2 fruits or a serving of berries.

    

3. Honey is a beekeeping product, consisting of 38% fructose, as well as glucose, sucrose and a small amount of vitamins. The calorie content of honey is equal to the calorie content of sugar. This product is only useful when consumed raw, no more than 1 teaspoon per day. Since honey consists mainly of fructose, you should not abuse it. It is very important that honey is not suitable for baking, because when heated, it loses all vitamins and carcinogens are formed in it, which accumulate in the body.

4. Agave, Jerusalem artichoke, chicory, maple, date, barley malt syrups are sweet substances with a lot of fructose, affect insulin levels, have a high calorie content and are not a good substitute for sugar.

1. Saccharin is the first calorie-free artificial sweetener. It is 300 times sweeter than sugar, heat-resistant, has a metallic taste in high concentrations. Does not cause harmful effects on the body when consumed up to 5 mg per 1 kg of body weight. If consumed in excess, it can negatively affect the intestinal microflora. Most often used in combination with sodium cyclamate.

2. Sodium cyclamate is a chemical substance of synthetic origin, 50 times sweeter than sugar, heat-resistant, has zero calorie content. It is not metabolized in the human body and is excreted in the urine. It is allowed in many countries of the world, in Russia, including under the label E-952, but like all sweeteners, it can cause receptor dependence.

3. Sucralose is a relatively young sweetener developed by an English professor in 1976. Produced from sugar and similar in taste, but 600 times sweeter, stable during heat treatment. When used no more than 900 mg per 1 kg of body weight per day does not adversely affect the body. Recent studies suggest that sucralose can raise insulin levels in the blood and affect the gut microbiota, although earlier researchers have argued otherwise.

4. Aspartame is a synthetic sweetener, 150 times sweeter than sugar, the sensation of sweetness after its use lasts longer than after the use of sugar. The peculiarity of this sweetener is that it cannot be heated, since then methanol is released from it. But even if consumed in chilled foods, it still breaks down in the body to amino acids and methanol. In the body, methanol turns into dangerous formaldehyde and only then is excreted by the liver.

5. Acesulfame potassium - often used in combination with sucralose and aspartame, 200 times sweeter than sugar, does not affect glucose levels, is quickly excreted from the body. When consumed in excess, it can negatively affect the central nervous system and heart function.

6. Neotame is a modern sweetener, almost 10,000 times sweeter than sugar, and therefore more beneficial to use. It is stable during heat treatment, does not affect blood glucose levels, is not considered carcinogenic and mutagenic, but still addictive.

As you can see, there are many options for replacing sugar, but they all have their own characteristics and negative consequences.

*It is important to remember that everything is good in moderation. With excessive consumption of a particular product of the product, negative consequences can be observed.

“Non-sugar sugar” or marketing ploys of companies

With the growing demand for sugar-free diet products, some manufacturers have begun to use tricks to increase sales. Sugar-free labels are on many packages, but don't be too quick to believe those claims. Often, manufacturers replace the familiar word “sugar” with incomprehensible “maltodextrin”, “molasses”, “maltitol” and others in order to confuse an ignorant buyer. Let's figure out under what names sugar can be hidden in products:

• maltodextrin, maltose, molasses, molasses;
• dextrose, dextran, diastase;
• glucose, glucose syrup;
• fructose, crystalline fructose;
• lactose, galactose;
• sucrose, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, beet sugar;
• barbados sugar, grape sugar;
• coconut sugar;

• cane sugar, unrefined cane sugar;
• Brown sugar;
• yellow sugar, golden sugar;
• corn syrup, golden syrup;
• high fructose syrup, date syrup, agave syrup, maple syrup;
• honey;
• invert syrup, cassava syrup, rice syrup, carob syrup;
• barley malt, malt with active diastases;
• sugar color, caramel;
• concentrated fruit juice;
• turbinado;
• date sugar;
• sorghum, sorghum syrup;
• sucrose;
• ethyl maltol.

*important: additives of this kind are present not only in industrial sweets, but even where you do not expect to see them at all:

1. sauces and salad dressings (ketchup, mayonnaise, cheese, garlic, soy and others);

2. sausages, sausages, ham, sausages, smoked meats;

3. canned food (beans, peas, corn, cucumbers, vegetable caviar);

4. vegetable milk;

5. bread, loaves;

6. nuts and dried fruits (often soaked in sugar syrups);

7. fat-free foods (in order to mask the sour taste).

If you want to get rid of sugar cravings, find out what type of sugar addiction you have and follow the recommendations in the next paragraph.

Craving for sweets - causes and solutions

“So I want something sweet…”

If this thought comes to you several times every day, you should think about the fact that this is not just a desire, but an addiction to sweets. Let's look at the possible reasons:

1. Unbalanced diet - you eat too little, or your diet lacks complex carbohydrates and fiber (whole grains, vegetables).

2. Cellular hunger is a lack of microelements, for example, zinc, chromium.

3. receptor addiction.

4. Hormonal imbalance (insulin, serotonin).

5. Chronic stress, adrenal fatigue.

6. Excess fungal growth (candida).

In order to effectively deal with sugar addiction, you need to know its type:

• Energy addiction - occurs in people who work beyond measure, use caffeine and energy drinks to boost their energy. Such people need sweets as “fuel”, fast energy. It is recommended to get enough sleep, be distracted from work for outdoor activities, have breakfast in the first hour after waking up and add complete proteins and fats to the diet.
• Deficiency dependence - manifested by chronic fatigue, lack of strength and motivation, hair loss, brittle nails, decreased immunity. It is recommended to enrich the diet with nutrient-dense foods: greens, vegetables, offal, berries, fish, algae.
• Microbiome addiction - manifested by a chronically stuffy nose, acne on the skin, thrush, a strong craving for flour (especially yeast). Since sugar is food for opportunistic flora, there may be the following symptoms: flatulence, bloating, indigestion, pain in the intestines. It is recommended to include pro- and prebiotics in the diet, such as sauerkraut, coconut yogurt, kombucha, apple cider vinegar, chicory, leek, Jerusalem artichoke, as well as fiber - vegetables and herbs, apple pectin, psyllium.

   

   

• Hormonal dependence - is manifested by vivid symptoms of PMS, insomnia, fatigue, menstrual irregularities, problems with conception. A special risk group is overweight women. It is recommended to introduce complex carbohydrates (whole grains), healthy fats (avocados, flaxseed oil, fish) and sources of iodine (algae) into the diet to support thyroid function.
• Neurotransmitter addiction - associated with an imbalance of mood neurotransmitters - dopamine and serotonin. Signs - anxiety, loss of appetite, bouts of overeating, increased pain threshold, depression, lack of positive emotions. It is recommended to reduce the level of stress, quality sleep, give up bad habits, enrich the diet with high-quality protein and fats.
• Receptor dependence - associated with a violation of the sensitivity of receptors. It is recommended to chew food thoroughly and slowly, add bitterness (arugula, watercress, leaf beet, chicory) and spices (onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, pepper, rosemary) to the diet, stop smoking, regularly load receptors with a variety of tastes - bitter , sweet, sour, salty, astringent, pungent. Also include hygiene procedures - cleaning the tongue and / or rinsing the mouth with coconut oil.

For any type of addiction, it is recommended to exclude sweet and carbonated drinks, industrial sweets, pastries (especially yeast) from the diet.

Sugar substitutes for weight loss

The principle that should be followed during weight loss is a complete nutritionally dense diet without counting calories. With this approach, the body receives all the nutrients from food, the receptors remain sensitive to various tastes, and the craving for sweets weakens. If you're not ready to give up sweets completely, then replace them with desserts with low-calorie sweeteners like stevia.

Here are 10 delicious, low-calorie, sugar-free desserts that you can easily incorporate into a healthy diet.

Top 10 desserts without harm to the figure

Ingredients:

• cocoa butter 70 g
• coconut oil 30 g
• cocoa powder 100 g
• stevia to taste
• vanilla

Melt the butter in a water bath. Add dry ingredients, mix well to dissolve the sweetener crystals. Pour into molds and leave in the refrigerator until completely solidified.

Ingredients:

• chicken eggs 3 pcs
• egg white 3 pcs
• whole grain flour 100 g
• cinnamon, nutmeg, a pinch of salt
• stevia to taste
• cranberries/currants/strawberries 400 g

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Separate whites from yolks. Beat 6 proteins with salt and sweetener until a strong foam, then gently fold in all the dry ingredients with a spatula. At the very end, add berries. Put the air mixture into a mold greased with ghee and bake for 40 minutes. Cool before serving, as it will be difficult to cut while hot due to the airy texture.

Ingredients:

• oat bran flour 20 g
• whole grain flour 30 g
• half a ripe banana
• cocoa powder 10 g
• egg
• melted coconut/ghee butter 5 g
• milk (can be vegetable) 50 ml
• baking powder 0.5 teaspoon

Mix all the ingredients until a homogeneous consistency of sour cream, pour into a mug, put in the microwave for 3 minutes. Turn off every minute so that the dough does not run away. You can sprinkle with almond flakes when serving.

Ingredients:

• coconut milk 200 ml
• gelatin 10 g
• 4 egg whites
• coconut flakes 10 g
• stevia to taste

Milk should be at room temperature. Gelatin pour 50 ml of milk and leave to swell. Beat egg whites until firm foam with sweetener. Heat the gelatin in the microwave, stir until completely dissolved, mix with the second part of the milk. Continuing to beat the egg whites, fold in the milk and gelatin in a thin stream. Sprinkle the form (preferably silicone) with chips, pour the mixture and sprinkle with the remaining chips. Leave in the cold overnight. Cut into serving pieces.

Ingredients:

• coconut yogurt 150 g
• gelatin 5 g
• water 30 ml
• strawberries 100 g
• vanilla
• stevia to taste

Pour gelatin with water and leave to swell. Punch in a blender until smooth yogurt, vanilla, sweetener and half the strawberries. Heat the gelatin in the microwave, stir until completely dissolved, carefully add to the yogurt mixture and mix. Pour into a bowl and leave in the cold until completely solidified. Top with the second piece of strawberries. When serving, you can sprinkle with almond petals or coconut flakes.

Ingredients:

• sweet pumpkin (squash, winter sweet, marble, melon) 300 g
• apple 200 g
• walnuts 20 g
• ghee/coconut oil 5 g
• cinnamon, vanilla
• ricotta 100 g

Peel the pumpkin and cut into medium slices. Wash the apples and cut into 4 parts, remove the core with seeds. Put in a greased form, sprinkle with cinnamon, vanilla and walnuts. Bake at 180 degrees for 40-60 minutes. When serving, scoop out the ricotta balls with a small spoon.

Ingredients:

• carrots 100 g
• banana 100 g
• egg
• milk (can be vegetable) 50 ml
• nut flour 45 g
• wheat bran, ground into flour 25 g
• baking powder 0.5 teaspoon
• a pinch of salt
• cinnamon

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grate the carrots on a fine grater, turn the banana into a puree, mix with the yolk and milk. Then pour in all the dry ingredients and mix so well that each carrot is saturated with the nut mixture. Beat the protein with a pinch of salt until strong peaks, gently fold into the dough. Arrange in molds (you can pre-grease them with melted butter) and bake for 40 minutes.

Ingredients:

• zucchini 300 g
• eggs 2 pcs
• whole grain flour 100 g
• kefir 50 g
• 1 teaspoon ghee/coconut oil
• dark chocolate without sugar 100 g (preferably homemade)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• stevia to taste

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Courgette grate on a fine grater and squeeze out excess liquid. Mix eggs with kefir, add zucchini, flour with baking powder, mix. Melt the chocolate in a water bath with butter, gently fold into the dough. Pour into a ghee/coconut oiled pan and bake for 30 minutes. Serve slightly chilled.

Ingredients:

• long-cooked ground oatmeal 100 g
• nut flour (almond flour is ideal) 40 g
• ghee/coconut oil 30 g
• egg
• a pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla
• stevia to taste

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl, add egg and melted butter. Roll into balls, flatten, giving any shape of cookies. Crush the chocolate with a knife into crumbs, sprinkle the cookies. Bake 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• royal dates 10 pcs
• 2 tablespoons nut butter
• dark chocolate without sugar 100 g (preferably homemade)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable milk (possibly more, see the consistency)
• 200 g boiled chickpeas
• cocoa powder for dusting

Soak dates in boiling water for 20 minutes. Break the chocolate, mix with milk and melt in a water bath. In a blender, mix chickpeas, nut butter and chocolate with milk. It should be a thick mass. With wet hands form balls, roll them in cocoa powder and leave in the refrigerator for 2 hours.