Don't Use Any Artificial Sweetener Until You Read On
Before you decide to use man-made sweeteners, decide what you already
know about them and what you still don't know about synthetic
sweeteners. There are a multitude of reasons why some of us use
artificial sweeteners, there are also several kinds of sweeteners and
there have recently been debates by doctors looking into the
side-effects associated with sweeteners and their popular use.
What are artificial sweeteners?
Artificial sweeteners are
sugar alternatives that taste like sugar but are synthetic, in other
words artificial sweeteners are man-made.
Why use man-made
sweeteners
Out of the many reasons someone might purchase a
man-made sweetener, here are the most often expressed:
•
Being careful with the waist line. Dieters who count caloric intake can
better control their diet, without having to change the foods they have
at meals.
• Your teeth will thank you. A few of the man-made
sweeteners actually decrease the PH level in plaque.
•
Diabetes - people with diabetes have much to watch for when keeping
track of their blood sugar levels, and utilizing synthetic sweeteners
can let them enjoy a more varied diet while still being able to sensibly
track their blood sugar levels.
• Save money. Because
synthetic sweeteners are cheaper to produce, they generally cost less
than actual sugar.
What varieties of synthetic sweeteners
are available?
The primary types of synthetic sweeteners that
are commonly in stores in the States, and have been approved by the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) are:
• Saccharin (e.g., Sweet
'n' Low) - was the first synthetic sweetener to be discovered in 1879.
Saccharin has 500 times the sweetening power of sugar and is usually
used in dietary foods and drinks.
• Aspartame (e.g., Equal,
NutraSweet) - was discovered in 1965, it has no smell to it, is a
crystalline powder, which is derived from two amino acids, aspartic acid
and phenylalanine. Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar and is
most likely utilized in frozen desserts, sodas and juices and chewing
gum.
• Sucralose (e.g., Splenda, Altern) - is 500 times
sweeter than sugar, and is produced from sucrose when three chlorine
atoms replace three hydroxyl groups. Sucralose is usually used in
beverages, frozen desserts, bubble gum and edibles made of dough.
Synthetic sweeteners and their effect on your health
Some
research implies a possible connection between artificial sweeteners
and cancer or other physical concerns.
Saccharin and aspartame
are two of the most widely purchased synthetic sweeteners, which have in
past test studies been found to cause forms of cancer in lab rats.
However, further studies into these artificial sweeteners have found
that though there have been issues in its use with rats there has been
no causal link with human use and therefore these two man-made
sweeteners have been given green light by the FDA.
There
are other options to sweeten your food and drink
Even though
artificial sweeteners are usually deemed safe and even good for you in
some instances, honey or Xylitol is a natural alternative to artificial
sweeteners, if you are thinking about your body, or the health of your
unborn baby, if you are pregnant. Xylitol is an organic compound that
can be processed from various berries and also oats and mushrooms.
Xylitol has also been found to not only be wonderfully safe for pregnant
or nursing mothers, but that ongoing consumption can diminish the
amount of bacteria which result in tooth decay.
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Comments
It's difficult to argue with FDA statements and PR from sweetener companies that make it seem so safe and natural, but I'm glad you're sharing this anyway.
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