We love to love it and love to hate it: the sweet stuff, in all of its various forms. But with so many choices and conflicting reports about each one's pros and cons, how do you know — especially if you're trying to lose weight — whether to opt for a packet or food product containing a sugar substitite (and if so, which one) or good ol' sugar?
Start with this guide to seven common sweeteners and what’s known about their dietary effects.
1. Artificial sweeteners (saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame K ...)
Synthetic sugar substitutes such as saccharin, while calorie-free, have been under fire recently as more studies show a link between artificial sweeteners and weight gain. Case in point: A Purdue University study showed that rats that ate saccharin-sweetened yogurt ate more calories and gained more weight than rats that ate regular glucose-sweetened yogurt.
The reasoning behind the calorie indulgence: Animals become trained to expect the taste of sweet to be filling, so when it isn’t, they still crave the sweet calories and tend to eat more. Although not tested on other sugar substitutes such as aspartame, sucralose and acesulfame K, experts believe results would be similar.
Most of the data we have now on artificial sweeteners is based on animal testing, says Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “Still, the human brain is also aware that it’s not getting true calories,” she says. Also, because artificial sweeteners are so much sweeter than sugar, experts theorize that when we use these sweeteners, our taste for sweet continues to grow stronger.
“It’s important to remember that lower-calorie isn’t necessarily healthier,” says Christine Mastrangelo, R.D., owner of Boston-based New England Nutrition Associates. Yet on the flip side, calories do matter and do add up — even calories from “natural” sweeteners.
Bottom line: Consuming these sweeteners may be OK in moderation; but if you strive to eat mostly natural foods, keep reading.
2. High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
This is actually a misnomer, because HFCS is not corn syrup, Bonci says. The International Food Information Council defines HFCS as a combination of fructose and glucose, which are both single sugar molecules (aka monosaccharides), produced from corn.
From ketchup and bread to sodas and fruit juice, the highly processed HFCS is ubiquitous in our food supply. Why? It extends the shelf life of foods and can be made very cheaply.
Some experts blame HFCS for high obesity rates in children, while others link consumption of HFCS with adverse health effects that may lead to conditions such as diabetes. However, these theories have not been scientifically proven. What is known about HFCS is that it adds calories but little nutritional value.
Bottom line: Look at the ingredients list. If HFCS is in the top five, keep shopping. And try to choose 100% juice rather than juice drinks made with HFCS.
3. Sugar
Plain white table sugar (sucrose), contains 16 calories per teaspoon. Whether or not it’s “natural” depends on how you look at it. It comes from sugar cane and is made without the need for molecular changes as in HFCS; but it is refined and bleached. So if you’re looking to emphasize minimally processed foods, you might opt for honey instead. White sugar is commonly used as a preservative and flavor enhancer, and it’s found in most foods from baked beans to juice to soda and bread.
Bottom line: While sugar may be "natural," it's high in calories and offers very little nutritional value. Consume in moderation.
4. Honey
Honey, although less processed than sugar, has the same chemical makeup and calories as sugar, Bonci says. “It’s just a different option.” Honey has a slightly higher B vitamin content, and it also tastes slightly sweeter, so you might be likely to use less. It’s used more in organic foods or “natural” foods, but it’s more expensive, so we don’t see it widely used as a sweetener.
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Refined sugar is not a food our ancestors consumed. Thus, our bodies have not adapted to its effects. And our ancestors certainly didn't consume sugar cane in the quantities we consume sugar. Natural sweeteners such as brown rice syrup, maple syrup and agave are better choices than refined sugar - obviously because they are natural and not synthetic, but also because they create a less drastic spike in blood sugar. But the best choice of all is Stevia which actually has a stabilizing effect on blood sugar.
bodaweightloss
Jan 13, 2009 11:36:34 AM