KSugar is a common component of our normal diet, and is also a major contributing factor to a number of health issues. As we’ve started to understand the dangers of sugar and its link to health issues like coronary heart ailment, weight problems and much more– especially in our contemporary world of overconsumption, more alternative sweeteners and sugar substitutes have risen in popularity.
Fortunately, we have plenty of other natural alternatives to satisfy our sweet tooth that don’t cause harm to our health. They can also aid our health in certain ways such as Aspartame, Stevia, Sucralose and few more approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But with dozens and dozens of sweetener alternatives out there how do you choose the best?
The objective of this blog is to give you a better understanding about the sugar substitutes on the basis of their caloric amounts and the health benefits they provide.
Sweeteners, regardless of whether they be nutritive (give calories) or non-nutritive (don’t give calories), are added to a wide variety of foods and beverages. Sweeteners not only sweeten the food, they also preserve food (in jams or jellies), give body, mass and texture (in ice-cream and baked goods), enhance different flavors (salty), and help in fermentation (in breads and pickles).
Classification of Sweeteners:
Nutritive sweeteners
Nutritive sweeteners otherwise called caloric sweeteners or sugars, provide energy in the form of carbohydrates.
Some sugars are found naturally in foods. For instance, fructose is found in fresh fruits. By eating the entire organic product, you feed your body fiber, nutrients, minerals, and phytonutrients that you don’t get from sugar alone.
Huge number of the sugars in our eating routine originates from “added sugars” – sugars added to food before consumption or during the processing. Added sugars are used to improve the flavor and texture and to expand time span of usability. Added sugars also incorporate sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
Health issues
Added Sugars + Solid Fats + Excess Intake = Chronic Health Issues
- Inflammation
- Pre-diabetes
- Overweight
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Obesity
- Cardiovascular Disease
Non-nutritive sweeteners
Non-nutritive sugars are zero calorie options in contrast to nutritive sweeteners. These sugars can be added to both hot and cold refreshments. Non-nutritive sweeteners are perfect alternatives and mostly derived from plants. Their severity of sweetness is much more than sugar, so only small quantities are needed for food and beverages. They have no calories but cater to innumerable health benefits. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has endorsed the utilization of the accompanying nonnutritive sugars: Acesulfame-K, Aspartame, Neotame, Saccharin, Sucralose and Stevia.
Non-nutritive low-calorie sweeteners approved by FDA
Health benefits of non-nutritive sweeteners:
- Weight control
- Diabetes control
- Prevention of tooth decay
- Pleasant taste
- Inadequate calorie intake
- Do not affect the blood sugar
- Small amounts required to sweeten food and beverages
- Can be replaced in cooking and baking
Growing concerns about health and quality of life have encouraged people to adapt to healthy lifestyles, and avoid the intake of food rich in sugars, salt, or fat to prevent obesity and different non-communicable diseases. With the rise of patron interest in reduced energy intake, food products containing non-nutritive sweeteners rather than simple sugars have grown to be increasingly popular. Replacement of sugar with non-nutritive sweeteners provides various health benefits.
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Benefits