Ok---So what's the safest, best sugar substitute?Three popular chemical, artificial sweeteners are saccharin (Sweet 'n Low), aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal) and sucralose (Splenda). Their appeal has always been to have a sweet taste with no calories; here are additional facts about each one:
Saccharin
- 300 times as sweet as sugar
- Listed as safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1972
- Proposed ban in 1977 under suspicion of causing cancer
- Switched back to safe in 2000
Aspartame:
- 180 times as sweet as sugar
- Approved in 1981
- Used extensively in diet sodas and thousands of other foods
- Thousands complain to the FDA about bad health effect
- 600 times as sweet as sugar
- Approved in 1998
- Made by attaching three chlorine atoms to a sugar molecule
- Failed animal tests and long-term safety unknown
Scary but true facts! These much-used sugar substitutes are causing disquiet because of continuing evidence that their use causes people to actually gain weight and suspicion that they increase the appetite for more sweets. The substitutes have no nutritional value, cause numerous unhealthy symptoms and have failed animal tests that have been overlooked by the FDA.
Here it is, the Safest, Best Sugar Substitute
Stevia is a South American herb (stevia rebaudiana) that is 300 times sweeter than sugar; completely natural containing nutrients but no calories. Stevia significantly lowers blood pressure and doesn't spike blood sugar. And if that is not enough, stevia promotes dental health by reducing plaque.
Natural sweeteners have an advantage over the artificial sweeteners in that they contain nutrients, are trustworthy and healthy, but most contain calories.
Honey:
- One third sweeter than sugar and least processed of the naturals
- Doesn't spike blood sugar
- Raw honey aids in digestion (not for children less than two years of age)
Maple Syrup:
- 60% sucrose
- One gallon uses 30 to 50 gallons of maple tree sap
- Has a low glycemic index (54)
Tagatose (Naturlose):
- Made from milk sugar
- 92% as sweet as sugar
- One third calories of sugar
Xylitol:
- 60% as sweet as sugar
- Used in chewing gum and other products
- Doesn't increase blood sugar; laxative effect at high doses
~Guess we have to follow our instincts on this one, I think I will stick to the natural sweeteners but in moderation.
image found - pyagri.gov.cn, statistics suite101.com
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