With all the choices in sugar substitutes, it’s easy to get your sweet fix

Slide into a booth at any diner and you’re likely to find a colorful bouquet of artificial sweetener packets adorning the back edge of the table. Most of us have grown so accustomed to the familiar pink, blue and yellow squares that we hardly give them a second glance. According to the Calorie Control Council, an international association representing the low-calorie and reduced-fat food and beverage industry, 194 million adult Americans consume low-calorie/sugar free foods and beverages.

From the sage advice of Mary Poppins, “just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down,” to the popular teen phrase, “sweet,” most of us associate sweetness with goodness. In fact, the United States Department of Agriculture reports that the average American consumes 20 teaspoons of sugar per day, more than double the recommended amount. For diabetics, dieters and others looking to decrease their sugar intake, artificial sweeteners are a welcome alternative.

Sally Clifton, MSH, RD, LD/N, Clinical Dietitian at Shands Jacksonville and President of the Jacksonville Dietetic Association, agrees sweeteners are a wonderful way to satisfy cravings without raising blood sugar. She believes they are beneficial to a diabetic diet if used correctly.  “Moderation is really the key. By eating small amounts throughout the day and sticking with recommended serving sizes, these products can be incorporated into a balanced diet.”

 

Sweet Facts

Artificial sweeteners are produced in a lab rather than harvested naturally like real sugar products. Because they are much sweeter than sugar, they’re required in very small amounts. They don’t contribute to tooth decay, and contain either no calories or negligible calories. Over the years artificial sweetener manufacturers have battled for a position in the marketplace. Both consumers and researchers have questioned their safety and expressed concern about potential health threats.

Evelyn Schumacher, MS, RD, CDE, and Vice-President of Liberator Health and Educations, Inc., believes some of the concern is unfounded. “The internet has opened up the pathway for the rapid communication of much misinformation,” she says. Schumacher feels this is one reason there is confusion surrounding diabetes and the use of artificial sweeteners. Like other food products, sweeteners are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and those currently on the market have been deemed safe by the FDA. The American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association also approve the use of artificial sweeteners in a diabetic or reduced calorie diet.

 

The Big Four

 

·        Saccharin

The granddaddy of all artificial sweeteners, saccharin, has been around since its discovery in the late 1800s by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. It was used on a limited basis until sugar rationing during World Wars I and II created an increased need for a sugar substitute. In 1957, Ben Eisenstadt, and his son, Marvin, began packaging saccharin in tiny pink packages at their factory in Brooklyn, New York, and registered it under the name Sweet’N Low. Saccharin is also found in Sugar Twin and Necta Sweet products.

In the 1970s the FDA attempted to ban saccharin when bladder cancer rates were increased in male rats after being fed large amounts of the sweetener. A warning label was placed on all products containing saccharin, but the ban was never enacted. Extensive studies continued, and it was later determined that saccharin is not a cancer threat to humans. In 2000, a bill was signed allowing all warning labels to be removed from saccharin products.

Saccharin contains no calories and can be used in both hot and cold foods. It is suitable for baking but can leave a bitter aftertaste, especially when used in large quantities. It is 200 to 700 times sweeter than sugar and has a long shelf life. Saccharin is found in a variety of diet soft drinks and candies.

 

·        Aspartame     

This compound was discovered in 1965 by a group of chemists working on an ulcer drug at G.D. Searle pharmaceutical company. Today aspartame is used worldwide in thousands of soft drinks, dessert mixes, chewing gums, vitamins and more. It is 180 to 200 times sweeter than sugar and has no bitter aftertaste. It is sold under a variety of brand names including Equal, NutraSweet and Sugar Twin.

            Like saccharin, aspartame has been a source of controversy since it was approved by the FDA for use as a sweetener in 1981. In 2005, an Italian study was published linking aspartame to an increased incidence of lymphomas and leukemias in rats. However, a subsequent study initiated by the National Cancer Institute called the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study was released the following year. Involving almost a half million people, it was the largest study of diet and cancer ever performed in the United States and showed no link to aspartame and these diseases in humans. After three decades of studies, aspartame has been deemed safe for human consumption with the exception of one group. Because the product contains phenylalanine, people with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare birth defect that makes it impossible to metabolize phenylalanine, should not use aspartame.

Since it is unstable when subjected to high heat for prolonged periods of time, aspartame is not considered the best choice for cooking and baking. While exposure to heat won’t alter the safety of the product, the process does cause some loss of sweetness, which may affect food quality. For this reason, the NutraSweet Company recommends using recipes that have been specifically designed for cooking and baking with their product.

 

·        Acesulfame potassium or acesulfame-K

Discovered in 1967 by a chemist working at Hoechst AG, this sweetener was approved by the FDA in 1988. It is sold commercially as Sweet One, Swiss Sweet and Sunett. Acesulfame- K is not stored or metabolized in the body and has a sweetness value 200 times greater than sugar.

            Besides its use as a tabletop sweetener, this sugar substitute is used in candies, baked goods, soft drinks, pudding and dessert mixes, cough drops, alcoholic beverages and more. It is highly stable and tolerates most storage conditions. Acesulfame-K doesn’t break down when exposed to high cooking temperatures, making it a good choice for baking and for use in products that require pasteurization. When used in combination with other sweeteners, tasters report a flavor similar to sugar.

 

 

 

·        Sucralose

            This non-calorie sweetener was discovered in London in 1976 and has been on the market in the United States since the FDA approved its use in 1998. Sucralose is made from sugar that has undergone a chemical process that replaces hydrogen-oxygen groups with chlorine atoms. The result is a product with a taste similar to sugar, but not recognized by the body as either a sugar or a carbohydrate.

Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar and is compatible with most flavorings, preservatives and seasonings. Fans of sucralose believe it has a more natural taste than the other sweeteners. Sold under the brand name Splenda, the product is granulated and pours like sugar. Although it does add volume, Splenda doesn’t caramelize, so baked goods won’t brown like those prepared with sugar.

Its long shelf life and exceptional heat stability make sucralose a good choice for all types of baking, canning and mixing. It is also used in commercially prepared foods such as maple syrup, apple sauce, carbonated drinks and fruit drinks, as well as nutritional supplements and vitamins.

 

Going Natural

            Hailed as the sweetener of the future by some, Stevia (STEE-vee-uh) is a natural product rather than an artificial one. Stevia is a South American herb belonging to the chrysanthemum family. When processed, it is up to 400 times sweeter than sugar. Though relatively new to the U.S. market, the stevia shrub has been harvested for centuries in its native Paraguay and has long been used as a sweetener for drinks and medicinal potions there. Stevia is also popular in Japan, where it has been cultivated and produced commercially since the 1970s.

            Initially approved for use in the U.S. as a dietary supplement, until recently stevia products were found only in health food stores and vitamin aisles. In December 2008, the FDA granted the long-awaited approval to sell stevia as a sugar substitute. It is currently marketed under a variety of names including the two most common brands, Truvia and PureVia. These products are available in granular form, contain zero calories and are kosher. Major soft drink companies, Coke and Pepsi, have both introduced products containing stevia.

            In the natural state, stevia leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste. The bitterness is lessened by the purification steps the plant undergoes during processing, but some tasters complain of a lingering sweetness and a slightly artificial flavor. Stevia products dissolve well and are appropriate for use in both hot and cold beverages or sprinkled over cereals and fruits. Stevia is suitable for cooking and baking, but does not perform like sugar. For that reason, it is best to use recipes formulated especially for the stevia product you’re using. Both Truvia and PureVia provide recipes that have been tested for use with their products.

 

Sweeteners vs. Sugar

Being diabetic doesn’t mean all sugar is off-limits. It is possible to incorporate sugar into a diabetic diet, as long as it’s treated like any other food containing carbohydrates. Sometimes a small serving of a treat made with real sugar can be more satisfying than the sugar-free version. While many of the artificial sweetener products do a good job of adding sweetness to baked goods, they don’t perform the same as sugar when it comes to texture, bulk and moistness. A cake baked with sugar has more volume, is fluffier, and browns better than one baked with a sugar substitute. Some bakers compromise by combining a small amount of sugar with a sweetener.

            By turning to artificial sweeteners, diabetics can satisfy their cravings for sweets without adding calories or causing blood sugar to rise. Choosing which sweetener to purchase will depend on personal preference and how you plan to use it. Since some artificial sweeteners can be expensive, Clifton advises diabetics to read labels and choose wisely. “Don’t be overwhelmed, and don’t buy into marketing,” she says. She believes experimenting with recipes and products is the best way to satisfy personal tastes.

Schumacher agrees. She cautions that some artificial sweeteners can have a laxative effect, particularly if used in excess. She also recommends diabetics monitor their blood sugars anytime they introduce new foods into their diet, including those labeled sugar-free. “We’re all individuals and how our bodies respond to specific foods and ingredients may also be individual.”

The availability of new products and choices means diabetics now have more calorie-free alternatives to sugar than ever before. Most experts agree that when used in moderation, artificial sweeteners can be a positive addition to a healthy, well-balanced diet.