Guide to artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes
Sorbitol
Sorbitol is about half as sweet as table sugar and has about half the calories. It is commercially made from dextrose (glucose) produced from corn starch. Products: Most toothpastes contain this according to NIH, sugar free gum and candies
natural sugar substitutes
Stevia: -Green Leaf Stevia (whole leaf) -Stevia Leaf Extracts -Processed Stevia Monk Fruit
Stevia Leaf Extracts
Stevia Leaf Extracts are products made with an extraction of the stevia compound rebaudioside, sometimes seen as Reb A on labels (Reb A has been granted GRAS status). Extract is available in powder form or liquid form by blending concentrated stevia extract in a base of purified water.
where does stevia come from?
Stevia is about 200-350 times sweeter than table sugar and has no calories. It is made from the Stevia rebaudiana plant of South America.
processed stevia
Truvia SweetLeaf PureVia Stevia in the Raw
the most natural sugar substitutes when clients can't control sugar intake:
For clients who might struggle with controlling intake of caloric sugars, the most natural sugar substitutes including monk fruit and pure stevia extracts are a better choice than any artificial or overly processed sweetener.
how to help clients appreciate the flavors of foods
Help your clients learn to appreciate the natural taste of real foods without relying on sweeteners for flavor. Once they are weaned off sweeteners they will learn to love the tart taste of yogurt, the bitter taste of coffee, and the refreshing taste of plain old water or tea. That said, not all clients will have any easy time removing sweetness from their diets.
hypoglycemia in those with type 2 diabetes
Consuming excess of these products can lead to hypoglycemia in those with type 2 diabetes (a target population for these products to be marketed to).
sugar alcohols
Erythritol Sorbitol Xylitol
Erythritol
Erythritol is 70% the sweetness of sugar and gives 20% of the calories per gram compared to table sugar. It is manufactured from cornstarch and is used mainly in confectionery and baked goods, chewing gum and some beverages. It's the least offensive option as far as GI distress goes. Products: Halo Top ice cream, Enlightened ice cream, Elli Quark, Bai Beverages, Starbucks Refreshers
what is hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar. U sually when you eat something sweet it triggers the release of insulin in your body. Insulin allows you to absorb glucose into your cells.
which monk fruit to buy
If choosing monk fruit, try to find pure sources without other things added.
who is stevia for?
If you can control the very small amount of refined sugar in your diet you may be fine with keeping it in. For others, stevia is an alternative, but the less processed forms are recommended.
erythritol and the GI system
Large intakes of erythritol have been linked to diarrhea, nausea and borborygmus (aka stomach rumbling from gas),
Monk Fruit
Monk Fruit is 150 to 200 times sweeter than table sugar with zero calories. It is a type of small melon found in Southeast Asia. You can find monk fruit in sweeteners like Monk Fruit in the Raw. It's also used in many processed foods, sometimes in combination with other sweeteners.
natural sugar substitutes - what are they
Natural sugar substitutes are sweeteners that come from natural sources and are typically thought to be minimally processed. few natural sugar substitutes that are okay in small amounts.
take away points
OK to say that the science isn't conclusive on all of them yet. not room in a healthful diet for artificial anything, and most sweeteners in excess are damaging to health and make weight management even harder.
products made with monk fruit:
Products: Vitalicious products (VitaCakes), Kashi products (powders), Bear Naked products, So Delicious products, Pure Nutrition Whey Isolate Protein, Emergen-C supplements, Dole Fruit Cups, Hubert's Diet Lemonade, Arctic Zero, Chobani Simply 100
PureVia
PureVia is made from dextrose, stevia powder, Reb A, and natural flavors.
sugar alcohols and the GI system
Sugar alcohols has negative effect on GI system They're considered low-digestible carbohydrates (LDCs) because they are either partially absorbed in the small intestine or not absorbed at all but are at least partly fermented by bacteria in the large intestine. For this reason they can cause some unpleasant symptoms. (examples: erythritol, sorbitol, xylitol)
SweetLeaf
SweetLeaf is a combination of stevia, silica, and inulin.
novel sweeteners
Tagatose Trehalose Fructo-oligosaccharide
two compounds in the plant that give stevia its sweet taste:
There are two compounds in the plant that give stevia its sweet taste: stevioside rebaudioside.
sugar alcohols and the body
They are typically a little less sweet than table sugar and contain fewer calories because they aren't converted to glucose as quickly and thus aren't fully absorbed by the body. These "mock" sugars can cause stomach upset (GI distress) similar to the artificial sweeteners listed above. unknown longterm effects on the body
They can damage the beneficial microflora in the gut.
They change the microflora and pH balance in the gut. By altering the natural ecosystem of the stomach and intestines, they put cells at increased risk of infiltration by harmful bacteria which increases risk of infection.
They cause cravings for more sugar.
When you eat foods that taste sweet, the body expects calories to follow that hit of sweetness. When you don't get those calories, you end up with sugar cravings later in the day.
how artificial sweeteners causes hypoglycemia
When you eat something artificially sweetened, your body still triggers the release of insulin but there is no glucose available because the artificial sweetener has no glucose in it. So, the insulin gathers any glucose from the blood that it can, and causes your blood sugar to drop (because it's all being absorbed into your cells).
whole leaf stevia vs most processed forms
Whole leaf stevia products contain both sweet compounds (note that this does not have FDA GRAS status), while most processed forms of stevia just contain rebaudioside (Reb A) or a combination of Reb A and fillers.
xylitol
about as sweet as table sugar, is absorbed slowly and only partially utilized so it has just over half the calories. It is a sugar alcohol found naturally in woody fibrous plant materials like corn cobs or hardwood. Products: Nasal sprays, gums and candies
most common artificial sweeteners:
aspartame sucralose acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) saccharin
Trehalose
half as sweet as sugar and has 4 calories per gram (that's the same as sugar). It is manufactured commercially from cornstarch, but is also naturally found in foods such as honey, mushrooms, shrimp and lobster. marketed under the Cargill company's brand Treha. It's not common in packaged foods and isn't actually used for its sweetening abilities. If you see it in food or cosmetic products it is likely there as a preservative.
Stevia in the Raw
made from dextrose and stevia leaf extract.
Truvia
one of the most popular brands and is brand mix of stevia leaf extract (just the rebaudioside compound), erythritol and natural flavors. Truvia relies on stevia to provide most of the sweetness while erythritol is used as a bulking agent to give it a crystalline form so that it resembles table sugar. The majority of the product is erythritol; stevia is just 1% since it's sweetness is so potent. You usually won't see the brand name Truvia on an ingredients list, but many products use a combination of stevia and erythritol.
processed stevia:
processed, sometimes highly processed. They contain the sweet rebaudioside compounds from the stevia leaf as well as other fillers. Truvia, SweetLeaf, PureVia and Stevia in the Raw are a few brands on the shelf.
what to avoid when it comes to artificial sweeteners
single serving packs like: sweet n low, splenda, equal marketing terms: "Sugar free" "diet"
why some natural sugar substitutes should be avoided
some "natural" sweeteners that are highly refined forms of their natural sources, including some stevia products like truvia. These types of natural sweeteners are mixed with sugar alcohols (listed above) and/or other fillers. avoid any highly processed sweetener.
sorbitol and the GI system
sorbitol can have laxative effects and lead to diarrhea - it's even approved by the FDA as a laxative.
benefits of stevioside
studies (using extremely high doses) have linked stevia to changes in DNA stevioside may lower blood pressure in people with elevated blood pressure. reduction in blood sugar and potential glycemic control in people with diabetes. possible anti-inflammatory benefits.
novel sweeteners - what are they
sweetening materials not previously known or used in the food supply. They are often combinations of various types of sweeteners, are less commonly known, and are mostly advertised as natural sweeteners. (Stevia and Truvia are both natural and were once novel sweeteners).
xylitol and the GI system
xylitol has been shown to cause cramps,
Acesulfame potassium also known as Ace-K,
200 times sweeter than sugar and is marketed as Sweet One. found in many products in combination with aspartame or sucralose Products: Powerade Zero, Gatorade G2, Coke Zero, Sprite Zero, yogurt
Sucralose
600 times sweeter than sugar and is marketed as Splenda (the yellow packets) and Equal Sucralose. Products: Ocean Spray Light, Flavored Propel Fitness Water, Diet V8 Splash, Yoplait Light, Yoplait Greek 100, Dannon Light & Fit, Breyer's No Sugar Added, Smucker's Sugar Free, Heinz Reduced Sugar Ketchup
Tagatose
90% as sweet as sugar and provides 1⁄3 of the calories compared to fructose. It is a synthetic additive similar to fructose that occurs naturally but is also manufactured from lactose in dairy products. It can be found under brand names such as Nutrilatose and NuNatural's PreSweets. Foods containing tagatose can't be labeled as "sugar-free." It's not very common in packaged foods.
eating novel sweeteners in excess causes:
Eating novel sweeteners in excess is known to cause flatulence, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.
low blood sugar effects on the body
Low blood sugar not only causes shakiness, dizziness, sweating and headaches but it can also be dangerous, even life-threatening. If your blood sugar drops too low, you can lose consciousness altogether. The way to play it safe is eating small amounts of the real deal (sugar), and don't try to trick your body.
sugar alcohols vs artificial sweeteners
Sugar alcohols are derived from sugar, contain some calories, and have a different chemical structure from sugar that alters the way the body metabolizes them. artificial sweeteners are chemically produced compounds (not derived from sugar) that contain zero calories.
They don't allow your body to "count" calories properly.
These sweeteners disturb the body's ability to "count" or recognize calories. They can disrupt your hormones and ultimately lead to a domino effect that increases desire for sugar and weight gain. With weight gain comes the risk of obesity along with other co-morbidities like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
products that contain forms of stevia
Trop50 orange juice, Honest Fizz, Coca Cola Life, Dannon Oikos Triple Zero Yogurt, Chobani Simply 100
Fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS)
about 30-50% as sweet as sugar. It is a class of non-digestible, low-calorie ingredients that are manufactured by fragmenting a large molecule called inulin. Inulin is a polysaccharide that occurs naturally in chicory, Jerusalem artichokes, wheat, onions, and bananas. On top of being used in sweet applications, it has also been approved for use as a binder and stabilizer in a variety of meat and poultry products. It is known to be a Steviva brand product but otherwise is commonly sold under its own name.
saccharin
first artificial sweetener to ever be made. It is 300 to 500 times sweeter than sugar and is marketed as Sweet'N Low (the pink packets), Sweet Twin, Necta Sweet, and Equal Saccharin. It's less abundant in processed foods than other artificial sweeteners but some products still have it. Products: Toothpastes, baked goods, fountain sodas and low carb bars
Green Leaf Stevia
least processed form and is made from the whole stevia leaf, containing both stevioside and rebaudioside compounds. The leaves can be dried and ground into powder form. Though used in other countries, whole stevia leaves are not classified as GRAS by FDA and due to the presence of the stevioside compound, they have a slightly bitter aftertaste.
aspartame
most common artificial sweetener and is 200 times sweeter than table sugar. It is marketed as Equal or NutraSweet (the blue packets). Products: Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Diet Dr. Pepper, Diet Snapple Iced Tea
sugar alcohols (polyols)
naturally occurring compounds found in plant foods like fruits and vegetables but they can also be commercially produced from other forms of sugar. Look out for ingredients that end in "-tol" (this suffix denotes the ingredient is a sugar alcohol).
for added sweetness, which sugars are the best choices?
pure honey, maple syrup and coconut sugar in very small amounts.
They distort your natural sense of taste.
They are manufactured to be up to 700 times sweeter than pure sugar, so after regular consumption of these products, it becomes hard to detect sweetness from other natural foods. After too much sweetener you lose your appreciation for the true taste of real foods and you start to depend on artificial sweeteners for taste (we all know clients who carry packs of sweetener in their purses).