Artificial Sweeteners
and Sugar Substitutes

Sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners come in two forms. The first is known as natural sugar substitutes and the second is artificial sugar sweeteners, or more commonly known as artificial sweeteners.

Both of these are used to replace sucrose (common table sugar) or corn syrup (high fructose corn syrup) in the manufacturing process.

Why The Sudden Popularity Of Sweetener Replacements

With artificial sweeteners being "sweeter" than sugar, less is used to get the same quality of taste, therefore this will result in a lower calorie version of the same item. Now, because of this, more and more people are turning to sugar alternatives as a means of losing weight.

Alternative Sweeteners Do Not Mean No Calories

Some sugarfree baked goods or dairy products still have high concentrations of carbohydrates, fats or proteins. Each of these can metabolize into sugars in your body. Therefore diabetics especially must be careful about rising blood sugar levels. Just because an item is labeled sugarfree, this does not mean calorie free. It does not give you permission to go overboard on serving sizes.

How Safe Are Sugarfree Sweeteners

After all these years and continuous medical testing though, no research studies have been able to prove any major health risks are associated with the use of artificial sweeteners with minimal use (with the exception of one very small group of people with an inherited rare disease*).

But, with continuous use on a recurring basis, many people are showing a build-up of toxicity levels in their system of some different forms of toxic chemicals. (Often, this type of research has been performed and finalized by study groups which are not dependent on the manufacturing firm themselves.) But, to date, the major contributors to the ongoing research has not been willing to date to explain this disturbing factor of increasing toxic build-ups to the general public.

As with any other food substance, some people have been shown to be sensitive to some sweeteners. But, as with any food intolerance, avoidance is the key to comfort.

Currently Available For Use In The USA

• Saccharin (Sweet "N Low or Sugar Twin)

• Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)

• Sucralose (Splenda,Altern)

• Neotame (No brand names currently marketed in the US)

• Acesulfame Potassium (Sunette, Sweet One)

Each of these types of sweeteners is explained in greater detail at the following location. Check with a guide to natural and artificial sweeteners for some basic information about each selection.

Although much controversy still swirls around these five substances, the FDA and most of the other major world countries, do allow each to be marketed as a safe artificial sweetener for human consumption.

*When Aspartame breaks down in the human body, the result is a compound known as phenylalanine. To any person with the rare genetic disorder known as Phenylketonuria(PKU)- avoidance is necessary due to complications arising from the use of Aspartame.

Labels: Artificial sweeteners, artificial sugar substitutes, saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, neotame, acesulfame potassium

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