Almost everyone likes a sugary snack. Added sugar can play a part in weight gain. It also may raise your risk of serious health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease. Some people use products called sugar substitutes, also known as artificial sweeteners. They taste sweet like sugar but have fewer calories. Some have no calories.
Dr David Chandy, consultant, endocrinology, Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai shares some popular artificial sweeteners:
- Aspartame (Equal)
- Neotame (Newtame)
- Saccharin (Sweet’N Low)
- Sucralose (Splenda)
However, there are growing concerns about their safety.
Natural sweeteners
Natural sweeteners come from flowers and plants directly, with little processing. Examples include stevia, monk fruit, and yacon syrup.
Stevia
Stevia rebaudiana is a plant in the sunflower family and is native to parts of South America. “The leaves contain two primary compounds — one is extremely sweet, while the other is very bitter. Manufacturers extract the sweet compounds from the plant to produce stevia,” adds Dr Chandy.
Monk fruit
Monk fruit, native to southern China, is another alternative sweetener. The fruit contains compounds called mogrosides, which can be 150–200 times as sweet as sugar. The extracts contain no calories.
Yacon syrup
Yacon syrup is sticky nectar harvested from the yacon plant, which is also native to parts of South America. Yacon syrup contains calories. “However, it is high in soluble fibers called fructooligosaccharides, which have just half the calories of regular sugar. These fibers also feed healthy bacteria in the intestines. As a result, yacon syrup may help with digestive issues,” states Dr Chandy.
What about other natural sugar substitutes like honey?
There are several popular sugary sweeteners that health-conscious people often eat instead of sugar, including coconut sugar, molasses, honey, and maple syrup. These really aren’t much different from sugar.
Health concerns linked to sugar substitutes
Studies dating back to the 1970s linked the artificial sweetener saccharin to bladder cancer in rats. Since then, research has shown that those findings don’t apply to people. Some research on long-term, daily use of artificial sweeteners suggests a link to a higher risk of stroke, heart disease and death overall.
In general, it is safest to take in small amounts of sugar substitutes. And it’s best to use sugar substitutes for a short time, or just every once in a while. So try to cut back if you use them a few times a day.
The amazing diversity of the plant world offers up quite a few different natural sweeteners, though they each have their unique shortcomings. In addition, there is no guarantee that a chemical produced by a plant is any safer than one created in a lab. These plant sweeteners still need to undergo extensive testing before they are considered safe as a food additive.
Whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, usually have the best mix of nutrients for the body.
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