Better Sweetener Alternatives for Good Health
Before we talk about the better sweetener alternatives, we are going to discuss the long term health hazards of using sugar :
1. Increases Your Risk of Diabetes
The worldwide prevalence of diabetes has more than doubled over the past 30 years .
Though there are many reasons for this, there is a clear link between excessive sugar consumption and diabetes risk.
Obesity, which is often caused by consuming too much sugar, is considered the strongest risk factor for diabetes.
What’s more, prolonged high-sugar consumption drives resistance to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels.
Insulin resistance causes blood sugar levels to rise and strongly increases your risk of diabetes.
A population study comprising over 175 countries found that the risk of developing diabetes grew by 1.1% for every 150 calories of sugar, or about one can of soda, consumed per day .
Other studies have also shown that people who drink sugar-sweetened beverages, including fruit juice, are more likely to develop diabetes.
3. Has Been Linked to Acne
A diet high in refined carbs, including sugary foods and drinks, has been associated with a higher risk of developing acne.
Foods with a high glycemic index, such as processed sweets, raise your blood sugar more rapidly than foods with a lower glycemic index.
Sugary foods quickly spike blood sugar and insulin levels, causing increased androgen secretion, oil production and inflammation, all of which play a role in acne development .
Studies have shown that low-glycemic diets are associated with a reduced acne risk, while high-glycemic diets are linked to a greater risk .
4. It Can Cause Weight Gain
Rates of obesity are rising worldwide and added sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, is thought to be one of the main culprits.
Sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, juices and sweet teas are loaded with fructose, a type of simple sugar.
Consuming fructose increases your hunger and desire for food more than glucose, the main type of sugar found in starchy foods .
Additionally, excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger and tells your body to stop eating .
In other words, sugary beverages don’t curb your hunger, making it easy to quickly consume a high number of liquid calories. This can lead to weight gain.
Research has consistently shown that people who drink sugary beverages, such as soda and juice, weigh more than people who don’t .
Also, drinking a lot of sugar-sweetened beverages is linked to an increased amount of visceral fat, a kind of deep belly fat associated with conditions like diabetes and heart disease .
1. Increases Your Risk of Diabetes
The worldwide prevalence of diabetes has more than doubled over the past 30 years .
Though there are many reasons for this, there is a clear link between excessive sugar consumption and diabetes risk.
Obesity, which is often caused by consuming too much sugar, is considered the strongest risk factor for diabetes.
What’s more, prolonged high-sugar consumption drives resistance to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels.
Insulin resistance causes blood sugar levels to rise and strongly increases your risk of diabetes.
A population study comprising over 175 countries found that the risk of developing diabetes grew by 1.1% for every 150 calories of sugar, or about one can of soda, consumed per day .
Other studies have also shown that people who drink sugar-sweetened beverages, including fruit juice, are more likely to develop diabetes.
2. It Can Cause Weight Gain
Rates of obesity are rising worldwide and added sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, is thought to be one of the main culprits.
Sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, juices and sweet teas are loaded with fructose, a type of simple sugar.
Consuming fructose increases your hunger and desire for food more than glucose, the main type of sugar found in starchy foods .
Additionally, excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger and tells your body to stop eating .
In other words, sugary beverages don’t curb your hunger, making it easy to quickly consume a high number of liquid calories. This can lead to weight gain.
Research has consistently shown that people who drink sugary beverages, such as soda and juice, weigh more than people who don’t .
Also, drinking a lot of sugar-sweetened beverages is linked to an increased amount of visceral fat, a kind of deep belly fat associated with conditions like diabetes and heart disease .
3. May Increase Your Risk of Heart Disease
High-sugar diets have been associated with an increased risk of many diseases, including heart disease, the number one cause of death worldwide .
Evidence suggests that high-sugar diets can lead to obesity, inflammation and high triglyceride, blood sugar and blood pressure levels — all risk factors for heart disease .
Additionally, consuming too much sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened drinks, has been linked to atherosclerosis, a disease characterized by fatty, artery-clogging deposits (9).
A study in over 30,000 people found that those who consumed 17–21% of calories from added sugar had a 38% greater risk of dying from heart disease, compared to those consuming only 8% of calories from added sugar .
Just one 16-ounce (473-ml) can of soda contains 52 grams of sugar, which equates to more than 10% of your daily calorie consumption, based on a 2,000-calorie diet .
This means that one sugary drink a day can already put you over the recommended daily limit for added sugar.
Rates of obesity are rising worldwide and added sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, is thought to be one of the main culprits.
Sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, juices and sweet teas are loaded with fructose, a type of simple sugar.
Consuming fructose increases your hunger and desire for food more than glucose, the main type of sugar found in starchy foods .
Additionally, excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger and tells your body to stop eating .
In other words, sugary beverages don’t curb your hunger, making it easy to quickly consume a high number of liquid calories. This can lead to weight gain.
Research has consistently shown that people who drink sugary beverages, such as soda and juice, weigh more than people who don’t .
Also, drinking a lot of sugar-sweetened beverages is linked to an increased amount of visceral fat, a kind of deep belly fat associated with conditions like diabetes and heart disease .
3. May Increase Your Risk of Heart Disease
High-sugar diets have been associated with an increased risk of many diseases, including heart disease, the number one cause of death worldwide .
Evidence suggests that high-sugar diets can lead to obesity, inflammation and high triglyceride, blood sugar and blood pressure levels — all risk factors for heart disease .
Additionally, consuming too much sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened drinks, has been linked to atherosclerosis, a disease characterized by fatty, artery-clogging deposits (9).
A study in over 30,000 people found that those who consumed 17–21% of calories from added sugar had a 38% greater risk of dying from heart disease, compared to those consuming only 8% of calories from added sugar .
Just one 16-ounce (473-ml) can of soda contains 52 grams of sugar, which equates to more than 10% of your daily calorie consumption, based on a 2,000-calorie diet .
This means that one sugary drink a day can already put you over the recommended daily limit for added sugar.
3. Has Been Linked to Acne
A diet high in refined carbs, including sugary foods and drinks, has been associated with a higher risk of developing acne.
Foods with a high glycemic index, such as processed sweets, raise your blood sugar more rapidly than foods with a lower glycemic index.
Sugary foods quickly spike blood sugar and insulin levels, causing increased androgen secretion, oil production and inflammation, all of which play a role in acne development .
Studies have shown that low-glycemic diets are associated with a reduced acne risk, while high-glycemic diets are linked to a greater risk .
4. It Can Cause Weight Gain
Rates of obesity are rising worldwide and added sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, is thought to be one of the main culprits.
Sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, juices and sweet teas are loaded with fructose, a type of simple sugar.
Consuming fructose increases your hunger and desire for food more than glucose, the main type of sugar found in starchy foods .
Additionally, excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger and tells your body to stop eating .
In other words, sugary beverages don’t curb your hunger, making it easy to quickly consume a high number of liquid calories. This can lead to weight gain.
Research has consistently shown that people who drink sugary beverages, such as soda and juice, weigh more than people who don’t .
Also, drinking a lot of sugar-sweetened beverages is linked to an increased amount of visceral fat, a kind of deep belly fat associated with conditions like diabetes and heart disease .
5. May Increase Your Risk of Cancer
Eating excessive amounts of sugar may increase your risk of developing certain cancers.
First, a diet rich in sugary foods and beverages can lead to obesity, which significantly raises your risk of cancer .
Furthermore, diets high in sugar increase inflammation in your body and may cause insulin resistance, both of which increase cancer risk .
Another study showed that women who consumed sweet buns and cookies more than three times per week were 1.42 times more likely to develop endometrial cancer than women who consumed these foods less than 0.5 times per week .
Research on the link between added sugar intake and cancer is ongoing, and more studies are needed to fully understand this complex relationship.
6. May Increase Your Risk of Depression
While a healthy diet can help improve your mood, it really works on health.a diet high in added sugar and processed foods may increase your chances of developing depression.
Consuming a lot of processed foods, including high-sugar products such as cakes and sugary drinks, has been associated with a higher risk of depression .
Researchers believe that blood sugar swings, neurotransmitter dysregulation and inflammation may all be reasons for sugar’s detrimental impact on mental health .
7. May Accelerate the Skin Aging Process
Wrinkles are a natural sign of aging. They appear eventually, regardless of your health.
However, poor food choices can worsen wrinkles and speed the skin aging process.
Consuming a diet high in refined carbs and sugar leads to the production of AGEs, which may cause your skin to age prematurely .
AGEs damage collagen and elastin, which are proteins that help the skin stretch and keep its youthful.
When collagen and elastin become damaged, the skin loses its firmness and begins to sag.
In one study, women who consumed more carbs, including added sugars, had a more wrinkled appearance than women on a high-protein, lower-carb diet .
8. Can Increase Cellular Aging
Telomeres are structures found at the end of chromosomes, which are molecules that hold part or all of your genetic information.
Telomeres act as protective caps, preventing chromosomes from deteriorating or fusing together.
As you grow older, telomeres naturally shorten, which causes cells to age and malfunction .
Although the shortening of telomeres is a normal part of aging, unhealthy lifestyle choices can speed up the process.
Consuming high amounts of sugar has been shown to accelerate telomere shortening, which increases cellular aging .
9. Drains Your Energy
Foods high in added sugar quickly spike blood sugar and insulin levels, leading to increased energy.
However, this rise in energy levels is fleeting.
Products that are loaded with sugar but lacking in protein, fiber or fat lead to a brief energy boost that’s quickly followed by a sharp drop in blood sugar, often referred to as a crash (.
Having constant blood sugar swings can lead to major fluctuations in energy levels .
To avoid this energy draining cycle, choose carb sources that are low in added sugar and rich in fiber.
Pairing carbs with protein or fat is another great way to keep your blood sugar and energy levels stable.
For example, eating an apple along with a small handful of almonds is an excellent snack for prolonged, consistent energy levels.
Eating excessive amounts of sugar may increase your risk of developing certain cancers.
First, a diet rich in sugary foods and beverages can lead to obesity, which significantly raises your risk of cancer .
Furthermore, diets high in sugar increase inflammation in your body and may cause insulin resistance, both of which increase cancer risk .
Another study showed that women who consumed sweet buns and cookies more than three times per week were 1.42 times more likely to develop endometrial cancer than women who consumed these foods less than 0.5 times per week .
Research on the link between added sugar intake and cancer is ongoing, and more studies are needed to fully understand this complex relationship.
6. May Increase Your Risk of Depression
While a healthy diet can help improve your mood, it really works on health.a diet high in added sugar and processed foods may increase your chances of developing depression.
Consuming a lot of processed foods, including high-sugar products such as cakes and sugary drinks, has been associated with a higher risk of depression .
Researchers believe that blood sugar swings, neurotransmitter dysregulation and inflammation may all be reasons for sugar’s detrimental impact on mental health .
7. May Accelerate the Skin Aging Process
Wrinkles are a natural sign of aging. They appear eventually, regardless of your health.
However, poor food choices can worsen wrinkles and speed the skin aging process.
Consuming a diet high in refined carbs and sugar leads to the production of AGEs, which may cause your skin to age prematurely .
AGEs damage collagen and elastin, which are proteins that help the skin stretch and keep its youthful.
When collagen and elastin become damaged, the skin loses its firmness and begins to sag.
In one study, women who consumed more carbs, including added sugars, had a more wrinkled appearance than women on a high-protein, lower-carb diet .
8. Can Increase Cellular Aging
Telomeres are structures found at the end of chromosomes, which are molecules that hold part or all of your genetic information.
Telomeres act as protective caps, preventing chromosomes from deteriorating or fusing together.
As you grow older, telomeres naturally shorten, which causes cells to age and malfunction .
Although the shortening of telomeres is a normal part of aging, unhealthy lifestyle choices can speed up the process.
Consuming high amounts of sugar has been shown to accelerate telomere shortening, which increases cellular aging .
9. Drains Your Energy
Foods high in added sugar quickly spike blood sugar and insulin levels, leading to increased energy.
However, this rise in energy levels is fleeting.
Products that are loaded with sugar but lacking in protein, fiber or fat lead to a brief energy boost that’s quickly followed by a sharp drop in blood sugar, often referred to as a crash (.
Having constant blood sugar swings can lead to major fluctuations in energy levels .
To avoid this energy draining cycle, choose carb sources that are low in added sugar and rich in fiber.
Pairing carbs with protein or fat is another great way to keep your blood sugar and energy levels stable.
For example, eating an apple along with a small handful of almonds is an excellent snack for prolonged, consistent energy levels.
10. Can Lead to Fatty Liver
A high intake of fructose has been consistently linked to an increased risk of fatty liver.
Unlike glucose and other types of sugar, which are taken up by many cells throughout the body, fructose is almost exclusively broken down by the liver.
In the liver, fructose is converted into energy or stored as glycogen.
However, the liver can only store so much glycogen before excess amounts are turned into fat.
Large amounts of added sugar in the form of fructose overload your liver, leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition characterized by excessive fat buildup in the liver .
I interacted with few eminent experts and they accept that to remove all forms of sweetness from your diet is not quite effortless. I do believe that the less sugar you eat, in all its forms, the healthier you will be especially when you are insulin or leptin resistant, the life sometimes requires a touch of sweetness. In the following paragraph, we will discuss some better sugar alternatives that do not exact a high toll on the health.
Sugar Alcohols
These kind of alcohols can be identified by the 'ol' at the end of their name, such as xylitol, glucitol, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, glycerol, and lactitol. They are not alcohol and they are not sugar but sort of a hybrid of the two. They are frequently used as a sugar substitute but are not as sweet as sugar. The best part is they contain fewer calories, but they are not calorie free. So do not get confused by the 'sugar free' label sometimes on foods containing these sweetners. As with all packaged foods, you need to carefully read the food labels for calorie and carbohydrate content, regardless of any claims that the food is sugar free or low sugar.
in moderation, some sugar alcohols can be better choice than highly refined sugar, fructose, or artificial sweeteners.of the various alcohols , xylitol is one of the best , it is also known as Birch Sugar, E967, Xilito, Xylite, this is found in most plant material, including many fruits and vegetables. It is extracted from birch wood to make medicine. When it is pure, the potential side effects are minimal, and it actually comes with some benefits, such as tooth decay.
Sweeteners To Avoid
Agave, Beet Sugar, Brown Rice Syrup, Brown Sugar, Cane Sugar, Coconut sugar, Date Sugar, Fruit Juice, High Frutose corn Syrup, Maple syrup, Molasses, Sorghum, Splenda, Sucant, Sucralose, Truvia, Turbinado
Better Choices
Dextrose (and name for glucose), Lo Han Kuo (also known as Lo Han Guo, Lo Han, and Monk Fruit), Raw Honey (a tablespoon or two in a day ), Stevia (Whole leaf extract in liquid or powdered form), Birch Sugar or Xylitol
Stevia and Lo Han
These are two best sugar substitutes from plant kingdom.
Stevia, is highly sweet herb obtained from stevia plant though it is South American native but now grown in various part of India. It is available in leaf , liquid or as powdered crystals, it is far safer.
Lo Han is a Chinese fruit, it is not easily available, even when you get, it is very expensive. It may be cheaper if it is grown in more countries.
A high intake of fructose has been consistently linked to an increased risk of fatty liver.
Unlike glucose and other types of sugar, which are taken up by many cells throughout the body, fructose is almost exclusively broken down by the liver.
In the liver, fructose is converted into energy or stored as glycogen.
However, the liver can only store so much glycogen before excess amounts are turned into fat.
Large amounts of added sugar in the form of fructose overload your liver, leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition characterized by excessive fat buildup in the liver .
I interacted with few eminent experts and they accept that to remove all forms of sweetness from your diet is not quite effortless. I do believe that the less sugar you eat, in all its forms, the healthier you will be especially when you are insulin or leptin resistant, the life sometimes requires a touch of sweetness. In the following paragraph, we will discuss some better sugar alternatives that do not exact a high toll on the health.
Sugar Alcohols
These kind of alcohols can be identified by the 'ol' at the end of their name, such as xylitol, glucitol, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, glycerol, and lactitol. They are not alcohol and they are not sugar but sort of a hybrid of the two. They are frequently used as a sugar substitute but are not as sweet as sugar. The best part is they contain fewer calories, but they are not calorie free. So do not get confused by the 'sugar free' label sometimes on foods containing these sweetners. As with all packaged foods, you need to carefully read the food labels for calorie and carbohydrate content, regardless of any claims that the food is sugar free or low sugar.
in moderation, some sugar alcohols can be better choice than highly refined sugar, fructose, or artificial sweeteners.of the various alcohols , xylitol is one of the best , it is also known as Birch Sugar, E967, Xilito, Xylite, this is found in most plant material, including many fruits and vegetables. It is extracted from birch wood to make medicine. When it is pure, the potential side effects are minimal, and it actually comes with some benefits, such as tooth decay.
Sweeteners To Avoid
Agave, Beet Sugar, Brown Rice Syrup, Brown Sugar, Cane Sugar, Coconut sugar, Date Sugar, Fruit Juice, High Frutose corn Syrup, Maple syrup, Molasses, Sorghum, Splenda, Sucant, Sucralose, Truvia, Turbinado
Better Choices
Dextrose (and name for glucose), Lo Han Kuo (also known as Lo Han Guo, Lo Han, and Monk Fruit), Raw Honey (a tablespoon or two in a day ), Stevia (Whole leaf extract in liquid or powdered form), Birch Sugar or Xylitol
Stevia and Lo Han
These are two best sugar substitutes from plant kingdom.
Stevia, is highly sweet herb obtained from stevia plant though it is South American native but now grown in various part of India. It is available in leaf , liquid or as powdered crystals, it is far safer.
Lo Han is a Chinese fruit, it is not easily available, even when you get, it is very expensive. It may be cheaper if it is grown in more countries.
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