Artificial sweeteners can help with weight loss
Sweetness is one of the basic tastes in daily meals. However, suffering from diabetes, heart disease, obesity... People need to be moderated with sweets. This often makes them feel that their meals are tasteless. Sweeteners came into being. So which type of sweetener is better? This article will introduce you to the common sweeteners on the market, and hope to help you.
Sweeteners are substances that produce sweetness outside of sucrose or syrup.
For people with diabetes, the wisest approach is to use sweeteners, which do not raise blood sugar like glucose.
1. Benefits of sweeteners for diabetics
Artificial sweeteners can also help control diabetes
Sweeteners (artificial sugars) usually do not significantly affect the blood sugar of people with diabetes. Therefore, diabetics can use sweeteners.
Sweeteners are widely used in the household and food industries. In addition, it is used to add sweetness to beverages such as tea, coffee, cocktails, as well as desserts, cakes, baked goods or everyday cooking. Although the role of sweeteners is to help control weight and blood sugar, they still need to be used in moderation.
"Is the sweetener good?". According to medical experts, if you know how to use sweeteners, it will be very beneficial for your health. Since the sweetener itself is a non-energy sugar, it does not increase blood sugar and should be especially recommended for diabetic patients with dietary control.
Usually, foods that contain sweeteners are labeled sugar-free, but in practice it does not mean that they do not contain calories. If other ingredients in the product contain calories, excessive consumption can still increase weight and blood sugar. Therefore, it is absolutely forbidden to over-consume foods that contain sweeteners.
2. Sweetener (artificial sugar) for diabetics
Natural sugars are usually high in energy and can easily raise blood sugar levels. Therefore, diabetics can use sweeteners in food cooking and processing. Sweeteners are artificial sugars, have almost no energy, and are many times sweeter than ordinary sugars. It is safe to use sweeteners wisely.
2.1 Sucralose – the most common sweetener
Sweeteners for diabetes
Sucralose is a calorie-free sweetener, 600 times sweeter than ordinary sugar, with a natural taste, soluble granules, and does not denature at high temperatures, so it can be used as a condiment for many daily dishes or baking,...
This sugar is ideal for people with type 2 diabetes because sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar and has no effect on blood sugar. This sugar is found in many candies and beverages aimed at diabetics.
In addition, the body rarely absorbs sucralose. An article published in Physiology & Behavior in October 2016 claimed that sucralose is the most commonly used artificial sweetener worldwide.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the acceptable daily intake of sucralose is: 5 mg or less per kilogram of body weight per day. A person weighing 60 kg should consume no more than 300 mg of sucralose per day.
2.2 Steviol glycosides (stevia)
Stevia can be used on a diabetic diet
Stevia, derived from the leaves of the stevia plant, is native to Central and South America.
Stevia is calorie-free and is commonly used as a sweetener in food and beverages. According to an article published in Diabetes Care in January 2019, sweeteners, including stevia, have little effect on blood sugar.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers stevia to be safe when used in moderation. Stevia differs from sucrose in that stevia does not contain calories. However, this does not mean that replacing sucrose with stevia can lead to weight loss. Stevia is much sweeter than sucrose, and when used, we only need a little bit.
Memorial Sloan Caitlin Cancer Center notes that gastrointestinal reactions have been reported after consuming large amounts of stevia. But so far, there has been no reliable scientific research to confirm it.
Stevia: 250-300 times sweeter than natural sugar, a pure sweetener, an additive found in many foods. The permissible consumption is: 7.9 mg or less per kilogram of body weight per day. The maximum safe dosage of stevia determined by the World Health Organization (WHO) is 4 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. That is, if you weigh 50 kilograms, the stevia that can be safely consumed per day is 200 mg.
2.3 Aspartame – low-calorie sweetener
Low calorie sweetener
Aspartame is a nutrient-free artificial sweetener that is 200 times sweeter than natural sugar. Although aspartame is not as zero calorie as some other artificial sweeteners, the calories of aspartame are still very low.
Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration believes that aspartame can be consumed safely, an expert from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration points out that there are some conflicting results in aspartame safety studies. The expert said: "Although the reputation for low calorie attracts a lot of people with weight problems, aspartame has brought a lot of negative effects. ”
Multiple animal studies have linked aspartame to leukemia, lymphoma and breast cancer. Another study suggests that aspartame may be associated with migraines.
However, the American Cancer Society notes that aspartame is safe and that studies have not found that aspartame increases the risk of cancer in humans.
Phenylketonuria is a rare disease that cannot metabolize phenylalanine ( the main component of aspartame ) , so aspartame should not be consumed.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers the maximum safe dosage of aspartame to be 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. A person weighing 60 kilograms does not exceed 3,000 mg of aspartame per day.
2.4 Sugar alcohols
Sugar alcohols (isomaltulose, lactose, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol) are sugars found in fruits and herbs. It is no sweeter than sucrose. Unlike artificial sugar, this type of sugar contains a certain amount of calories. Many people use it in their daily lives instead of regular refined sugar. Despite the name "sugar alcohol", it contains no alcohol and does not have ethanol like alcohol.
Xylitol, pure, no added ingredients
Sugar alcohols increase the sweetness of food, help food retain moisture, prevent brown when baking, and add flavor to food. Sugar alcohols do not cause tooth decay. They are low in energy (half as much as sucrose) and can help control weight. The body cannot fully absorb sugar alcohols, which interferes with blood sugar less than ordinary refined sugar.
While sugar alcohols have fewer calories than natural sugars, they are less sweet, which means you have to use them more to get the same sweetening effects as natural sugars. For those who are not so demanding on sweetness, sugar alcohol is the right choice.
Sugar alcohols have few health-related problems. When used in large quantities (usually more than 50 grams, sometimes as low as 10 grams), sugar alcohols can cause bloating and diarrhea.
If you have diabetes, then artificial sweeteners may be a better option. According to the American Diabetes Society, artificial sweeteners offer more options for people who prefer sweets and reduce feelings of social disconnection.