Sugar Substitutes: The Good And The Bad

With a New Year comes New Year’s resolutions. An estimated 40% of Americans make a New Year’s resolution, with the No. 1 resolution being weight loss. To reduce waistlines and reduce the numbers on their scale, Americans are seeking to rid their daily intake of refined sugar. As a result, many are resorting to sugar substitutes to achieve their weight loss goal. However, not all sugar substitutes are made equal (no pun intended), and may be dangerous to your health.

Best Sugar Substitutes

Raw Honey

Not only is Raw Honey tasty, it is known to be rich in antioxidants, is loaded with antibacterial properties, has anti-tumor and immune-boosting properties, and is an excellent source of natural energy and is high in nutrients (such as iron, calcium, amino acids, just to name a few) . Also, due to its natural composition, raw honey, is easy for digestion.

Coconut Sugar

In addition to its sweet flavor, Coconut Sugar is known to be packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Another benefit of coconut sugar is that it may help regulate blood sugar and insulin levels more, as it has a lower glycemic index.

Pure Organic Maple Syrup

Pure Organic Maple Syrup (the kind that does not contain corn syrup) is another sugar alternative that is packed with added benefits. Pure Organic Maple Syrup can boost the immune system, is rich in antioxidants, can help maintain a healthy heart, aid in male reproductive health, and can protect against cardiovascular disorders.

Stevia

Stevia is a leaf that mimics the sweetness of sugar without the negative side effects that sugar can have on your health. For the diet conscious consumer, Stevia can be the perfect sugar substitute, as it has zero calories. To add, it does not affect blood sugar levels, it does not promote candida fungal overgrowth in the digestive tract like sugar and may even have dental benefits by preventing tooth decay.

Worst Sugar Substitutes

Equal

As many know, Equal is made from aspartame, which is commonly linked to headaches, stroke, and heart attacks. The FDA reports that 75% of the adverse food reactions reported are linked to aspartame.

Splenda

Splenda is also known as sucralose. Sucralose has been reported to rob the body of good bacteria from its digestive tract, and it can have adverse effects to insulin and your prescription medications. It has also been reported that when sucralose is baked, it may release dangerous chemicals into food.

Sweet N’ Low

Sweet N’ Low is also known as saccharin. Prior to 2000, Sweet N’ Low’s little pink packets contained warnings mandated by the FDA of potential health risks. Today, the warnings have been removed, but it has been reported that the risks are still there. Side effects that have been linked to saccharin are: risk of cancer, diabetes, allergic reactions, and weight gain (to name a few).

If you believe that you have suffered from adverse reactions from an artificial sweetener, contact Gilman & Bedigian, LLC at 410-560-4999.

To report an adverse effect from consuming an artificial sweetener, contact the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or through their online safety reporting portal. 

To read more from the sources the above information was obtained from, visit the Mayo Clinic, ABC News Health Report,  Doctors Health Press, News Max Health Report, and Milwaukee Carrier       

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