Sweeteners Explained
What is artificial sweeteners?
And how does sugar substitutes affects your body, health and fitness?
People who have diabetes or excess sugar levels avoid the use of sugar. Even those who are worried about the risk of increased blood sugar and want to lose weight avoid sugar. Many foods lose their taste without sugar. To create a sugar-like taste, artificial sweeteners can be used. These are sugar substitutes that are artificially prepared and can be used to sweeten your drinks and foods.
Artificial sweeteners: what are they?
Artificial sweeteners are a type of sugar substitute. They can be used instead of sugar and provide a sweet taste. They do not have the same calorie levels and do not cause spikes in blood sugar levels. Some sweeteners are natural in that they come from nature. This includes honey, fruit juice, and maple syrup. There are other sugar substitutes that are synthetic in nature. They are man-made and known as artificial sweeteners.
Most artificial sweeteners have virtually no calories. This makes them attractive to use for those who are looking to reduce weight. Since they are not carbohydrates, they do not raise the levels of blood sugar. This makes them attractive for use by diabetics and those who have high blood pressure levels.
Common artificial sweeteners
Some of the common artificial sweeteners are:
- Aspartame: This is one of the most popular artificial sweeteners and is 200 times sweeter than sugar.
- Sachhari: This sweetener is 700 times sweeter than sugar.
- Acesulfime potassium: It is 200 times sweeter than sugar and also used for cooking.
- Neotame: This is the artificial sweetener with the highest sweetness and is 13,000 times sweeter than sugar.
Why use artificial sweeteners?
Artificial sweeteners have many benefits. These benefits why people prefer to use these synthetic sweeteners.
- Artificial sweeteners offer a sweet taste and can be used instead of sugar. They don’t cause blood sugar spike and hence are good for diabetics.
- Artificial sweeteners are believed to help in weight management. Since they have no calories they do not cause a weight increase like sugar.
- Some studies have shown that replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners can reduce hunger pangs. This can help prevent overeating and hence help in weight control.
Are artificial sweeteners safe?
Studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can cause side effects. These side effects include:
- Increase in obesity and metabolic syndrome due to reduced gut health.
- It can alter the taste of food and increase sugar cravings in some people.
- It can cause problems like irritable bowel syndrome.
Artificial sweeteners can be taken by diabetics but it must be used in moderation to prevent side effects. There are limits set for daily use of each artificial sweeteners and these must be followed.
Absorption and Metabolism of Sugar Substitutes (Artificial Sweeteners) with “JJ Medicine“
