A Big Thank You to Lynn for sharing!
Sugar & Sweeteners, a Little Primer
by Lynn Stephens
http://www.shakeoffthesugar.net/
Sweeteners have practically no nutritive value, but everyone enjoys an occasional touch of sweetness in their diets. Choosing a healthy and safe sweetener on a low glycemic or low carb diet can be confusing. Here is a little primer to help you make choices for your low carb lifestyle.
Sugars:
Sucrose (table sugar):
Sucrose is usually made from sugar beets or sugar cane. It is useful for baking, not only for its flavor, but also for the texture it imparts to baked foods. Not only does sucrose taste good, but it gives you quick energy. However, there is an enormous downside to that sudden surge of energy. When it is gone, your body craves another "hit" of sugar to maintain the energy. Too much sucrose consumption, just like too much of any of the high-glycemic carbohydrates, leads to excessive insulin surges, which in turn causes the excess carbs to be stored in your fat cells. Because sucrose is a high-glycemic sugar, it is a good idea to substitute other sweeteners. When you are reading labels for sugar content, here are some other forms of sucrose to avoid: raw sugar, brown sugar, turbinado, invert sugar, confectioner's sugar, cane sugar, crystallized cane juice.
High Fructose Corn Syrup:
This sweetener is manufactured from corn starch and has a high glycemic value, that is, it causes your insulin to surge. There is some controversy as to the safety of consuming large amounts of this sweetener over time. High fructose corn syrup is found in numerous products and is not the same as a product that contains only fructose, which is a low-glycemic sweetener. Many of the negative studies I have found on fructose actually use high fructose corn syrup, not fructose alone.
Fructose:
Fructose, also known as fruit sugar, is sweeter than table sugar. Use about one-third less when substituting it for table sugar. Not only do you use less of this sweetener, but it has another advantage. Its glycemic value is 20 (with glucose at 100), very low. Fructose metabolizes at a slow rate, helping to control insulin surges. It is recommended for diabetics and others seeking to control their carbs. It should be noted that there is some concern that excessive use of fructose (more than 20% of your total energy intake) may lead to elevated triglycerides. So, don’t go crazy with this sweetener. Like all sweeteners, use it in moderation. Whey Low D is a newly developed product that adds lactose to their fructose, causing an even lower glycemic response than fructose alone. Recent research indicates that some people may be intolerant to fructose. It may contribute to irritable bowel syndrome. Those same people would most likely have the same reaction to eating many fruits.
Dextrose or Glucose:
These are included together because dextrose is a form of glucose. Either could be on the food label. Glucose has a higher glycemic value than table sugar. On many glycemic indexes, glucose is used as the benchmark for "100". It can also be called corn sugar. Avoid this sugar to control your carbs (and your insulin).
Lactose:
Also known as milk sugar, lactose falls about halfway between sucrose and fructose on the glycemic index. It is made from whey and skim milk and is used largely by the pharmaceutical industry.
Honey:
Honey is an invert sugar, formed by an enzyme from nectar. It is a combination of fructose, sucrose, glucose, and maltose and is not a low-glycemic sweetener. Honey contains only trace amounts of minerals and vitamins.
Polyols:
Also known as sugar alcohols, polyols are found naturally in fruits, but also are manufactured commercially. Xylitol has the same sweetness as sucrose; sorbitol, maltitol, and mannitol as half as sweet as table sugar. Sugar alcohols are useful for diabetics and those who are controlling their insulin because of their low glycemic response. These sugar alcohols are found in a number of "sugar free" products. Their main drawback is that they can have a laxative effect in some people. Exercise caution when trying these products until you see how your own body reacts.
Alternative Sweeteners
Acesulfame potassium (K):
Useful for diabetics and more than 200 times sweeter than table sugar, acesulfame K holds up well under the heat of cooking and baking. Its brand name is Sunett. The body cannot metabolize this sweetener, and is excreted in the urine. By itself it can leave a slight aftertaste, but has a nice synergistic sweetening effect when combined with other sweeteners. I discovered this sweetener under the brand, DiabetiSweet, where it is combined with Isomalt, making it a nice choice for cooking and baking. Acesulfame K is found in numerous products. It has a long shelf life.
Agave Nectar:
Also labeled as agave syrup, this sweeter has been used for generations to produce tequila. It is more than 90% fructose and is very low on the glycemic index. When substituting this more natural form of fructose for table sugar, use about 30% less. It can be substituted one for one for fructose. This is one of my favorite sweeteners for cooking and baking. It is especially nice to add a small amount of agave when cooking with Splenda to offset some of Splenda's aftertaste and to improve texture. It is a very helpful choice for a controlled carb diet.
Aspartame:
Also about 200 times sweeter than sugar, there is a great deal of controversy over the safety of this sweetener. It is made from two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Aspartame, also marketed under the names Nutrasweet and Equal, is found in a wide variety of prepared products. This sweetener does break down when heated and is not useful for cooking or adding to hot beverages.
Maltitol:
Unlike many sweeteners, maltitol does not promote tooth decay. This sugar alcohol has a taste and sweetness similar to table sugar. It does not raise glucose, therefore insulin, levels and is useful for diabetics and low-carbers. Because of its high melting point and stability, it is a particularly helpful choice when making candies. It can also give a creamy texture to foods. Like all sugar alcohols, maltitol can have a laxative effect in some individuals.
Saccharine:
This sweetener has been around for close to one hundred years and is 200 time sweeter than table sugar. It is produced from a substance found in grapes. The human body cannot break it down, so it does not produce an insulin response. It is often found in soft drinks and in sweetener like Sweet 'N Low and Sugar Twin. It can be useful in recipes like salad dressings and punch, which do not depend on the volume and texture provided by normal sugars.
Sorbitol:
This sugar alcohol is found in a number of products, especially those that tend to become dry or hardened, like candies and confectionaries. Like other sugar alcohols, it does not contribute to tooth decay. Sorbitol is often used in "reduced calorie" and "light" products. Excess consumption may have a laxative effect.
Stevia: Although not approved as a sweetener by the FDA, stevia has been safely used in Japan for the purpose of sweetening for about 25 years. It has only been approved as a food additive in the United States. Stevia products are not standardized, and not all are of the same quality. The pure white powdered extract has the least aftertaste. When using stevia, combining it with at least one other sweetener for better results. Stevia is stable to 400 degrees F, so it holds up well when cooking. However, it will not add texture to baked goods.
Sucralose:
This sweetener is popping up in more and more low carbohydrate products. Sold under the brand name of Splenda, sucralose is useful as a one to one substitute for table sugar. It is stable when heated and does not break down in cooking. However, I feel you do lose a little of the texture in some baked goods. For some, it also has a slight aftertaste. Because of this, I often use a small amount of fructose, agave, or Whey Low D with Splenda. Sucralose does not promote tooth decay. Unless otherwise noted, the recipes on www.shakeoffthesugar.net use the pourable form of Splenda that measures like sugar, rather than the little packets. Splenda is used in Atkins products and is allowed on the Sugar Busters diet.
Xylitol:
Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener that is found in fruits, berries, mushrooms and corncobs. Using xylitol can actually reduce tooth decay when used regularly. It possesses a low GI and is used in diabetic products, gum and mints. Like all sugar alcohols, xylitol can produce stomach distress when taken in excess.
©Lynn Stephens
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