Sugar Substitutes and Your Health

[Guest guest]

Sugar Substitutes and Your Health

By Kathleen Meister, M.S.

Posted: Monday, April 17, 2006

Executive Summary

Foods and beverages containing sugar substitutes are

widely used in the United States and other countries;

they offer attractive dietary options for people who

are trying to limit calorie intake and/or reduce the

risk of tooth decay.

Extensive scientific research supports the safety of

the five low-calorie sugar substitutes currently

approved for use in foods and beverages in the U.S. —

acesulfame-K, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, and

sucralose.

In several instances, scientific studies have raised

questions about the safety of specific sugar

substitutes. Concerns about the possible

cancer-causing potential of cyclamate and saccharin,

raised during the 1960s and 1970s, respectively, have

been resolved. A controversial animal cancer study of

aspartame is currently being reviewed by regulatory

authorities in the United States and other countries.

Three sugar substitutes currently used in some other

countries — alitame, cyclamate, and stevia — are not

approved as food ingredients in the United States.

Alitame and cyclamate are under consideration for

approval. Stevia may be sold as a dietary supplement,

but marketing this product as a food ingredient in the

U.S. is illegal.

A variety of polyols (sugar alcohols) and other bulk

sweeteners, including two unusual sugars, trehalose

and tagatose, are accepted for use in foods in the

U.S. The only significant health issue pertaining to

these sugar substitutes, most of which are

incompletely digested, is the potential for

gastrointestinal discomfort with excessive use.

The availability of a variety of safe sugar

substitutes is a benefit to consumers because it

enables food manufacturers to formulate a variety of

good-tasting sweet foods and beverages that are safe

for the teeth and lower in calorie content than

sugar-sweetened foods and beverages.

[Guest guest]

Is there actually any scientific evidence that

stevia may be harmful in some way? Many, including

Ray Kurzweil, promote stevia as a healthful.

--- In , Jeff Novick <chefjeff40@...>

wrote:

>

> Sugar Substitutes and Your Health

> By Kathleen Meister, M.S.

>

> Posted: Monday, April 17, 2006

>

> Executive Summary

>

> Foods and beverages containing sugar substitutes are

> widely used in the United States and other countries;

> they offer attractive dietary options for people who

> are trying to limit calorie intake and/or reduce the

> risk of tooth decay.

>

> Extensive scientific research supports the safety of

> the five low-calorie sugar substitutes currently

> approved for use in foods and beverages in the U.S. —

> acesulfame-K, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, and

> sucralose.

>

> In several instances, scientific studies have raised

> questions about the safety of specific sugar

> substitutes. Concerns about the possible

> cancer-causing potential of cyclamate and saccharin,

> raised during the 1960s and 1970s, respectively, have

> been resolved. A controversial animal cancer study of

> aspartame is currently being reviewed by regulatory

> authorities in the United States and other countries.

>

> Three sugar substitutes currently used in some other

> countries — alitame, cyclamate, and stevia — are not

> approved as food ingredients in the United States.

> Alitame and cyclamate are under consideration for

> approval. Stevia may be sold as a dietary supplement,

> but marketing this product as a food ingredient in the

> U.S. is illegal.

>

> A variety of polyols (sugar alcohols) and other bulk

> sweeteners, including two unusual sugars, trehalose

> and tagatose, are accepted for use in foods in the

> U.S. The only significant health issue pertaining to

> these sugar substitutes, most of which are

> incompletely digested, is the potential for

> gastrointestinal discomfort with excessive use.

>

> The availability of a variety of safe sugar

> substitutes is a benefit to consumers because it

> enables food manufacturers to formulate a variety of

> good-tasting sweet foods and beverages that are safe

> for the teeth and lower in calorie content than

> sugar-sweetened foods and beverages.

>

[Guest guest]

> Is there actually any scientific evidence that

> stevia may be harmful in some way? Many, including

> Ray Kurzweil, promote stevia as a healthful.

We report.. you decide...

http://www.cspinet.org/nah/4_00/stevia.html

http://www.cspinet.org/foodsafety/additives_stevia.html

Jeff

[Guest guest]

I always use Stevia, and have never read any negative effects on it. It is the most natural form of sweetener you can get, (besides raw sugar).. You can even cook with it.. (although it is not always the easiest).. I have it in my sleep tea every night. Why use the manipulated sugar alcohols, or chemical neurotoxins?happy holidays, D.H.orb85750 <sudarsky@...> wrote: Good sugar alcohol fact sheet shows relative sweetness and calories for the full array of them: http://www.ific.org/publications/factsheets/sugaralcoholfs.cfm > > > Is there actually any scientific evidence that > > stevia may be harmful in some way? Many, including > > Ray Kurzweil, promote stevia as a healthful. > > We report.. you decide... > > http://www.cspinet.org/nah/4_00/stevia.html > > http://www.cspinet.org/foodsafety/additives_stevia.html > > Jeff > > > >