sweeteners

[Guest guest]

fyi...on sweeteners....Sweeteners

With diabetes on the rise ...it is a good idea to be aware of sugar and

possible substitutes....i prefer stevia as a substitute.

keep in mind the along with diabetes...comes heart disease, circulatory

problems, visual problems, infertility...etc, etc...the list is

long..many people are diabetic right now and/or have syndrome x and do

not even know it...i have a friend in his 20's that had a heart attack

last week...a diabetic friend that had triple by pass surgery in

Sept...it's getting crazy...please do what you can to protect

yourself!!! So much is preventable..believe or not!!!.

What are sweeteners?

Sweeteners are sugars (or substitutes) used to give foods a sweet

flavor. They

create a pleasurable sensation that early civilizations probably relied

on in choosing

food. Most sweeteners are simple carbohydrates derived from plants.

What are the different types of sugars?

Sugars differ in how quickly they are absorbed into the bloodstream.

Most

household sugars and sweeteners contain a combination of these two

types:

Mono-saccharides, composed of one glucose sugar molecule

Glucose is absorbed rapidly and stimulates the release of insulin.

Sweeteners high in glucose include corn syrup, granulated sugar and

honey.

Fructose is metabolized more slowly and does not require insulin.

Contained in fruit and in sweeteners such as honey, fructose is also

available in granulated form.

Di-saccharides, composed of two glucose sugar molecules.

Sucrose is common table sugar. It breaks down into glucose and

fructose and is quickly absorbed.

Maltose is a more complex, less commonly used sugar that breaks down

into two glucose molecules and is also quickly absorbed. It is

contained in barley malt and brown rice syrup.

Lactose, a sugar found in milk, is difficult for some people to

digest. See Lactose Intolerance.

Blood Sugar Cycle

The body is programmed to maintain a fairly constant level of blood

sugar. Sweeteners that are

rapidly absorbed cause blood sugar levels to shoot up, stimulating the

pancreas to release insulin.

Insulin lowers blood sugar levels, which in some people may be

excessive, often creating a “let down” feeling and cravings for a quick

“pick me up” snack. The rate of absorption is determined by two factors:

the type of sugar and what foods accompany it. Simple sugars consumed

between meals tend to produce a “boom/bust” blood sugar cycle in

sensitive people. Sugars consumed at the end of a meal or in conjunction

with fats and proteins are absorbed more slowly.

Household Sugars and Sweeteners:

Brown sugar is made by adding molasses to white sugar. It is high in

glucose and rapidly absorbed by the bloodstream.

Confectioner’s sugar, or powdered sugar, is made by pulverizing

granulated sugar. It's high in

glucose and is rapidly absorbed.

Corn syrup is a highly-refined, quickly-absorbed light syrup made of

corn and used in baking. It is

high in glucose.

Date sugar is a powder made of dried, ground dates. It is sweeter than

sugar and is used in baking or as table sugar. It is high in sucrose.

Fructose is refined from fruit. It is one-and-one-half times sweeter

than sugar but is more slowly

metabolized.

Fruit juice concentrates are available frozen. They are only two-thirds

as sweet as sugar but are

just as rapidly absorbed. They can be substituted for sugar in baking if

other liquids are reduced.

Sugars vary with variety but tend to be high in sucrose.

FruitSource®, a light, colored liquid or powder made of grape juice

concentrate and rice, is

absorbed more slowly that sugar. High in fructose and maltose, it is

used in cooking and baking.

Granulated sugar is made from sugar cane or sugar beets and used in

baking, cooking, or at the

table. It is high in sucrose.

Honey is made by bees and available as liquid or cream. It is high in

fructose and glucose, rapidly

absorbed, and 25-50% sweeter than sugar. Honey may contain clostridium

botulinum spores

harmless to most adults but dangerous to children under the age of one.

Jams and jellies are made from fruit, sugar, and pectin. Most jams and

jellies are high in simple

sugar and rapidly absorbed.

Maple syrup is high in sucrose and two-thirds as sweet as sugar but

metabolized just as quickly.

The taste and color depend on grade.

Molasses is a thick, dark syrup that is one-half as sweet as sugar and

high in sucrose. A byproduct of sugar making, its color and taste depend

upon the stage of sugar extraction. It can contain minerals but also

chemical residues of sugar production.

Sorghum syrup, the concentrated juice of the sweet sorghum plant, is

high in sucrose and rapidly

absorbed. It is used over pancakes or in baking.

Unrefined sugars, called demara, evaporated cane juice, muscavado and

turbinado, are all made

from sugar cane or sugar beets. They are coarser and darker in color

than granulated sugar but have a similar rate of absorption. True raw

sugar is banned in the U.S., because it contains bacteria, molds, and

insect parts.

Alternative and Substitute Sweeteners

Nutritive sweeteners contain calories, but may have other properties

that make them preferable for people who must avoid simple

carbohydrates. They include:

Amasake is a Japanese product made from cultured sweet rice. It is a

creamy, quickly digested

beverage used by athletes after a workout or as a sweetener in cooking

or baking.

Barley malt is a thick, dark, slow-digesting sugar made from sprouted

barley. This sugar is high in maltose and is best cooked in foods, such

as baked beans, where its strong taste is desirable.

Brown rice syrup is a mild-flavored, slow-digesting syrup, made of

sprouted barley and brown rice. It's high in maltose and complex

carbohydrates. Traditional malted brown rice syrup works in baking; the

newer kind made with an enzyme does not.

Mannitol is derived from seaweed. It has half the calories of sugar and

is used in chewing gum.

Sorbitol is processed from corn syrup but more slowly absorbed; it is

found in diabetic foods and

soft drinks.

Non-Nutritive sweeteners do not add calories to the diet. They include:

Acesulfame-K - This sweetener, which is two-hundred times as sweet as

sugar, is sold as Sweet

One®, Sweet and Safe or Sunett® and is used in place of table sugar. It

is not metabolized and thus adds no calories.

Aspartame - Synthesized from two amino acids, this sweetener is 180-200

times sweeter than

sugar. It is used in sugar-free products and sold as NutraSweet® or

Equal®. It is not metabolized and thus adds no calories.

Stevia - Made from a South American herb, it is 100-200 times sweeter

than sugar but calorie-free, because the human body cannot absorb it.

Saccharine is derived from coal tar and is calorie-free. It is 300-400

times sweeter than sugar. It is used in soft drinks and low-calorie food

and has a bitter aftertaste.

Xylitol is extracted from birch wood chips and is used in chewing gums

and jam.

What forms do sweeteners come in?

Sweeteners come in granular and liquid form.

What are the nutritional facts?

The Upside

Most sweeteners are simple carbohydrates quickly absorbed by the

body to produce a burst of energy, helpful for people doing athletic

activities or hard physical work.

Sweets can delight the palate and provide emotional satisfaction.

The Downside

Most sweeteners provide few or none of the nutrients necessary to build

and maintain body systems; they are “empty calories.”

Sweeteners are high-calorie foods and over-consumption may lead to

obesity.

Sugar use may lead to tooth decay. Oral bacteria feed on sugar,

producing plaque. Acids under the plaque cause tooth decay.

Sugar may have an effect on hypoglycemia and diabetes. Although

researchers have conjectured that excess consumption of sugars

stresses the pancreas, leading to hypoglycemia or diabetes, no

conclusive evidence proves this to be true. People with these

conditions must moderate sugar intake to avoid severe reactions,

symptoms, or long-term health risks.

Artificial sweeteners, such as xylitol, manitol, acesulfame-K, and

saccharine are under investigation for possible links to cancer.

Best Bets For Healthy Eating

Reduce total sugar intake by reading labels and choosing packaged

foods low in sugars.

Choose sweeteners high in maltose or fructose to avoid blood sugar

ups and downs.

Experiment with natural alternatives, such as stevia and amasake.

Eat sweets after a meal rather than between meals.

How do I store sweeteners?

Tightly capped, many granular sweeteners keep indefinitely.

Store liquid sweeteners, such as corn syrup and honey, in a cool

place.

Brown rice syrup, maple syrup, amasake, jams and jellies should be

kept in the refrigerator to avoid molds.

Hidden Sugars

The average American consumes approximately 137.5 pounds of sugar each

year. More than half of that comes from sugars in packaged products.

Sugar is the number one food additive used in America today.

Sugar as Wealth

In Renaissance Italy, sugar was a costly, prestigious food. The rich

added it to nearly everything,

including hors d’oeuvres and pasta. In great displays of wealth, they

would have table decorations, plates, tablecloths and napkins made of

spun sugar.

References and Resources:

, and Barbara Deskins. The Nutrition Bible. New York:

Morrow. 1995.

Ensminger, Audry, M.E. Ensminger, E. Konlande, and R. K.

Robson. The Concise Encyclopedia of

Foods and Nutrition. New York: CRC Press. 1995.

Root, Waverley. Food. New York: Simon and Schuster. 1980.

Wittenberg. Margaret M. Good Food: The Comprehensive Food and Nutrition

Resources. Freedom, CA: The

Crossing Press. 1995.

Wittenberg, Margaret M. Pocket Guide to Good Food. Freedom, CA: The

Crossing Press. 1997.

Copyright © 2000 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved.

www.healthnotes.com

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purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in

vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each

article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all

individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with

prescription or over-the-counter medication is also available. Consult

your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and

before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed

medications. Information expires January 2002.

((((sweet hugs))))

Sheena