A Primer On Sweeteners

February 18, 2019

Here's a quick breakdown on the pros and cons of the different types of sweeteners out there. Please note that none of these will kill you -- or are even harmful -- in the context of a nutrient-dense diet. But if you're consuming more than just a teaspoon to sweeten your morning coffee, here's what you should know.

NOT FINE:

1. Artificial sweeteners like NutraSweet (aspartame), Equal (acesulfame potassium or Ace-K), Splenda (sucralose) and Sweet 'n' Low (saccharin): these are popular with those trying to lose weight because of their low calorie content but the research shows that artificial sweeteners have actually been shown to increase weight and waist circumference. And artificial sweeteners (and products made with them) tend to confuse our brains because we evolved to associate the sweet taste with calorie-rich foods -- but we get the opposite in this case. This can cause us to lose our ability to regulate caloric intake. Bottom line, ditch 'em.

MEDIOCRE:

1. High-fructose corn syrup: funnily enough, HFCS has a similar make-up to cane sugar so it's not THAT horrendous, in and of itself. The issues with HFCS are two-fold -- first, it's almost impossible to find non-GMO (organic) HFCS and second, the products that actually contain HFCS are really not products any of us should be consuming on a regular basis (sodas and processed foods), plus it sneaks into a lot of products that are seemingly healthy (ketchup, tomato sauce, salad dressing). Because of this, it's very hard to have just a little. But if you eat a healthy diet and just have one thing that you love that happens to contain HFCS, don't worry about it.

ALL FINE, BUT JUST HAVE A LITTLE:

1. Plain ol' white sugar: totally fine in the context of a healthy diet and if kept to a minimum. Try to buy organic though, as most sugarbeet plants are sprayed with chemicals and THOSE we don't need.

2. Other natural sweeteners like honey, coconut sugar, maple syrup and molasses: honey is the queen of all of these in that it contains enzymes and trace minerals that are beneficial for humans, plus it is antibacterial and reduces inflammation. Consuming local raw honey daily has even been shown to reduce the symptoms of seasonal allergies! The other 3 don't have much research behind them yet but they seem to be decent alternatives if you are looking for something a little healthier than refined sugar, because they are all natural and often minimally processed (although not in the case of Aunt Jemima -- but that's not REAL maple syrup, just as Sue Bee is not REAL honey -- here's how to tell the difference.).

3. Sugar alcohols like sorbitol, maltitol, xylitol and erithrytol: these occur naturally in many fruits and are popular with those trying to lose weight (because they have very few calories) and those with diabetes (because they have a low glycemic index). They have been shown to cause GI symptoms in some, but are generally recognized as a not-so-bad option because they don't confuse the brain like artificial sweeteners do (partly because they do provide SOME calories and partly because they're not as sweet as the artificial sweeteners). Xylitol has even been shown to prevent tooth decay, of all things. But if they bother your tummy, skip 'em.

4. Stevia: although it has no calories like the artificial sweeteners mentioned above, it hasn't been shown to have the same "confusing" effect on our brains and may actually be a decent choice for those with blood sugar issues. A few studies have shown that it can reduce fertility and, although those studies have been largely refuted, I would still avoid it if you're trying to get pregnant -- there are plenty of other sweet options out there.

5. Truvia: although this sounds like it's the same thing as Stevia, it's actually mostly erithrytol (an alcohol sugar mentioned above) so is probably fine in small amounts.

Hope that helps!