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What are artificial sweeteners?
Artificial sweeteners are also known as
high intensity sweeteners or sugar substitutes. They have a really intense
sweet taste, hence the name, "high intensity sweeteners". The
substance has grown in popularity ever since people have begun to commercially
market them to benefit diabetic people; popular brands include Stevia and
Equal. However, sweeteners have been in
use for quite a long time now, lending their powerful flavors to "sugar-free"
products.
Artificial sweeteners could be synthetic
or derived from "natural (sources of sugar that occur naturally)"
sources. It is a kind of non-nutritive sweetener - a product that has no
nutritional content whatsoever, meaning it has no calories at all. This
property is what catches the attention of people who are looking to lose weight
without compromising their love for sweet food. Beyond that, because of its
intensity, people would only need to put a significantly smaller amount of sweetener
to achieve the desired taste.
Types of Artificial Sweeteners
· Saccharin
Made for pregnant and breastfeeding women,
it is meant for use in hold or cold dishes. Examples include Sweet N’ Low and
Sugar Twin.
· Aspartame
Suitable for use in cold and warm foods,
this particular kind has a tendency to lose sweetness when temperatures rise
too high. Commercial brands include Equal and Nutrasweet.
· Acesulfame potassium or ace-K
Suitable for use in baking and cooking.
Examples: Sweet One, Sunett, Swiss Sweet.
· Advantage
It is used widely in the food industry.
For example, in soft drinks, other non-alcoholic beverages, baked goods and a
variety of candy.
· Neotame
It can be used in hot and cold food and
beverages because of its high stability in heat and moisture.
Artificial Sweeteners and Diabetics
There are two types of diabetes: Type 1
diabetes, Diabetes Insipidus and Type 2 diabetes, diabetes Mellitus. Type 1
diabetes is genetic – people who suffer from it are born without an ability to
process sugar. Type 2 diabetes is onset later in life, when the pancreas begins
to fail at processing sugar. It is caused when the pancreas is overloaded with
too much work – when someone takes too much sugar too often. If there is too much unprocessed sugar in the
blood, serious health issues could develop, for example, the rupturing of blood
vessels.
Artificial sweeteners are not “real”
sugar. They react with the tongue to produce a sensation of sweetness, without
being as complex as real sugar. This means that a diabetic person’s body can
process the artificial sweetener without endangering their health.
How
does artificial sweetener aid in weight loss?
While there is no definitive proof of its
health benefits, it is widely used by diabetics and fitness buffs alike.
Remember to consult a physician before trying a new diet!
1. No calories!
Sugar substitutes are great for diabetics
because they contain no sugar whatsoever. Diabetics have trouble processing all
the excess sugar in their system, resulting in the hindrance of a lot of bodily
functions. So, if they want to take care of their appetite for sweet food, they
have to take food that has no sugar in it, but more on that later. Artificial
sweeteners have no nutritional value – no fat, no calories!
Weight loss buffs can use this to their
advantage. You won't have to worry about the extra calories you might otherwise
get from "real" sugary foods. Get that flat belly you always wanted
without giving up your favorite sweet taste.
We're not saying you should just stuff
yourself with as many artificial sweeteners as sweets from before you started
your diet, though! You can still suffer negative implications when you take too
much sweetener, because it messes up your body's ability to gauge how much
calories you consumed.
2. Curb that appetite
You know that feeling - when you cannot
have anything, you suddenly find it a lot more attractive than it usually is.
This is the same with sweet food! We know how important it is to keep to a
certain amount of calorie intake. A lot of people bravely abandon sweet food
just so they can look and feel healthier.
While that is a very wise move,
permanently removing sweet foods from your life could be counterproductive.
Sweet foods release an anti-stress hormone when ingested. If you don't treat
yourself to something sweet every now and again, your brain releases a hormone
that has do with stress-binging, causing you to feel hungry more often and urge
to stuff yourself with food you don't need.
In a nutshell, sweeteners act as a
low-calorie alternative to chocolate whenever you feel like you want to reward
yourself for all your hard work to lose weight.
Conclusion
While sweeteners sound too good to be
true, remember that everything is harmful when used incorrectly. Every
substance is a poison when one has taken too much. Sweeteners can help you
control your calorie intake and your appetite for sweet foods, but remember the
key is control!
A good weight loss regimen is all about
balance – balanced nutrient intake, balanced physical activity, and even
balanced reward system! Remember to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. If
you need a quick sweet fix, opt for vegetables and/or fruits! They are full of
fiber, which helps to fill you up quickly. They are low in calories, so you can
eat as much as you want without worrying about your waistline; the calories get
turned into energy, to keep you up and at it for a longer time than chips
would.
