Food and drinks with sugar substitutes have less calories than alternatives that contain sugar, but it would really help us lose weight?
Diseases and health complications which we live has caused that sugar consumption is decreasing significantly, however a real impact not can still be seen around the world. According to the American Heart Association, thousands of deaths caused by cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart problems are directly linked to drinks or foods rich in sugar. For this reason, sugar substitutes are considered as an attractive alternative for those who like to eat sweet foods.
The history of sugar substitutes
The use of sugar substitutes goes back to 1800 when it was discovered the saccharin, though its heyday was during the world wars due to lack of sugar production. Years later, in the 1960's began to sell sugar-free foods and beverages. This was due to weight control clinics became more common.
From this moment on, the population became aware of its role in their health and appeared new sugar substitutes. Saccharin (200 to 700 times sweeter than sugar) remained the only option until 1981, when the aspartame (200 times sweeter than sugar) became the preferred sweetener of more than 6000 foods and beverages with approval from the FDA.
In 1988, approved the use of acesulfame K (200 times sweeter than sugar) and in 1999 allowed the sale to general use of sucralose (main element the Splenda and 600 times sweeter than sugar). The newest sugar substitute is the neotame (40 times sweeter than aspartame), which was approved in 2002.
From these sugar substitutes other alternatives have been created by mixing them with real sugar to increase or improve the taste of different products.
Do sugar substitutes really help us lose weight?
There is a popular belief that sugar substitutes reduce calories and facilitate weight loss. For this reason, studies that compared weight loss among those who used products sweetened with sugar substitutes and those who consumed normal sugar have been conducted and showed that the difference is barely noticeable between a group and otror. However, it was determined that those who consumed sugar substitutes after losing weight managed to keep.
Do not overdo with the sugar substitute
One of the great doubts about sugar substitutes is the amount we can take. According to the FDA, acceptable quantities in one day are the equivalent to:
18 cans of soft drink diet sweetened with aspartame.
10 sachets of saccharin.
31 cans of diet soda sweetened with acesulfame-k.
6 cans of diet soda sweetened with sucralose.
While these are the amounts that the FDA determines as healthy, nutritionists and doctors agree that it is common for people to substitute healthy foods with nutrients from diet. This is a problem because healthy substitutions are not always made. For example, change a normal yogurt by one light is a good alternative, but it is not changing a normal soda by one light. This is due to that the body continues to receive empty calories that do not give any positive.
Also found that those who consume a lot of sugar free drinks tend to increase their consumption, making weight loss difficult. The most common cause is that hunger is increased by adding any sugar substitute to any product without nutrient (such as water or soft drink) content.
For this reason, both nutritionists and doctors agree that the recommended maximum amount are 6 pods (6 grams) of any of these sweeteners a day.
Who should avoid sugar substitutes?
Although the foods that contain sugar substitutes tend to be considered safe, doctors recommend that pregnant women and children limit their use. The right thing would be to take foods, such as natural water or juices newly made.
Those who suffer from phenylketonuria should avoid any product containing aspartame, as it contains phenylalanine. PKU is a genetic disorder that prevents the body to synthesize phenylalanine, which can lead to serious brain problems.
Natural alternatives!
Stevia is ideal for those who suffer from diabetes.
Stevia
It is a very low natural sweetener in calorie and increasingly popular. It is a derivative of the plant of the same name, which has been used as a sweetener and natural remedy for centuries in South America. One of the main advantages of the stevia is that does not add calories despite being very sweet.
In addition, it has been determined that this substitute decreases the blood pressure between 6 and 14% when high and does not affect in the least when it is normal. This characteristic is repeated with the levels of sugar in the blood, which have a significantly lower in people with diabetes. The only problem with stevia is that its flavor may be unpleasant, so you have to find the perfect option for everyone.
Erythritol
This substitute is a sweetener alcohol that is found in certain fruits, from which is extracted through an industrial process. Each gram provides 0.24 calories, equivalent to 6% of the calories contained in sugar. Erythritol does not encourage the peaks of blood glucose or insulin, also affects the levels of cholesterol or triglycerides. This substitute is absorbed naturally by the intestine and excreted by the kidneys.
Its consumption must be moderate as it can cause digestive upset.
For many people, sugar substitutes are an excellent alternative and although they can be helpful, the ideal is to consume it in moderate amounts (like everything...)
0 comentarios:
Post a Comment