If Sugar is Bad for You, are Sugar Substitutes Better Instead?

Sugar is not good for you and many people turn to sugar substitutes to satisfy their sweet tooth. But, are they really healthier than sugar? Or are there other things that are hidden beneath the surface of the "healthier" substitutes than what meets the eye.

Take a look at these alternatives and find out which are the best and which you should avoid.

SUCRALOSE is sold as splenda and can be used to replace sugar one-to-one. Sucralose, which is derived from sugar, is used to produce splenda that tastes like sugar. Sucralose is a sugar substitute that has no calories, but doesn't look, measure or behave like sugar. Sucralose is 60x sweeter than regular sugar, so less of it is required to achieve the same sweetness. Sucralose gets a boost of calories from maltodextrin (a corn-derived carbohydrate), which gives it calorie content and makes it act and look like sugar. This mixture makes splenda. Splenda contains 1/8 to 1/4 of the calories in sugar. The manufacturers claim that sucralose will be excreted in its entirety, but the body actually absorbs and metabolizes it. According to the FDA's final rule report, 11%-27% of sucralose in humans is absorbed. The Japanese Food Sanitation Council says up to 40%.

SUCROSE can be made from sugarcane or sugarbeets. It's not just that sucrose tastes good; it gives you a quick burst of energy. The downside of this quick energy boost is that your body will want more sugar when the burst has passed. Too much sucrose can cause excessive insulin reactions, which will lead to excess carbohydrates being stored in fat cells. You should use other sweeteners instead of sucrose, which is a rapid-release sugar. When reading labels, you should avoid other forms of sugar such as raw sugar (brown sugar), invert sugar (turbinado), confectioner's, cane, and crystallized juice.

ASPARTAME has a sweetness 200 times greater than sugar. There are concerns about its safety. It is made of two amino acids: aspartic and phenylalanine. Aspartame can be found in many prepared foods under the brand names NutraSweet or equal. This sweetener cannot be used to cook or add to hot drinks.

MALTITOL is a sugar alcohol that, like other sugar alcohols, does not cause tooth decay. It also has the same sweetness and taste as sugar. It is not a blood sugar or insulin raiser and can be useful for diabetics. Maltitol, like all sugar alcohols can cause laxative effects in some people.

SACCHARINE is sweeter by 200x than sugar and has been used for over 100 years. It is made from a grape-derived substance. It is not metabolized by the human body, and therefore does not cause an insulin response. Most commonly, it is found in sweeteners and soft drinks like sweet n Low.

SORBITOL, a sugar-alcohol, is used in a variety of products. It is especially common in those that must be dried or hardened such as candies and confectionaries. Sorbitol can be found in products that are low in calories or lighter.

HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, which is made of corn starch, has a very high glycemic index. This means that it will trigger a strong insulin response. The safety of using this sweetener in large quantities over time is a subject of controversy. The high fructose content of corn syrup can be found in many products. It is not the fructose-containing product is crystal light good for diabetics.

FRUCTOSE (also known as fruit-sugar) is sweeter than sugar and you only need 1/3 of it as a substitute. Fructose has a low glycemic (slow-release sugar) index, so it controls insulin levels, making it a good choice for diabetics.

The glycemic index of DEXTROSE or GLUCOSE is higher than that of table sugar. On most glycemic indices, glucose is the standard by which other "foods' are compared. This is because glucose (which is actually blood sugar) is released into your system faster than any other food. This will cause a sharp increase in insulin levels. This sweetener is not recommended for diabetics. It can be labeled as corn sugar.

LACTOSE is also called milk sugar and lies about halfway between fructose and sucrose on the glycemic scale. It is made of whey and a skimmed milk. The pharmaceutical industry uses it primarily.

Honey is a sugar inverted by an enzyme. Honey is a mixture of fructose sucrose glucose maltose. It has a high glycemic index and should not be consumed by diabetics. Honey does not contain large amounts of vitamins or minerals.

You can see that some sugars or sugar substitutes are acceptable to replace table sugar, but not all. Sweeteners and sweetened products must be used with caution by diabetics, or those who are trying to control insulin levels for weight loss. We still need to be careful about what sweeteners we use, as we cannot always trust the claims of manufacturers of sweeteners and products that contain sweeteners.