The Ultimate Guide to Sugar Alternatives

Do you know anyone not trying to cut back on sugar? Thought so. It seems like everyone these days is trying to cut out or cut down on sugar from their diet. Yet, sugar is everywhere!  In an era where everyone is trying to curb their sugar consumption, navigating the different types of sugar alternatives can be daunting – it’s hard to keep track of what’s what and what’s actually better or worse for you than the straight up white stuff.  4 Types of Sugar Alternatives We’ve broken sugar alternatives down into four categories—artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, natural sugar alternatives and novel sweeteners— to help you clear through the sweet clutter.  Artificial Sweeteners Artificial sweeteners mimic the taste of sugar for virtually no calories. Many of us grew up on our moms pouring packets of them into everything from coffee to yogurt to even fruit! The problem? they distort your natural sense of taste and they may cause cravings for more sugar. Yep, you read that right. They don’t allow your body to “count” calories properly and can disrupt your hormones and ultimately lead to a domino effect that increases desire for sugar and weight gain. Regardless of the recent aspartame controversy, there is plenty of reason to steer clear of them. Here’s another one, they can also damage the beneficial microflora and pH balance in the gut.  Common artificial sweeteners: Aspartame is the most common artificial sweetener and is 200 times sweeter than table sugar. It is marketed as Equal or NutraSweet (the blue packets). You’ll find it in Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Diet Dr. Pepper, Diet Snapple Iced Tea. Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar and is marketed as Splenda (the yellow packets) and Equal Sucralose. You’ll find it in Ocean Spray Light, Flavored Propel Fitness Water, Diet V8 Splash, Yoplait Light, Yoplait Greek 100, Dannon Light & Fit, Smucker’s Sugar Free, Heinz Reduced Sugar Ketchup. Acesulfame potassium, also known as Ace-K, is 200 times sweeter than sugar and is marketed as Sweet One. It’s found in many products in combination with aspartame or sucralose (including some of those listed above). You’ll find it in Powerade Zero, Gatorade G2, Coke Zero, Sprite Zero. Saccharin is the OG of artificial sweeteners. It’s 300 to 500 times sweeter than sugar and is marketed as Sweet’N Low (the pink packets), Sweet Twin, Necta Sweet, and Equal Saccharin. It’s less abundant in processed foods than other artificial sweeteners but some products still have it. You’ll find it in toothpastes, baked goods, fountain sodas and low carb bars. RELATED TO: Are Artificial Sweeteners Worse Than Sugar? Sugar Alcohols Sugar alcohols (polyols) are naturally occurring compounds found in plant foods like fruits and vegetables but they can also be commercially produced from other forms of sugar. Sugar alcohols are derived from sugar, contain some calories, and have a different chemical structure from sugar that alters the way the body metabolizes them. They are typically a little less sweet than table sugar and contain fewer calories because they aren’t converted to glucose as quickly and thus aren’t fully absorbed by the body. These “mock” sugars are probably what causes your stomach distress after downing a bag of “healthy” candy while on a road trip. Try to steer clear as much as possible. Look out for ingredients that end in “-tol” (this suffix denotes the ingredient is a sugar alcohol). Common sugar alcohols: Erythritol is 70% the sweetness of sugar and gives 20% of the calories per gram compared to table sugar. It’s the least offensive option as far as GI distress goes. You’ll find it in Halo Top ice cream, Enlightened ice cream, Elli Quark, Bai Beverages, Starbucks Refreshers. Sorbitol is about half as sweet as table sugar and has about half the calories. It’s commercially made from dextrose (glucose) produced from corn starch. You’ll find it in most toothpastes, sugar free gum, and candies.  Xylitol is about as sweet as table sugar, is absorbed slowly and has just over half the calories. It’s found naturally in woody fibrous plant materials like corn cobs. You’ll find it in nasal sprays, gums and candies.  Natural Sugar Alternatives Natural sugar alternatives are sweeteners that come from natural sources. This category could also include things like honey, dates and molasses but for the purposes of this article we’re covering the natural sweeteners that are lower calorie substitutes for sugar. Many of these lower calorie natural substitutes are, unfortunately, highly processed. These types of natural sweeteners are often mixed with sugar alcohols and/or other fillers and it is usually best to avoid. However, there are a few natural sugar substitutes that get a green light if used in small amounts.  Here’s the scoop on how to navigate this sweetener aisle: Stevia, derived from the Stevia rebaundiana plant of South America, is about 200-350 times sweeter than table sugar and has no calories. There are two compounds in the plant that give stevia its sweet taste: stevioside and rebaudioside. Whole leaf stevia products contain both sweet compounds while most processed forms of stevia just contain rebaudioside (Reb A) or a combination of Reb A and fillers. Studies on stevia are mixed—some high dose-studies indicate adverse effects, while other studies highlight health benefits such as lowered blood pressure and anti-inflammatory properties. If you choose stevia as a sugar alternative, go for the less processed forms such as Green Leaf Stevia (included in the list below!) Green Leaf Stevia, made from the whole stevia leaf,  is the least processed form of stevia and contains both stevioside and rebaudioside compounds. The leaves are often dried and ground into a powder. Though used in other countries, whole stevia leaves are not classified as GRAS by FDA. Due to the presence of the stevioside compound, they have a slightly bitter aftertaste. Stevia Leaf Extracts, often labeled as Reb A (which has GRAS status) are derived from the rebaudioside compound of the leaf. These extracts are available in powder or liquid form. Processed Stevia

What Is the Healthiest Sugar Substitute?

The best plan, of course, is to break up with sugar altogether. But for moments when you really, really just need a little sweetness, there are better options out there. Get the facts on natural sweeteners, from agave to stevia.

Stevia in Your Diet: Yay or Nay?

Do the green leaf and the word “natural” on the box of Stevia at the supermarket make you wonder if it should be on your shelf? Is it any better of a sugar substitute than aspartame or sucralose? Are you picking up a pack of gum, a bottle of tea or a container of soy sauce and wondering, “What’s the deal with stevia in the ingredient list?” If so, you’re not alone. Stevia is deemed GRAS (generally regarded as safe). It’s in the company of things like annatto, carrageenan and chlorine in our food supply. In other words, GRAS doesn’t necessarily mean much. Uber-reputable sources are giving it the nod. But, as someone skeptical of any kind of sweetener, I look at it very closely. Let’s break this down a bit. What is Stevia? Stevia is a natural sweetener and sugar substitute extracted from the leaves of a shrub called Stevia rebaudiana. Chemically speaking, the sweet components of the stevia leaf are called steviol glycosides, and the stevia leaf contains more than 40 of these glycosides. Stevia-based sweeteners you buy at the store (of which there are many) can contain one or several steviol glycosides. Depending on which ones are used, and what the stevia is mixed with (erythritol, inulin, maltodextrin, xylitol and monk fruit, to name a few), these sweeteners can be anywhere from 25 to 400 times sweeter than sugar! Despite this, stevia has zero calories and zero glycemic index. I know what you’re thinking: “Yippee! sweet deliciousness with no calories!” I hear you. We do know, however, that your taste buds taste the sweetness and even when no calories are linked to the bite in your mouth, hormones may still be stimulated. Your mouth tastes the sweetness in sweeteners and assumes that calories are supposed to follow. You’re supposed to get those calories in your belly and digestive hormones are then supposed to kick into place. When no calories come, your body sends signals to your brain, saying, “What’s the deal?!” It makes sense to me that there would be some confusion with what your brain thinks is going on and what actually happens in your stomach. This is where my relationship with stevia used to end. Keep reading. Pros and Cons of Stevia The Nutrition Action Healthletter, put out by CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) is a resource I often check out. They take the most important nutrition issues of the day and attack them from scientific, political and environmental angles to get to a succinct bottom line. They reviewed artificial sweeteners and reminded me that in the ‘90s, the FDA rejected stevia because of the “potential impact on blood sugar, sperm count, kidney function and cardiovascular systems.” But they did give it a safe rating. Why? Even though a couple studies (using extremely high doses) have linked stevia to changes in DNA, studies didn’t show an increased risk of cancer, fertility problems or offspring with disabilities. On the flip side, studies have shown that one of the sweet compounds in stevia may lower blood pressure. (Note: Large doses were used during these studies.) Other studies have linked stevia to a reduction in blood sugar and potential glycemic control in people with diabetes, while still other studies have shown stevia’s possible anti-inflammatory benefits. So, in other words, there are probably many worse things in our pantries than stevia. Bottom Line on Stevia Refined sugar has absolutely no nutritional value and may cause inflammation, cancer, diabetes and obesity. Yet, it is not realistic for most people to take sweets completely out of their diet. If you are someone who can control and maintain a very small amount of refined sugar in your diet, you may be fine with keeping it in. For others, stevia is an alternative. The takeaway is that you shouldn’t add it in because, “Oh, hey, it’s healthy.” Rather, it may work for your lifestyle as a better alternative to refined sugar and other artificial sweeteners because of its zero calories and zero glycemic index. In either case, you don’t want to be pouring packets into your mouth. Of course, the best way to consume stevia is by growing it and harvesting it from your garden (yeah, people are doing this), or you can order the leaves online. More Reading Exactly How Much Sugar Can I Eat in a Day? (Image: Shutterstock)