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

Diets Decoded: The Anti-Candida Diet

Yeast infections are high on the list of “things no one wants,” right behind food allergies and just ahead of texts from your ex. That’s why many women turn to an “anti-candida diet.” The thought is that they’ll reduce their risk of yeast infections by reducing the types of food that yeast (or “candida”) feed on. Sounds logical, but is it legit ? And is the Candida Diet healthy? Read on to find out what the Candida Diet is, how it can play a role in yeast infections, what you eat and don’t eat, and more. What Is the Candida Diet? Candida is fungus that is usually harmless. It’s a type of yeast that lives in your body and even helps your gut with digestion. But when it comes to candida, the more is definitely not the merrier. “Yeast can hang out and patiently wait for the environment to become more hospitable so it can multiply and thrive,” says Dr. Anna Cabeca, DO, a triple board-certified osteopathic physician and author of best-selling books “The Hormone Fix,” a holistic lifestyle program for menopausal woman, and “Keto-Green 16,” a nutritional plan for staying healthy and slim for all ages. That’s when it becomes a fungal infection called candidiasis. You can get this infection just about anywhere on your body, but the down-there version is more commonly called a yeast infection. RELATED: The Best Period Underwear for Every Type of Flow Yeast infection symptoms For the few lucky women who haven’t had one yet (they’re super common), yeast infection symptoms include:  Discomfort during urination or during sex  Thick white discharge Vaginal itching or soreness If you have a candida infection in your intestines, you may feel tired and experience symptoms that often go along with inflammatory bowel conditions, such as bloating, nausea and diarrhea. If you suspect that you have a yeast infection anywhere in your body, visit a healthcare pro pronto. Does diet play a role in yeast infections? Diet, especially a poor one, can encourage yeast to overpopulate. “Processed carbs, sugar and alcohol allow yeast to thrive,” Dr. Cabeca says. The cleaner your diet, the better balance of organisms like yeast you’ll have throughout your body, which is why the Candida Diet was developed.  Lisa Richards, CNC, and Eric Wood, ND, created the Candida Diet to basically starve candida and prevent it from spreading. What You Eat There are five different phases of the diet. It typically starts out with a cleanse, in which you only eat organic vegetables for close to a week. The first phase of the cleanse involves sipping on a warm vegetable broth, made of just organic kale, celery, garlic, onions and salt for about two days, explains Robin Barrie Kaiden, a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer. Then, you move on to the second phase, in which you eat only steamed, organic, fresh vegetables and drink a minimum of 72 ounces of water a day. “Once a day, you can have a leafy, green salad with coconut oil, apple cider vinegar or lemon,” Kaiden says. But you need to eliminate all sugar, alcohol, starches (including starchy vegetables such as carrots, beets and potatoes), and fruit for 3-5 days of the cleanse. The third phase is a push to eat more protein, Kaiden says. This includes organic animal proteins, plus gluten-free whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice and millet. Vegetables are important too, especially broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus. The fourth stage introduces more probiotics and fermented foods (sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir) to boost gut health. A probiotic supplement will be key in eliminating yeast, too—Kaiden recommends one per day with at least 50 billion units of probiotics. There are also foods with anti-fungal properties—such as garlic, ginger, coconut oil and cinnamon—that the diet encourages you to keep piling on your plate. What You Don’t Eat Here’s where it gets a little intense. The most basic restriction is around sugar. Yeast feeds on sugar, so any added sugar or foods that break down into sugar are off-limits. That includes most packaged foods, sweets, alcohol, all grains (even the gluten-free ones), starchy vegetables, high-sugar fruits, most dairy products, and legumes. Some experts even recommend ditching fermented foods and mushrooms until the candida is under control. If this diet sounds restrictive and intense, that’s because it is. You drink only liquids for two days. You limit dairy, flour, grains and even starchy vegetables like beets and sweet potatoes (some Nutritious Life favorites!). That’s a lot of sacrifice for a diet that hasn’t been proven to be effective.  To be fair, a recent study of people with chronic candida overgrowth found that those who switched to a candida-fighting diet, in addition to taking anti-fungal medication (instead of only taking the drugs), were cured more quickly. And limiting sugar and processed foods is pretty much always a good thing. But if you’re going to switch up your diet in the name of fighting yeast infections, please skip the cleanse phase. It’s extreme, and your body is very good at cleansing itself, thankyouverymuch. This modified meal plan, courtesy of Kaiden, is a bit more balanced:  Breakfast: Omelet with sautéed spinach, onions, and garlic. Season with turmeric and salt and pepper to taste. Lunch: Large salad made with kale, cabbage, roasted cauliflower, ¼ avocado, sauerkraut, and topped with organic grilled chicken. Dressing: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, tahini, salt and pepper to taste. Snack: Bone broth vegetable soup or plain kefir yogurt topped with chia and flaxseeds. Dinner: Baked wild salmon, grilled asparagus (cooked with sautéed garlic), and brown rice. Pros and Cons The most obvious benefit to the Candida Diet is cutting sugar. More evidence is showing how bad sugar is for your body, so anything that helps you eat less of it is a good thing. And we all know eating lots of vegetables and high-quality protein is a good idea. But the evidence that any of this will help you rid your body of yeast (or that you even have a