Which Super Sweetener is Safe?

With modern chemistry and American entrepreneurship there exists many different artificial sweeteners which are 100’s of times sweeter than sugar; Sucralose, Aspartame, Acesulfame Potassium, Cyclamate, Neotame and Saccharin. For their respective manufacturers, they all cost considerably less than sugar to process and deliver much more “sweetness” to your palette. But can artificial sweeteners whose origin is in a chemist's lab actually be safe to eat? How are these artificial compounds processed in your body? These "Frankenstein Sweeteners" are so embedded in America's diet that it would be hard not to find traces of them in just about everything from cereal to toothpaste. The FDA has approved use of these sweeteners in over 9000 items different products, including children's vitamins and over the counter remedies.

As a consumer and a parent the question is; “which sweetener is safe to feed my family?” Should you surrender to the proliferation of these super sweet synthetic additives or find more natural alternatives? Are there sweeteners which are made only from natural ingredients? If they’re not available at my local supermarket, where can I buy them?

Sucrose, Scroluse, Stevia or Sugar?

They may sound similar, though the differences between them are significant. In fact, the synthetic sweeteners have been marketed so that they have wholesome sounding brand names. While most of the all natural sweeteners have rudimentary and sometimes scientific sounding names. The differences between the two groups are vast. However, the undisputed facts about the potential side-effects of artificial sweeteners are well-documented, though may be hard to find:

• Sucralose (Splenda™), is a chlorinated sugar; chlorocarbon is toxic to plants and animals. It’s undisputed: Chlorine is a carcinogen. Also, a study shows that Suralose reduces the amount of good bacteria in the intestines by 50%, increases the pH level in the intestines and contributes to increases in body weight.


• Aspartame (NutriSweet™) ingestion results in the production of methanol, formaldehyde and formate--substances that could be considered toxic at high doses. Aspartame is made of 50% phenylalanine and 40% aspartic acid bound by 10% methanol. Upwards of 80% of food additive complaints to the FDA concern aspartame.


• Andrew Laumbach, Ph.D., consumer safety officer in FDA's Office of Premarket Approval states that regarding Saccharin (Sweet n' Low™), "We know for certain that it causes cancer in animals". Besides its bitter aftertaste, saccharin has a bitter-sweet history of ill-effects on humans and lab rats alike.

There are many more case studies that exist that have not been cited in this article. They include reports from European countries, Japan and others which conclude potential side-effects of ingesting these synthetic sweeteners.

Natural Sweeteners: the sweet alternative that's really made from sugar!

Why consume anything other than what nature provides us with? Naturally occurring sugar (Sucrose) can be found in many different forms and comes from many diverse sources. There are many natural alternative sweeteners which offer added nutritional and health benefits. They are widely available in health food stores and are becoming more common in supermarkets.

• Stevia – Sweetener derived from the stevia herb from South America. It is beneficial to support healthy intestinal bacteria (flora) and it’s very sweet! It is ideal for diabetics as it stimulates the release of insulin and normalizes the response to glucose, particularly in type 2 diabetes. It’s also used as a therapeutic remedy for hyperglycemia.


• Xylitol – Also known as birch sugar, Xylitol is low-glysemic and doesn’t cause blood sugar imbalances or yeast overgrowth. Diabetics: It’s absorbed more slowly than sugar, it doesn’t contribute to high blood sugar levels. Osteoporosis: Finnish researchers found that it tends to promote bone health and prevents tooth decay and plaque buildup. NOTE: There are few U.S. producers of real “birch sugar”, avoid buying cheaper brands which are manufactured abroad. The imported brands tend to have less of beneficial ingredients.


• Agave Syrup – Produced from the Mexican agave plant, it is sweetener than honey with a milder taste. Its flavor resembles maple syrup, though it’s considerably sweeter. Agave syrup is notable in that its glycemic index and glycemic load are lower than many other natural sweeteners on the market.


• Honey – An all time favorite in recipes, including hot and cold drinks. Low-glycemic though high in carbohydrates, honey is Mother Nature’s special sweet treat.


• Maple Syrup – Another simply wonderful tasty treat born from the sap of Maple trees. It’s versatile, and added to desserts, pancakes and grandma’s secret recipes.


• FruitSource™ – Relatively new to the marketplace, it replaces both fat and sugar in baking. Made from a blend of grapes and rice, it can be used for both hot and cold beverages and in cooking.

There is no need to resort to artificial sweeteners when there are so many more healthy alternatives on the market. Whether you are diabetic, sugar alcohol intolerant, bariatric patient or naturalist: always choose natural ingredients (without artificial additives) for your family. Natural and Health Food stores that sell organic products generally have a broad understanding of all the Natural Sweetener products they sell. Mother Earth Storehouses in the Hudson Valley (www.MotherEarthStorehouse.com) is one of the areas’ oldest with a knowledgeable staff that is well-versed on the latest in sugar substitute. news.