There are so many natural and artificial sweeteners now on the market, it’s more important than ever to know the risks — and benefits — of the product you use most often.
Important new development: In a recent report, the American Heart Association stated that a growing (though inconclusive) body of evidence suggests that consuming too much “added sugar” (sugars and syrups added to foods during processing or preparation) may increase blood pressure — which, in turn, raises the risk for heart disease. What’s more, diets high in added sugar can lead to weight gain (possibly resulting in diabetes) and elevated levels of blood fats known as triglycerides (a risk factor for heart disease) — and perhaps even increase risk for some cancers.
Best advice: To help prevent increased health risks, most women should limit their daily intake of added sugar to six teaspoons (about 25 g and 100 calories)… most men should limit intake to nine teaspoons (about 38 g and 150 calories). If you have an active lifestyle, you can consume up to an additional three to five teaspoons daily.
That’s still significantly less than the 22 teaspoons of added sugar that the average American consumes each day.
People with diabetes can include any type of sweetener in their diets as long as they count these carbohydrates (compounds broken down in the body to form energy-producing sugar, or glucose) as part of the total daily carbohydrate limit recommended by their doctor or registered dietitian. What you need to know about sweeteners…
White and brown sugars. White sugar is derived from sugarcane or beet sugar. Brown sugar is a combination of white sugar and molasses. Both white and brown sugars are refined (processed).
White sugar contains 16 calories per teaspoon… brown sugar, 17 calories per teaspoon. Using brown sugar in baked goods makes them moister than white sugar does and adds a hint of caramel flavor.
How safe? There’s no evidence that sugar leads to weight gain or an increased risk for cancer when consumed in modest amounts.
Honey. This sticky, unrefined sweetener is flower nectar that has been concentrated by bees. Honey is about 25% to 50% sweeter than sugar. Honey also has slightly more calories (21 calories per teaspoon) and carbohydrates than a similar amount of sugar. Honey contains trace amounts of minerals (such as potassium and calcium), but its nutritional value is not significantly different from that of table sugar.
How safe? Honey should never be given to babies under one year of age — it could contain bacterial spores that may produce a toxin that causes infant botulism, a serious form of food poisoning. Honey’s stickiness also may promote cavities — especially in young children.
Molasses. This syrupy liquid is created from the juice of sugarcane and beet sugar during the refining process. The type of molasses is determined by the degree of boiling that occurs — light molasses, which is typically light in color, is derived from the first boiling… dark molasses, which is darker and thicker, comes from the second boiling… and blackstrap molasses, which is quite thick and dark, comes from the third boiling.
How safe? Dark and blackstrap molasses are rich sources of disease-fighting antioxidants. Blackstrap molasses is a good source of iron.
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS). This processed sweetener, derived from cornstarch, is found in many processed foods and sweetened beverages.
How safe? Research has shown mixed results. Several studies have linked the trend toward increased intake of HFCS-containing beverages to increased rates of obesity in the US, but this association may have more to do with the increased consumption — both in frequency and portion size — of high-calorie sweetened drinks than with the form of sugar that they contain. By avoiding these beverages and limiting intake of processed foods, Americans can substantially cut their overall sugar and calorie consumption.
Although reports have been circulated that some of these sweeteners can lead to serious health problems, such as lupus and even Alzheimer’s disease, there is no credible scientific evidence to support those claims.
Low- or no-calorie sweeteners can help people avoid the calories and dental cavity risk that come with traditional sweeteners. Because these sweeteners have no effect on blood sugar, they can all be used by people with diabetes. In addition to tabletop use, many of these sweeteners can be used in cooking and baking — check the product label for instructions.
Aspartame. This artificial sweetener is made by combining two amino acids — aspartic acid and phenylalanine (one of the protein building blocks used to make the sweetener). Sold in a light blue packet as NutraSweet or Equal, the white crystalline powder has no calories and is about 200 times sweeter than white or brown sugar.
How safe? People with phenylketonuria, a rare genetic disorder, need to avoid aspartame completely — the condition makes it difficult to metabolize phenylalanine. Although animal studies have linked aspartame to cancer, human research conducted by the National Cancer Institute showed no such association. Some people get such symptoms as headaches and/or dizziness when they use too much aspartame.
Saccharin. The oldest of the artificial sweeteners, saccharin is found in a pink packet and sold as Sweet’N Low. It is 200 to 700 times sweeter than sugar. Saccharin has less than four calories per packet.
How safe? Since there’s some evidence that saccharin can cross the placenta, some (but not all) experts advise women to limit the use of saccharin during pregnancy. Despite concerns about saccharin causing bladder cancer in male rats, many human studies have shown no link to cancer risk. Still, the watchdog group Center for Science in the Public Interest believes more research is needed and recommends against its use.
Stevia. Extracted from the leaves of a South American shrub, stevia (sold as PureVia and Truvia) has zero calories per packet and is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. In late 2008, the FDA allowed manufacturers to use some versions of stevia in foods and beverages.
How safe? Concerns have been raised as a result of some studies in rats linking stevia with DNA damage and genetic mutations, changes that can lead to cancer. However, US and international expert panels that reviewed a wide range of studies concluded that stevia is safe.
Stevia has been used safely in Japan for decades and in South America for centuries. But people in these regions tend to consume a much smaller quantity of sweetener than Americans do, so it’s unclear whether larger amounts might be a health hazard.
Sucralose. Known as Splenda and sold in a yellow packet, it contains four calories per packet and tastes about 600 times sweeter than white or brown sugar.
If you substitute sucralose for sugar in baked goods, it will not produce the same texture or brown in the same way, so it’s best to substitute sucralose for only half the sugar in many baking recipes. (Check the label.)
How safe? Sucralose has been well studied, and there’s no evidence that it raises risk for cancer or any other disease.
I try to limit my use of added sweeteners. But I do use white and brown sugars, honey and molasses in small amounts based on what tastes best in the food I am preparing. If I want to reduce the sugar in a recipe, I usually substitute sucralose for some of the sugar.
