Dear Readers,
This is the second part in a two part series on sugar substitutes. Last week we explored the artificial sugar substitutes and data on their safety that is not widely publicized. This week we’ll look more closely at the more natural sugar substitutes.
To recap, last week we looked at saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose. There is abundant data to demonstrate health concerns, especially regarding a deleterious effect on the gut microbiome, which in turn impacts the way the body processes sugar. These changes can increase glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and obesity - the very things these sweeteners are marketed to help with! There is also data demonstrating that they cause impaired neurological function - or brain damage - and may not be safe to consume when pregnant. You can read the full column and source material here.
As discussed last week, there are a number of reasons to limit real sugar. Dr Robert Lustig, an American pediatric endocrinologist and professor emeritus of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco, talks about sugar in the same context as controlled drugs. “Cocaine and heroin are deadly because they are addictive and toxic – and so is sugar… We need to wean ourselves off. We need to de-sweeten our lives. We need to make sugar a treat, not a diet staple.” (source)
So reducing our reliance on sweet foods is important for good health. If you find yourself addicted to sugar, you can absolutely retrain your taste buds to enjoy other tastes instead. But it does take time and nutrition education. Contact me if you want help with this!
But when we want an occasional sweet treat, a healthy alternative to sugar is helpful, and ensuring it’s low glycemic helps us avoid the blood sugar reaction that perpetuates sugar cravings and addiction. So this week let’s look at the various natural sweeteners more closely to discern if any are superior as a replacement.
Honey
Unless honey is heated (pasteurized) it’s not processed and contains enzymes, probiotics and prebiotics, as well as a robust array of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and nutrients we are only starting to understand. It does not feed candida albicans and it promotes good bacteria in the gut. In one study published in 2000, it increased the number of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus plantarum bacteria by 10-100 times that of sucrose from table sugar. Table sugar is broken down by our enzymes, while honey is broken down by its own enzymes, so it’s easier on the digestive system all around. For this reason a lot of people think it’s healthier than sugar in recipes, however neither probiotics nor enzymes withstand heat. Vitamins are damaged by it, also.
A teaspoon (21g) of honey has about 64 calories and 17g of carbohydrates, while the same amount of table sugar has 80 calories and 12.6g carbohydrates. Its glycemic index is higher than that of some of the sweeteners below (50 compared to table sugar’s 60), so it’s not considered low glycemic. It has a significant impact on blood sugar and, as such, I don’t recommend it except on rare occasions as a raw treat.
Babies less than a year old should never eat raw honey, as it can cause botulism - food poisoning that can be fatal. After that age it is generally regarded as safe by food monitoring agencies (GRAS).
Maple Syrup
This sticky, amber coloured, liquid is a boiled down extract of the sap of the maple tree. It’s high in minerals, especially manganese and contains 24 different antioxidants. Dark, grade B syrup is considered the most nutritious. But remember vitamins are damaged during the heating process. As such, and given its glycemic index of 54, it’s not an optimal choice. It’s not low carb or safe for diabetics. I don’t recommend it.
Agave
Agave nectar is a sweet syrup extracted from the desert agave plant of South America, which is most commonly known for making tequila. The plant is cut to harvest the heart which is then boiled and strained to create a sweet syrup. It has a glycemic index of 15, so it has less impact on blood sugar and insulin. However, the processing destroys any enzymes and vitamins. While it’s marketed as healthy, most of the sweetness of the syrup comes from fructose (85%), which is known to be extremely damaging to health - perhaps far more than glucose (sugar)! This is because the only way the body can process fructose is via the liver and it puts an incredible burden on the liver when overconsumed. Excess fructose contributes to a host of health problems. Coupled with the fact that purity can be a problem for products labeled as agave nectar (cutting with corn syrup), it really isn’t a healthy sugar substitute.
Monk fruit
Monk fruit (luo han guo) sweetener comes from a gourd grown in Southeast Asia. It was first harvested by Monks, and thus the name. The sweetener is taken from an extract of the fruit that is then dried. It’s 150-200x sweeter than sugar and contains zero calories. To boot, it does not impact blood sugar, and is safe for diabetics, with a GI of 0. It’s a completely natural product that’s been used in China for hundreds of years. You can get it in liquid, powder, or granule forms.
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