Sugar is sweet and sweetness is irresistible. However, too much sugar intake can cause a lot of health problems in the human body. These problems include obesity and diabetes. That is why there are a lot of sugar-free products and healthier sugar substitutes available in the worldwide market.
However, not all sugar substitutes are good alternatives for sugar. In fact, some are even more harmful than the original sugar. But, there are also sugar substitutes that are good, safe to consume and even healthier. Here is a review of five sugar substitutes that you might haven’t heard of until now.
Stevia
Stevia is a plant that is originated in Peru and Brazil. It is also a famous herb in South Africa that had been used by locals for hundreds and hundreds of years. It is marketed under the brands Sweet Leaf and Truvia. It is said to be sweeter than sugar. It has very minimal or even no chemical additives so it is one of the safest sugar substitutes.
Stevia has no calorie value and has no effect glucose levels since the body cannot assimilate this type of sugar substitute. It also has good effects on body energy conversion. It is perfect for people with diabetes. This natural sweetener is marketed as a safe everyday sweetener.
Xylitol
If you are looking for another safe sugar, use Xylitol as a sugar substitute. Xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol that has five carbons. It can be found in fruit and vegetable substances. It has the same level of sweetness as that of sugar. The only difference is that it has a lower caloric value.
Xylitol has many health benefits. It helps strengthen the immune system to fight off diseases. It builds up the protection the body needs against chronic diseases. It is also said to be a good anti-aging stimulant. Dentists also use this to help balance the acid levels in the mouth of their patients.
However, there had been cases of side effects caused by the usage of Xylitol. There are times that users experience gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea. Some reported that they had flatulence and nausea when they consumed Xylitol. However, according to the reports, these cases are very minimal compared to many satisfied users. These side effects are only mild ones.
Nowadays, Xylitol is used as an ingredient in many products. These products include gums and toothpaste. It may not have been popular as a baked good but its wonderful health benefits will surely get him to the top list of sugar alternatives.
Sucralose
You may not have heard of Sucralose but you may have heard of the brand name Splenda. It is an artificial sugar wherein three chlorine atoms are replaced by three hydrogen-oxygen of a sugar molecule in its molecular structure. It is said to be 600 times sweeter than the regular sugar.
However, several cases were reported of Sucralose minor side effects on consumers. Users claimed to have experience blurring of vision. Several reported to have high blood pressure when using Sucralose. Water retention is also one of the reported side effects along with other allergic reactions. It is even said to cause type 2 diabetes and obesity. However, there is still no study that has been conducted to prove that whether it is safe or not.
Even though there is still no thorough research about Sucralose, it is still found as an ingredient in many everyday items. Products like gum, coffee, tea, condiments, sauces, candy, snacks, baking ingredients, cheese and more have Sucralose in them. It is one of the most common sugar substitutes because it functions similarly to sugar and can last for a long period of time.
Saccharin
If Sucralose had not been thoroughly researched, Saccharin is the exact opposite. Saccharin has been researched and studied as early as the late 1800s. The said sugar substitute is more known for its brand names Sweet and Low, Sweet Twin and Necta Sweet. It has zero calories but sweeter than sugar. It is the oldest running sugar substitute.
A very famous study in 1977 ruined Saccharin’s good image. When researchers tried to put the said sugar substitutes on lab rats, several of them are diagnosed with bladder cancer. This study caused many people and manufacturers to stop buying Saccharin and replacing it with other alternatives.
But recent studies had shown that Saccharin is safer than any of the sugar substitutes that are used today like Aspartame. That is why Saccharin is gaining fame again among product manufactures. People can now find this sugar substitute in ice cream, toothpaste, candy, food, and beverages.
These four sugar substitutes are only some of the many unfamiliar sugar alternatives available in the market. There are some that are safe and do not have bad effects on the body. There are also some that can cause diseases and can even cause life-threatening side effects. So when you go and buy sugar substitutes or products that have sugar substitutes in their content, make sure to check out if they are one of the safe ones or one of the dangerous ones.
