Types of Artificial Sweetener
Nothing finishes a delicious meal like a sweet dessert. We have become a society that certainly enjoys sweet foods. Natural sweeteners, such as honey and agave nectar, are healthier choices than refined white sugar and corn syrup. But, these are high in calories. For those individuals who need to avoid excess calories and sugar intake, such as those who battle obesity or diabetes, artificial sweeteners have become a welcome sugar alternative.
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Artificial Sweeteners
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Artificial sweeteners are generally considered to be sugar substitutes that are synthesized compounds and not naturally occurring substances. Artificial sweeteners give foods a sweet taste, yet they have little or no food energy. Generally, individuals with difficulty regulating blood sugar levels (as with diabetes and hypoglycemia) can use artificial sweeteners with no problem. As an added bonus, these sweeteners do not have the detrimental effect on teeth that sugar does, since they are not fermented by the microflora of dental plaque. And, artificial sweeteners are often less expensive than sugar. However, sugar substitutes may not all be a "sweet deal." Controversy as to possible health risks with long-term usage continues to be an issue. As research is ongoing, it may be best to limit the consumption of artificial sweeteners when possible.
Aspartame
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Aspartame was discovered in 1965 and is derived from aspartic acid and phenylalanine, which are amino acids. As is true of many artificial sweeteners, only a small amount is needed to sweeten foods, aspartame being about 200 times sweeter than the taste of sugar. While good for sweetening beverages and desserts, aspartame cannot be used for cooking. Brand names include Equal and NutraSweet.
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Acesulfame Potassium
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Often combined with other sweeteners, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame K) is found under the product names Sonett and Sweet One. It can be used in cooking and baking and has a very long shelf life.
Saccharin
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Saccharin was first synthesized long ago, in 1879, and is found in many diet foods and drinks as well as products such as toothpaste. Boasting a taste 300 to 500 times greater than an equivalent amount of sugar, saccharin has a bitter aftertaste, so it is often blended with other sweeteners. Regarding its safety, the FDA has approved it in the United States, but its use is restricted in some countries and completely banned in others, such as Canada. Saccharin can be purchased as Sweet 'N Low and Sugar Twin.
Sucralose
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You've seen it on the store shelves as yellow Splenda packets. Sucralose is a whopping 600 times sweeter than sugar and can be used as a sugar substitute in cooking, baking, and frying foods. It is found in desserts, beverages and even chewing gum. Those who raise a safety concern for the product Splenda note that sucralose is a chlorinated sugar, prepared with either sucrose or raffinose as base sugars. Three oxygen-hydrogen groups in the sugar molecule are replaced by three chlorine atoms. This process causes it to belong to "organochlorides," a class of chemicals of which some types are known to cause cancer. However, the way our body digests it appears to reduce any risk of toxicity, if there is any.
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