How Sweet It Is!
by Dana Denis, MSPH., RD (topic expert: nutrition)

It is natural for us to have an affinity toward sweetness. It can be shown as early as infancy with babies drinking breast milk, then progressing on into likes of fruits and juices and then leading up to decadent chocolate truffles and crème brûlée.

So, are sugars good for us? In addition to providing the sweet taste, sugars also have many other purposes. They function as a preservative, add color to our food when heated, help stabilize and add texture to foods and finally, they balance the acid in foods.

But, when the amount of added sugars in our diet becomes too high it can affect the quality of our diet by reducing the amount of nutrients. How much is too much? The Institute of Medicine indicates that when added sugars are greater than 25% of total energy (calories), the quality of the diet will suffer.

In this era of increased prevalence of obesity, the sugar substitutes provide an alternative that can help with weight loss, reduce dental cavities, and provide diabetics a sweet alternative while monitoring blood sugar. They are all safe when used in the acceptable ranges, which are well above typical consumption patterns in the US.

There are five "sugar-substitutes" also referred to as "non-nutritive sweeteners" approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They are saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame-K, sucralose and neotame. All have undergone great scrutiny and safety testing prior to their approval by the FDA. The United States is only one of many governing bodies throughout the world that have evaluated and approved these sweeteners for use. Each sweetener has a determined Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI). Consumption data in the United States has been analyzed and all non-nutritive sweeteners fall far below the ADI.

For example, the ADI for aspartame is 50 mg/kg body weight/day (this is equivalent to 3500 mg per day for a person weighing 70kg or 154 pounds). A 12 oz. diet soda contains approximately 225 mg aspartame, a blue packet contains 35-40 mg, there are 80 mg in an 8 oz. yogurt, and up to 47 mg in a frozen dairy dessert. You would have to drink in excess of 15 sodas or use 93 packets a day to add up to 3500 mg aspartame! (excluding other sources).

Non-nutritive Sweeteners

Saccharin - the pink packet has been around the longest. Previously saccharin had to display a cancer warning label due to some poorly controlled animal studies. It has since been determined to be non-carcinogenic and is safe to use as a sugar substitute. Saccharin does cross the placenta and remain in fetal tissue and its potential effect is unclear. Although it is considered safe, if you are pregnant and concerned there are always other options, read on.

There has been a great deal of debate and research on aspartame - the blue packet. Aspartame is composed of 2 amino acids - aspartic acid and phenylalanine (amino acids are the building blocks of protein in the diet). There is a rare genetic disorder called phenylketonura (PKU) and these individuals cannot metabolize phenylalanine and therefore should not consume products with aspartame. This is why there is a warning label on all products with aspartame alerting phenylketonurics.

Other claims against aspartame are from individuals who experience neurological symptoms with aspartame intake, such as headache and dizziness; while others have claimed an allergic type reaction. Research has not been able to support these claims, even in those individuals who claimed to be sensitive to aspartame. It is also worth noting that many foods typical in our diet contain much higher levels of both aspartic acid and phenylalanine than you would find in a diet soda; examples are some fruits and vegetables, meats and milk. However, if you feel you are sensitive to aspartame, then there are other choices out there for you.

Acesulfame-K passes through the body practically unchanged. There are no known adverse effects. This sweetener is often used by manufacturers in combination with other sweeteners.

Sucralose (Spenda) - the new yellow packet - is a sugar derivative; however, it has been modified and is not well absorbed by the body, and therefore does not provide additional calories. You can buy sucralose in a granular form, rather than the powder form found in the packets. With the granular form you can substitute cup per cup with sugar which makes it great to use in cooking and baking.

Neotame is the newest of the non-nutritive sweeteners. It also contains the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine; however, they are in a form that is only partially absorbed and are not a problem for those with PKU.

There is another group of sweeteners that provide calories; however in smaller amounts than sugars because they are not absorbed well by the body. Because of this they can be labeled as sugar-free. They are called sugar alcohols and can be found in chewing gum and other manufactured products. To find them on your food label look for sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, tagatose, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, trehalose and hydrolyzed starch hydrolysates (HSH). They also may have some benefits such as the reduction of dental cavities. Excessive amounts of these sweeteners can lead to diarrhea due to their incomplete absorption by the body.

So, is it better to go with a sugar substitute or just stick with traditional sugars? Of course it depends on the individual and their personal needs.

Sugars can add flavor and pleasure to our diet in the appropriate proportions. However, many people must restrict their intake of sugar due to medical conditions like diabetes and high triglyceride levels. Others may be trying to lose excess weight or just do not want the excess calories a soda offers. Sugar substitutes can provide these individuals an alternative method of sweetening their food.

With so many choices available, you can find the sweetener that fits your lifestyle, health status and keep a little sweetness in your day!

References: 1. American Dietetic Association. Position of the American Dietetic Association: Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweeteners. J Am Diet Assoc. 2004; 104:255-275. 2. Meerschaert CM. Sweet Tooths & Sugar Substitiutes. Today's Dietitian. 2006; 8 (5):34-38. 3. Neotame. A scientific Overview. Available at: www.neotame.com/pdf/neotame_science_brochure_US.pdf

References:

1. American Dietetic Association. Position of the American Dietetic Association: Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweeteners. J Am Diet Assoc. 2004; 104:255-275.
2. Meerschaert CM. Sweet Tooths & Sugar Substitiutes. Today's Dietitian. 2006; 8 (5):34-38.
3. Neotame. A scientific Overview. Available at: www.neotame.com/pdf/neotame_science_brochure_US.pdf