Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Which Is Better For Diabetics Stevia Or Splenda

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No Sugar How To Break Your Habit

Splenda Vs. Stevia: Which Sugar Substitute Is Better for Glucose Control?

No sugar or sugar substitute is healthy in excess.

Thats true whether its in soda, sweet tea, fruit drinks, packs of sugar or sugar substitute for coffee or tea, or artificially sweetened flavor packets for water, Taylor says. Drink plain water! At the very least, drink unflavored tea, coffee, bubbly water or water with fruit infused in it.

How can you break your habit? Use a true measuring spoon to gauge how much added sugar youre using daily.

Challenge yourself your foods and beverages dont always need to taste sweet, Taylor notes.

Try decreasing the sweetener in your coffee or tea by 1 teaspoon per week and start diluting juices by mixing half your usual portion with water to retain some of the sweetness. While at the grocery store, start a habit of reading labels. Much of the sugar in the American diet is found in processed and sweetened pre-made food and beverages.

That way, you wont have to quit cold turkey.

Our goal isnt to get added sugar intake down to zero because that isnt realistic, Taylor says. Americans need to work hard to drastically reduce sugar intake to support healthy weights and decrease our risk for chronic conditions like cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Stevia Or Splenda: Which Is The Best Option For Healthy Sweetness

Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.

The downsides to excess sugar consumption are well-known. The problem, of course, is that sugar tastes really good to us and is a common ingredient in almost everything. Hence the development of artificial sweeteners: products meant to deliver the tasty experience of sugar without the caloric implications. Substitutes like Splenda and Stevia market themselves as being zero-calorie alternatives to sugar and tout their lack of health risks. Knowing whether this is actually true, and which of the two is the better option for your health, requires a bit of exploration.

Natural Sugar: Raw Honey Maple Syrup Agave Nectar Raw Sugar

The good news is that natural sweeteners provide a few more nutrients than table sugar. The bad news? Theyre all still forms of sugar and are high in calories, so use no more than 1 to 2 teaspoons per day, Taylor says.

Raw honey and pure maple syrup both contain antioxidants and have prebiotic oligosaccharides that help feed gut flora. Raw honey has an added benefit of vitamins E and C as well as minerals. Note: Honey should not be given to infants because it may contain botulism bacteria spores, a serious health hazard for babies.

When hitting the grocery store, read all food labels for hidden ingredients because commercial maple syrup brands often contain high-fructose corn syrup. High-fructose diets are linked to long-term metabolic complications like insulin resistance, belly fat accumulation and high triglyceride levels. When in doubt, stick primarily with pure maple syrup.

Agave nectar provides fewer nutrients than raw honey or pure maple syrup. It should not be given to infants because it is not pasteurized.

Agave nectar has the same number of carbohydrates and calories as table sugar, but you get a lot of flavor from a small amount, Taylor says. Since agave nectar has a slightly lower glycemic index but still contains sugar, it will still raise your blood sugar.

Bottom line, when it comes to your waistline, weight and blood sugars, all natural sweeteners behave like sugar.

Recommended Reading: Sugar Free Food List For Diabetics

With Artificial Sweeteners Sometimes Being A Subject Of Controversy Should You Try Either Were About To Compare The Pros And Cons Of Splenda And Stevia

1) Splenda is not the name of the artificial sweetener in question. Its a brand, the one best known for containing the actual artificial sweetening agent, called SUCRALOSE.

2) Sucralose actually starts as sugar. But through a manufacturing process, three chlorine atoms are replaced by a hydrogen-oxygen group of atoms. This creates a sweetening product with zero calories, but one thats about 600 times sweeter than table sugar!

3) Sucralose products contain zero calories per packet and come in under 1 gram of carbohydrates.

4) Research has shown that artificial sweeteners can still trick the human body into releasing insulin, even when its not needed. This process is known as CEPHALIC PHASE INSULIN RELEASE.

5) A possible risk of over-consuming extra-sweet sugar substitutes, like Sucralose, is that, just like with real sugar, it can re-wire your brain to crave high levels of sweetness.

6) Stevia isnt artificial, its actually derived from a plant. The Stevia leaf can be about 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar, so, just like Splenda, you wont need much to get a large helping of sweetness.

7) The nutrition of Stevia is similar to Sucralose. It has an insignificant amount of calories or carbohydrates, but the amounts may vary depending on which specific Stevia product you use.

8) Stevia can also make you feel full for longer, and it may help to lower your bad cholesterol levels while raising the good.

Should People With Diabetes Use Splenda

SPLENDA® Naturals Stevia Sweetener, Granulated

Evidence from many studies suggests that consuming artificial sweetenerssucralose includeddoes not affect blood sugar levels. These studies show that sucralose should be safer than sugar for people with diabetes.

However, there is evidence that drinking diet sodas increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity, along with high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and other symptoms of metabolic syndrome that could ultimately lead to diabetes.

In one study, individuals in a group each added 15 milligrams of Splendaabout one packetper day to the food or beverage of their choice. After 14 days, those who ate Splenda had higher insulin resistance than people in another group who were not given Splenda at all.

If you have insulin resistance, it is more difficult for your body to take glucose from your bloodstream and convert it into energy. This leads to high blood sugar that, if untreated, could eventually lead to type 2 diabetes.

Researchers stress that more studies are needed to identify the health effects that consuming sucralose over the long term could have.

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Stevia A Natural Sweetener Option

Steviol glycosides are sweeteners derived from the leaf of the stevia plant, which is native to Central and South America. Truvia and Pure Via, both brands of stevia-based sweetener, are calorie-free, and stevia is often used as a sweetener in foods and beverages. According to the 2019 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes, published in January 2019 in Diabetes Care, nonnutritive sweeteners, including stevia, have little to no impact on blood sugar. The FDA has approved the use of certain stevia extracts, which it has generally recognized as safe .

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center notes that people have reported side effects, like gastrointestinal symptoms, after eating high amounts of stevia. But to date, there is no solid scientific research to prove these claims.

The FDA recommends an ADI of 4 mg or less of Truvia per kilogram of body weight per day. A 132-lb individual would need to consume nine tabletop packets of the artificial sweetener per day to reach that limit.

Erythritol A Sugar Alcohol With Fewer Side Effects Than Other Options

Erythritol is also a sugar alcohol sweetener, but unlike the others just mentioned, it has less than 1 calorie per gram, notes the International Food Information Council Foundation, and doesnt have a big effect on blood sugar levels, per the American Diabetes Association. Its an ingredient in the stevia-derived sweetener Truvia and is marketed under the brand-name Swerve. Swerve measures cup-for-cup like sugar, and you can use it like table sugar, or in cooking and baking recipes that call for sugar.

If other sugar alcohol sweeteners give you tummy trouble, this may be a better option for you. It is less likely to produce the gas, bloating, and diarrhea that happen from fermentation by gut bacteria because only about 10 percent of the erythritol you consume enters the colon, per past research. The rest leaves the body through your urine.

Theres no ADI for erythritol, but the FDA hasn’t questioned notices submitted by erythritol makers that the sweetener is generally recognized as safe.

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Allulose A New Artificial Sweetener Thats No Longer Considered An Added Sugar

Allulose is an extremely low-calorie sweetener that occurs naturally in small amounts in wheat, raisins, dried figs, brown sugar, and molasses, according to the FDA. Marketed under the brand name Dolcia Prima , it has 90 percent fewer calories than sucrose, while being 70 percent as sweet.

You can find Dolcia Prima in Magic Spoon Cereal, which is sold online and expect to see it soon in beverages, desserts, candy, yogurt, and other treats. Thats because allulose got a big boost from the FDA in April 2019, when the agency declared it can be excluded from the total and added sugars listed on nutrition labels going forward.

The latest data suggests that allulose is different from other sugars in that it is not metabolized by the human body in the same way as table sugar, says Susan Mayne, PhD, director of FDAs Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. It has fewer calories, produces only negligible increases in blood glucose or insulin levels, and does not promote dental decay.

Under the revised guidance, manufacturers can use a caloric value of 0.4 calories per gram to calculate the total number of calories per serving of allulose, instead of the previous 4 calories per gram. The sweetener still must be included in the total carbohydrates listed, though. While allulose isnt on the list of FDA-approved sweeteners, the agency hasnt questioned notices submitted by manufacturers that the sweetener is generally recognized as safe.

What Are Artificial Sweeteners

Splenda vs Stevia: Which Fake Sweeteners Are Safe?

These synthetic sweeteners are chemical compounds that contain no calories and do not play any role in delivering energy to the body. Nevertheless, they can taste sweeter than sugar and make your diet taste good.

These artificial sweeteners come in a great variety, much of them are approved by the Food and Drug Administration .

Examples of such sweeteners are given here.

  • Aspartame Its more commonly used to sweeten diet soft drinks
  • Saccharin commonly used in diets
  • Splenda found in many drinks
  • Acesulfame K
  • Stevia

Two of these sweeteners have caught the eye of many users for their efficiency in inducing weight loss.

These two are Stevia and Splenda. Before we get into pinpointing the differences between these two, it is essential to know about the basics.

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Stevia Vs Splenda: A Wrap

On the continuum from bad to better to best, it appears the order is sugar, Splenda, stevia. That said, while stevia is the better choice, no sweetener is perfect. Before adding any sweeteners to your food, consider if it really needs it or if you can cut back on the sweetener altogether. Then, on the occasions when you do want a little more sweetness in your life, use in moderation.

What Are Natural & Artificial Sweeteners

The FDA defines sweeteners as: commonly used as sugar substitutes or sugar alternatives because they are many times sweeter than sugar but contribute only a few or no calories when added to foods.

This means that regular sugar, honey, and Agave nectar/syrup dont fall into the sweetener category. However, I do want to address these quickly before moving on to the real natural and artificial sweeteners, since Ive seen claims of how honey and agave wont impact blood sugar in the same way as sugar.

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Could Splenda Cause Cancer

Sucralose has been studied closely to determine if consuming it could cause cancer. So far, there is no reason to believe that using sucralose in your diet increases your cancer risk.

In 2017, the European Food Safety Authority released their findings. After years of animal studies, they reported that Splenda is safe and does not cause cancerin mice.

Although the existing research shows that sucralose consumption does not cause cancer, more human studies are needed to be certain.

One Last Thing About Using Sugar Substitutes When Managing Type 2 Diabetes

SPLENDA® Stevia Sweeteners

As you can see, there are many artificial sweeteners to help you reach your blood sugar goals. Just remember that maintaining them will be easier if you practice moderation and dont allow sweet-tasting food and beverages to lead you to overconsume them. A major goal should be to reduce all types of sweeteners in your diet, including sugar substitutes, so that you become accustomed to the naturally sweet taste of food, says Grieger. Then trust your body to tell you when enough is enough.

Additional reporting by .

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Which Is Healthier Splenda Or Stevia

Splenda and stevia are popular and versatile sweeteners that won’t add calories to your diet. Both are generally considered safe to use, yet research on their long-term health effects is ongoing. While no evidence suggests that either is unsafe, it appears that purified stevia is associated with the fewest concerns.

Stevia Vs Splenda: The Differences

Both stevia and Splenda are used in many of the same ways for the same reasons: to sweeten foods and drinks without loading up on calories. They are also both FDA approved and are generally considered safe.

In addition, both stevia and Splenda have a slightly different taste and texture than sugar. Some people find the difference more noticeable than others. Yet both sweeteners can have a slight bitter taste, and some stevia may have a vanilla or licorice aftertaste.

That said, both stevia vs. Splenda also have significant differences. For example:

Splenda is a lot sweeter than stevia. Stevia is around 200 times sweeter than sugar. On the other hand, Splenda is 450 to 650 times sweeter than sugar, so less can be used to achieve your desired sweetness level.

Stevia is also available in a number of different forms. It can be easily added to beverages, sauces, dips, salad dressings, and desserts. You can even make your own calorie-free sodas by adding flavored stevia drops to sparkling water. Some flavors available include root beer, vanilla cream, various berries, caramel, chocolate, lemonade, and many more. You can also just add dried stevia leaves to your usual tea to steep together.

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Saccharin The Oldest Artificial Sweetener

Saccharin, the sweetener sold in pink packets under the brand name Sweet ‘N Low, is calorie-free and is about 300 to 500 times sweeter than sugar, per the Sweet N Low website. It was the first artificial sweetener, with chemists discovering it as a derivative of coal tar by mistake in 1879, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

If youve been using artificial sweeteners since the 1970s, you may remember a previous warning label that warned of saccharin increasing the risk for cancer. But rest assured it’s safe. The research that prompted the label was done on animals, and further studies by the National Toxicology Program of the National Institutes of Health concluded that saccharin shouldnt be on the list of potential carcinogens. Saccharin is currently FDA-approved.

A 132-lb individual would need to consume 45 tabletop packets of the artificial sweetener per day to reach the ADI of 15 mg of saccharin per kg of body weight per day, according to the FDA.

What Do We Know About Splenda

Is Stevia Sweetener Good for You? | Mastering Diabetes | Dr. David L. Katz

Splenda being the brand name for sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar but it provides no calories. It is one of the sugar alternatives that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Many of the sugar substitutes can lose their sweetness when heated, which is why they can be used in a cup of hot coffee.

But Splenda can stand a temperature as high as 450° F, so it is safe to use. This substitute is found in many baked goods and even chewing gums etc.

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Splenda And Stevia Have Different Uses

The plant compounds behind stevia are known to be heat-stable, meaning they arent altered or destroyed when subjected to high temperatures. Ostensibly, the same is said to be true of sucralose and that remains the official stance of the FDA. However, emerging research has contested the heat stability of sucraloseincluding this 2009 study and this 2015 scientific report, which conclude that the substance does indeed begin to degrade at temperatures above 247 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in potentially harmful byproducts. Yet another study from 2013 yielded similar results, particularly when sucralose was heated in the presence of metal oxideslike the kind that naturally occur when cookware is heated. More research is needed to prove or disprove the assertion that sucralose and high-heat dont mix, thoughso for the time being theres no formal contraindication there. Still, given the possibility that Splenda isnt as heat-stable as was originally believed, some folks are opting to play it safe and avoid baking and cooking with the artificial sweetener.

Pros And Cons Of Stevia

Stevia has a wide range of benefits that make it an eco-friendly alternative sweetener. Compared to other alternative sweeteners, stevia is affordable and sustainable. It has a lower carbon and water footprint compared to other natural sweeteners, like cane sugar and beet sugar. This makes it easy to grow and affordable, which is why it’s currently grown all over North and South America, Asia and Africa.

Many natural alternative sweeteners are known to be good for your health. Even though it’s a zero-calorie sweetener, stevia has a wide range of positive health benefits, including:

Many of the health benefits of stevia are tied to specific steviol glycosides, like stevioside. This means that, regardless of whether you’re buying stevia leaves or a crystalline isolate, you’ll be able to obtain many of stevia’s benefits.

The main downside to stevia is that it doesn’t taste like sugar. It has a licorice-like aftertaste that could be considered bitter. Many alternatives to sugar cause a range of gastrointestinal side effects, causing symptoms like bloating, gas and diarrhea when consumed in excess. In contrast, stevia actually has anti-diarrheal effects. Beyond the difference in flavor, it has no major reported side effects.

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