Sugar and Sugar Substitutes

Over the past decade or so, sugar has become the enemy in the nutrition world. We have gotten away from blaming weight gain and obesity on fat, and have now realized that sugar is a main reason and cause for the obesity epidemic in the United States. With that, we have seen an increase in both natural and artificial sugar substitutes lines the shelves of grocery stores and on the ingredients lists of baked goods, canned foods and baking supplies. There are a number of different sugar substitutes out there, and all of them have different properties and nutritional values.

• Natural
• These include honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, date sugar, molasses, maple syrup and fruit juices
• Natural sweeteners are those that come from real foods and contain traces of vitamins and minerals
• Even though these are natural sources of sugar, they still have fructose, calories and cause a spike in blood sugar
• Some of these, especially honey, contain antimicrobial properties
• Artificial
• Most artificial sweeteners are chemicals that are made in a lab and are a lot sweeter than table sugar
• Sweeteners such as Splenda, Equal, Sweet'n Low are used in beverages, baked goods, candy, yogurt and canned goods
• There is some research out there that says artificial sweeteners increase the risk of cancer
• Sugar Alcohols
• These are a type of carbohydrate that are found in fruits and vegetables
• Sugar alcohols do contain calories, but less than table sugar
• Your increase in blood sugar is less after consuming sugar alcohols
• Common sugar alcohols we see are xylitol, erythritol and sorbitol and are most commonly found in foods such as gum and sugarless candy
• The downfall of sugar alcohols is that consuming too much of them can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea 
• Novel Sweeteners
• These types of sweeteners are much sweeter than regular sugar, but comes from a stevia leaf, so has more nutritional value than regular sugar

So, before buying products in the store, be sure to check the ingredient list to see what types of sugar and/or sugar substitutes the product may contain. It is best to keep both of these products to a minimum, so it is important to know exactly what you are putting into your body.