Are you a diabetic patient who is using sugar free sweeteners? Well you might not take it easy on those sugar free sweeteners. The reason is that sugar free sweeteners have many disadvantages for diabetic patients. This article will list some of the best sugar free sweeteners present in the market and give the pros and cons of sugar free sweeteners.
What Are Sugar Free Sweeteners?
You should have a brief introduction about sugar free sweeteners before moving forward. Sugar free sweeteners are also known as artificial sweeteners. A sugar substitute is a food additive which produces a taste like sugar and contains less food energy. There are some natural sugar substitutes where as others are prepared artificially. Those which aren’t present naturally are known as artificial sweeteners.
Top 5 Natural Sugar free Sweeteners:
The top five natural sweeteners which are actually beneficial for your health have been mentioned below:
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Stevia leaves are 250 -300 times more sweeter than sugar:
[easyazon_image align=”right” height=”101″ identifier=”B00N2HXULO” locale=”IN” src=”https://healthydietfordiabetics.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/41mldeWdRaL.SL160.jpg” tag=”readitt-21″ width=”160″]This drug is a popular low caloric sweetener. It is obtained from the leaves of a plant known as stevia rebaudiana which is know to have 250 – 300 times more sweetness than sugar , Many studies have showed that they are quite beneficial. Stevia can lower the blood pressure up to 10% when the blood pressure of a person is quite high. Stevia has also shown to lower the blood pressure in diabetic patients. As per Authority nutrition’s research article, It is found that Stevia can blood suagr levels as much as 18% and stevia is found to lower both blood sugar levels and insulin levels after a meal. Stevia is considered to be the safest natural sugar free sweetener available as on date.[easyazon_link identifier=”B00N2HXULO” locale=”IN” tag=”readitt-21″]Stevia sachets[/easyazon_link]cost INR 3 each, One sachet can sweeten 2-3 cups of tea.
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Erythritol has 70 % sweetness of sugar:
It is another low caloric sweetener. It is actually a sugar alcohol which is naturally found in certain fruits but the powdered erythritol is mostly made in the industries. There are about 0.24 calories per gram in it and it has 70% of the sweetness of sugar. Various studies have shown that the use of erythritol is quite safe for diabetic patients. But it can cause digestive issues when taken in excess.
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Xylitol is known to lower blood sugar levels:
Xylitol is another sugar sweetener which is quite similar to sugar. There are about 2.4 calories per gram in it which means that it contains about 2/3rd the caloric value of sugar. Xylitol doesn’t raise the blood sugar and insulin levels. In fact some studies have shown that it lowers the blood sugar levels in diabetic patients. Some other benefits of xylitol include its role in preventing osteoporosis and improving dental health.
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Acesulfame potassium:
You might haven’t heard about this artificial sweetener before but you may be surprised to know that it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1988. This artificial sweetener has passed the test of time. It doesn’t raise blood sugar levels and keeps it under control.
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Blackstrap Molasses:
Blackstrap molasses has a rich content of calcium, potassium and iron in it which shows that it is a healthier choice as compared to other artificial sweeteners and even refined sugar.
Pros and Cons of Artificial Sweeteners:
There are a number of pros and cons of artificial sweeteners. Some major pros and cons of artificial sweeteners have been mentioned below:
Pros:
- The major selling point of sugar free sweeteners is that they lead to an increase in the sweetness of food without the addition of actual sugar
- Consuming sugar can lead to an increase in weight. But consuming sugar free sweeteners can actually lead to weight loss because they don’t contain actual sugar
- Sugar free sweeteners don’t affect diabetic patients the way sugar does. This makes it beneficial for people with diabetic and pre-diabetic conditions
- Sugar free sweeteners don’t cause any harm within the body. So pregnant women can use them without any worries
Cons:
- Some studies have shown that sugar free sweeteners are linked to various serious diseases like cancer. Right now they have been recommended as safe for use but future research may regard sugar free sweeteners as unsafe.
- Sugar free sweeteners can lead to more carvings because they don’t contain any real sugar in them.
- Most artificial sweeteners are man-made and don’t occur in nature. Some of these chemical may cause harm to the body
- Sugar free sweeteners can cause vision and hearing problems
- Sometimes headaches and dizziness can also be caused due to excessive use of sugar free sweeteners.
Conclusion:
It is recommended to avoid sugar and sugar free sweeteners, But we are humans and we cannot always be disciplined. Stevia is safer compared to other sugar free sweeteners. I found that [easyazon_link identifier=”B00N2HXULO” locale=”IN” tag=”readitt-21″]Stevia[/easyazon_link]goes well with Coffee.
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