Is Stevia the best alternative to sugar?
Does Aspartame cause cancer?
Does Sucralose destroy the good bacteria in our gut?
The usage of low calories sweeteners has been increasing over the past few years as we are getting more and more conscious about what we consume.
Whenever there is a debate about which is the best alternative to sugar, stevia, sucralose and aspartame are the most common names that come across our minds. However, despite many controversies about some sweeteners, the companies selling them have somehow deluded us into believing that their product is the best.
Let’s dig a little deeper into all these sweeteners and find out what the fuss is all about.
Aspartame
What is aspartame?
Aspartame is a low-calorie artificial sweetener and one of the most popular sugar substitute In low-calorie food and drinks. Despite being one of the most widely used and popular sweeteners, it has always been a source of controversy mainly due to the studies showing it has adverse side effects.
Aspartame consists of two amino acids—aspartic acid and phenylalanine and Its digestion also yield a small amount of methanol.
Methanol is toxic in large quantities as it eventually breaks down into formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, and neurotoxin, in the body.
Why is aspartame so controversial?
There have been many studies that found out that consumption of aspartame increases the rate of leukaemia, lymphomas, kidney damage, and brain cancers. Studies also showed the risk of developing tumors.
Ramazzini Foundation in Bologna, Italy conducted 3 independent studies on aspartame and all of the 3 studies proved to be increasing the risk of developing cancer.
A study conducted by Harvard University school of public health concluded that men faced an increased risk of cancer than women because of the fact more methanol is converted into formaldehyde in case of men.
From time to time aspartame has also been linked to problems such as
- Headaches/migraines
- Dizziness
- Anxiety attacks
- Nausea
- Numbness
- Weight gain
- Depression
Was aspartame banned by FDA?
In the year 1980, FDA imposed a ban on aspartame and declared it unsafe for consumption. Later in January 1981, a new FDA commissioner was appointed. Despite his lack of experience in food additives, he voted on lifting the ban on aspartame and made it legal once again.
It's not the first time in history we witnessed big companies ignoring consumer’s health and getting their way with the law.
Conclusion
There are enough studies stating aspartame to be dangerous to our health to make us think twice before consuming it. So next time check if your sugar-free food has aspartame in it and if it does, you know what to do.
Sucralose
What is sucralose?
Sucralose is a zero-calorie artificial sweetener that is used in a variety of foods and drinks due to its high stability at low as well as at high temperatures. Although later studies discovered that at high-temperature sucralose breaks down and interacts with the ingredients. So, you might want to think again before baking your delicious cake with sucralose in it.
Sucralose is made from the sucrose in a multistep chemical process in which three hydrogen-oxygen groups are replaced with chlorine atoms. This replacement of chlorine atoms makes it intensely sweet.
Is sucralose bad for your health?
Yes, despite its vast use, sucralose in reality is bad for your health.
We all have good bacteria in our gut which aids in digestion and fights off many harmful diseases. These bacteria play a major role in a healthy immune system. It’s no surprise that our bodies and gastrointestinal (GI) tract are home to more bacteria than we have cells in our body.
A study on sucralose and GI found that this artificial sweetener altered the gut microbiome by decreasing these good bacteria by 50%. Even after the 12 weeks study was over, the bacteria in the GI tract did not completely recover and left it affected.
Conclusion
Sucralose is widely used due to its intense sweetness but the studies paint a completely different picture. In some cases, it may raise our blood sugar and insulin levels. It may damage the good bacterial environment in your gut. Its safety at high temperature is been questioned so you might want to avoid baking with it.
Stevia
What is stevia?
Stevia is a low-calorie natural sweetener that is used in many drinks and foods coming under the ‘zero-calories’ label. It is extracted from the stevia rebaudiana plant. Apart from being a natural sweetener, it is considered to be the safest alternative to sugar.
Is Stevia the safest sweetener?
There has been almost no controversy about stevia being unsafe for consumption, in fact it has been given GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status by the FDA.
A 2009 study stated that stevia leaf powder may help to manage cholesterol. It lowered total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and triglycerides. It also increased HDL (good) cholesterol. Although we cannot surely say that occasional use of stevia will provide the same results.
A 2010 study of 19 lean participants and 12 obese participants found that stevia significantly lowered insulin and glucose levels. It also left study participants satisfied and full after eating, despite the lower calorie intake.
A 2004 study stated that Stevioside may be advantageous in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, so this is clearly the best choice for people suffering from type 2 diabetes.
A 2012 study of a glycoside found in stevia plants suggested it may help speed up the death of cancer cells in a human breast cancer line.
Conclusion
Through studies and researches, it is quite evident that stevia not only has zero side effects but also benefit your gut and overall health in so many ways.
Final verdict
With all the available research on this topic, stevia comes out to be the safest and natural substitute to sugar with additional health benefits and no side effects.