The Low-Down on Sugar & Artificial Sweeteners

Most people don't mind sweets. For many of us, that's the understatement of the century - the majority of us can't live without them! In one form or another, whether it be a tablespoon of brown sugar in the morning oatmeal, a packet of artificial sweetener in each coffee, a small dessert after dinner every night, or a tasty protein "candy-bar" after the workout, most of us have a propensity towards a sweet at least once a day. When you stop to look at the data, there is an enormous amount of food that is sweetened, and an enormous variety of compounds, both natural and artificial, that can be used as sweeteners. Unfortunately, many of these compounds directly oppose many health and fitness goals, and lead to increased appetite, fatigue, decreased metabolism, obesity, or even just upset stomachs. The bright side is that there are several completely natural compounds that can be used as sweeteners, with none of the aforementioned side effects. Sweet!

Let's look at the major sweeteners, not including the handful that are still pending approval by the FDA:

Acesulfame Potassium: A synthetic chemical that is 150-200 times sweeter than sugar, it is found in dry beverage mixes, instant coffee and tea, gelatins, puddings, gum, candy, baked goods, soda, desserts, and sweetener packets. Rumored to cause tumors in laboratory animals and a possible carcinogen.

Aspartame: AKA NutraSweet. About 180-200 times sweeter than sugar, it is found in thousands of everyday products, including toothpaste, breakfast cereal, multivitamins, sodas, yogurt, etc. It has been strongly linked with cancer, and complaints that have been raised to the FDA include
anxiety attacks, headaches, mood swings, nausea, dizziness, hyperactivity, arrhythmia, tinnitus, insomnia, stomach problems, seizures, blurred sight, muscle cramps, nervous twitching, joint pain, fatigue and slurred speech. There are also a number of researchers who blame this group for a growing number of neurological disorders. Of course, these concerns aside, a main problem with Aspartame is that consumption can lead to an increased appetite. Basically, your body recognizes the sweet taste of Aspartame and begins insulin production, but since there are no actual calories in Aspartame, the blood sugar that *is* in your body is lowered (that's what insulin does!) and your appetite increases. Insulin can also act on the thyroid gland to depress your metabolism. As a sort of double whammy, the primary components of Aspartame, phenylalanine and aspartic acid, can stimulate further secretion of insulin. Not willing to take any chances, I make a habit of checking the nutritional label for NutraSweet before I consume any "health" or "low/no-calorie" foods.

Saccharin: AKA Sweet N Low. An organic compound that is about 300-400 times sweeter than sugar, and found in
soft drinks, gum, toothpaste, and several diet foods. Although the FDA recognizes saccharin as safe compound, it has been determined to cause caner in laboratory animals. I'm not taking any chances.

Stevia: BINGO! This is a no-calorie herbal sweetener that is derived from a daisy plant that grows in South America. It has been associated with lower blood pressure and inhibited fat absorption, and does not adversely affect blood sugar, so it's safe for diabetics. Many time sweeter than sugar, it has been labeled as a dietary supplement by the FDA, but accepted as a common sweetener for decades in countries like Japan, Thailand, China, South Korea, Paraguay and Brazil. No side effects have been reported, *but* no major corporations can make any money off Stevia because it is natural and cannot be patented. Therefore, we consumers don't have it pushed our direction very often. But if I had to pick a sweetener from this list, I'd go for Stevia. If not purchased at a health food store, it can be gotten from various online distributors, including stevianow.com, steviva.com and herbaladvantage.com.

Sucralose: AKA Splenda. About 400-800 times sweeter than sugar and found in soda, yogurt, baked goods, coffee and tea, fruit spreads, syrup, sweetener packets, gum, frozen desserts, and salad dressings. Probably not a carcinogenic, but is linked with diarrhea and abdominal cramping, which is why I avoid it. I've had several clients have stomach problems disappear after cutting this compound from their diets.

Sugar Alcohols: These actually have the same amount of calories as regular sugar, but your body processes them differently, only partially utilizing the energy. Look on the nutritional label for words ending in "-ol", like sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol or xylitol. They can be found in many energy and fitness products, as well as toothpaste, nasal spray, and gum. Unfortunately, like Splenda, they're strongly associated with abdominal cramps, gas, diarrhea, and bloating.

Sugar: Of course it's listed! Commercialy refined sugar is strongly associated with tooth decay and obesity, but has been suggested to also suppress the immune system, reduce good cholesterol, increase bad cholesterol, cause hypoglycemia, hormonal imbalances, varicose veins, food allergies, high blood pressure, depression, food cravings, and addiction to sweet foods. Probably not the best choice.

At the end of this list, I'd like to mention one other healthy sugar alternative: blackstrap molasses. It contains heavy doses of calcium, iron, and B vitamins, with about a quarter of the calories of regular sugar. You can find it at health food stores, and might recognize it as the same flavor used to sweeten various bean dishes and gingerbread.

That's a handful of choices! But ultimately, there is one form of sweetener that completely beats the rest. I consume it at least two times a day, use it as a sweetener alternative in yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies, and a variety of other dishes - and the amazing and well-researched health benefits are too long to list.

It's called fruit. Try it! I think you'll like it.

Until next time, train smart,

Ben Greenfield

M.S. PE, NSCA-CPT, CSCS