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Too Much Sugar - Are Artificial Sweeteners Safe?
From The Canadian Health Network
For centuries, sugars have been used
to enhance the flavour of the foods we eat. More
recently, eating large amounts of sugar has been
linked to health problems such as obesity, diabetes,
cancer and heart disease.
However, research doesn’t support
these claims. In fact, tooth decay is the only
health problem that has been proven to be linked to
sugar intake. Regular brushing, flossing and dental
care can help prevent the effects of sugars on your
teeth.
Canadians are advised to choose sugars in moderation
as part of a balanced diet based on Canada’s Food
Guide to Healthy Eating. Keeping an eye on your
sugar intake is important because sugars provide
food energy (calories) but few other nutrients.
Artificial sweeteners make food sweeter but don’t
contain any real food energy (calories). Artificial
sweeteners have a different chemical makeup than
sugars, so the amount you need to produce a sweet
taste is different than for sugars. They generally
don’t affect your blood glucose levels.
Health Canada must approve all the artificial
sweeteners that are sold in Canada. A sweetener has
to undergo extensive research to show its safety and
effectiveness before Health Canada will approve it
for use. Once a sweetener is approved, Health Canada
sets strict guidelines for how it can be used, as
well as advice on Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI)
levels.
The
following shows the different types of sweeteners
that have been approved for use in Canada:
-
Aspartame is marketed under the brand
names of Equal™ and Nutrasweet™. It’s used in
soft drinks, yogurt, candy and as a table-top
sweetener. It is not for use in cooking nor
baking. It contains phenylalanine, so people
with phenylketonuria (PKU) must avoid aspartame.
It is considered safe for use by pregnant women.
-
Sucralose is marketed
under the brand name Splenda™. It is widely used
in soft drinks, candy, baked goods and frozen
desserts and ice cream products. It is used
widely for home cooking and baking and is
considered safe for use by pregnant women.
-
Acesulfame potassium is
not used as a table top sweetener. It’s used
only by food manufacturers as an ingredient for
sweetening soft drinks and candy. Since it
contains potassium, people on low potassium
diets should avoid using this product. It is
considered safe for use by pregnant women. If
you’re taking antibiotics that contain sulfa,
this product may interfere with your
medications.
-
Sugar alcohols (sorbitol, mannitol,
maltitol, xylitol) can’t be bought as table
sweeteners but are used by food manufacturers in
foods and beverages such as candy, frozen
desserts and ice cream products. Sugar alcohols
aren’t “true” artificial sweeteners – they do
provide small amounts of calories which may
affect blood glucose (sugar) levels. Large
amounts (more than 10 grams/day) can cause
diarrhea, cramps, gas and bloating.
-
Saccharin is marketed as the table top
sweetener Hermesetas®. It can only be bought at
pharmacies in Canada and should be avoided
during pregnancy.
-
Cyclamate is marketed as the table top
sweeteners Sucaryl® , Sugar Twin® and Sweet ‘N
Low® . It isn’t recommended for cooking and
baking and should be avoided during pregnancy.
In
moderation, both sugars and artificial sweeteners
can be part of your healthy eating plan.
Resources for Consumers
Canadian Diabetes
Association –
Sugars and Sweeteners
Health Canada –
Artificial Sweeteners
Dietitians of Canada –
Sugar Substitutes: Friend or Foe
Resources for Health Professionals
Canadian Diabetes
Association –
Sugar Substitute Content of Foods
National Cancer
Institute –
Artificial Sweeteners
International Food
Information Council –
Sugars and Low Calorie Sweeteners
©
Canadian Health Network. All rights reserved.
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Artificial sweeteners have a different chemical
makeup than sugars, so the amount you need to
produce a sweet taste is different than for
sugars. |
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