Sugar or sweetener – which is better? Told by a nutritionist

President of the Association of Nutritionists and Health Coaches (ANKZ)

Which is healthier – sweeteners or sugar?

Excess sugar in the diet leads to swelling, excess weight, skin problems, liver problems and pancreatic diseases. Many people try to replace the usual sugar with analogs, such as fructose, honey or date syrup. But how good is such a substitution for health?

Replacing the usual sugar is not always rational and useful. Now many fans of healthy lifestyle switch to products without sugar and do not read the composition. In pseudo-useful products often behind the inscription “sugar-free” lurk threats much more serious, such as molasses, maltose, syrups. It’s all sugar, just under a different name and with a different chemical formula.

Any sweetener affects insulin response, and many natural substitutes are just as calorie-dense as sugar because they contain natural sugars.

What are the different types of sweeteners

Sweet syrups

For example, topinambur syrup contains about 300 kcal and consists of 90-95% fructose.
Topinambour is a rich source of inulin, but to get it, you need to eat the root vegetable whole, and the syrup only gives dishes a sweet flavor.

Other sweet syrups (date, maple, grape) are similar sources of fructose, differing only in flavor and variety of organic matter.

The popular agave and topinambur syrups, as well as coconut sugar, are also variations of higher-calorie fructose-based substitutes that are digested by the body as sugar.

Excessive consumption of fructose can lead to a number of health problems such as:

• increased cholesterol levels;
• weight gain;
• insulin insensitivity;
• hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia;
• fat deposition around organs (abdominal obesity);
• overeating;
• leptin resistance;
• nerve cell damage, depression and neurodegeneration;
• fatty liver disease or non-alcoholic hepatosis.

In addition, fructose has a deleterious effect on peripheral and hepatic insulin sensitivity, even when consumed in moderate amounts (fructose derived from whole fruits does not have this effect).

Fructose is also found in fresh fruits, dried fruits (figs, raisins, dates are especially high in fructose), corn syrup, molasses, freshly squeezed and other fruit juices, tomato paste and corn flakes.

Honey

Natural sweeteners with high calorie content include honey. I note that when honey is added to hot liquids and drinks, its beneficial properties are destroyed.

Artificial sweeteners

Artificial or synthetic sweeteners contain substances created chemically. They have zero calories, but have a rich sweet flavor that is hundreds of times greater than sugar.

Among the artificial sweeteners are some dangerous ones that should be avoided:

• aspartame;
• sucralose;
• cyclamate;
• saccharin;
• acesulfame K;
• neotame;
• alitam.

These options disrupt the work of all body systems and are recognized as carcinogenic (can provoke the development of cancer).

What sugar substitutes to choose

Of low-calorie natural sweeteners I can recommend the following: stevioside (stevia), thaumatin, erythritol (corn), neohesperidin (orange). They do not add additional calories to the diet and are relatively safe.

Is it worth giving up sugar completely

Although sugar substitutes have less effect on insulin response, it is not advisable to give up sugar in favor of sugar substitutes for long periods of time. Their excessive use can lead to the development of glucose tolerance, leading to type I and type II diabetes.

Sugar substitutes often provoke uncontrollable bouts of hunger and cravings for sweets, because the body experiences a lack of carbohydrates. In people with sensitive digestive systems, ingestion of sweeteners can cause nausea, diarrhea, and other intestinal disorders.

Try to minimize natural sugar in the usual diet: refuse sweet tea and coffee with syrup, store-bought sweets and pastries, sauces, ready-made breakfasts.

To prepare homemade treats you can use safe sweeteners – stevia or erythritol. They participate in metabolism, but they have almost no effect on the body. In addition, stevia glycosides have a pronounced bactericidal effect, and the taste of erythritol is 99% identical to white sugar.

Before completely abandoning sugar and switching to a permanent use of sugar substitutes, it is necessary to consult with a specialist. In general, for physical and emotional health, the limited presence of sugar in the dietary pattern is possible, but it is definitely not worth it. It is better to replace sugary sweets with healthy alternatives. For example, not the usual marshmallow, but apple sugar-free. The taste of the second will be much brighter, because in the composition of only natural apples and no flavor enhancers.