Sweeteners

[metqa]

IV Sweeteners

III. SWEETENERS

Introduction

All sweeteners have positive and negative points. This article exposes both sides of sweeteners. It summarizes documented research and clinical experience.

The main sweeteners in common use include cyclamates & saccharin, sugar (sucrose) & glucose (dextrose), {maple syrup, honey, fruit juices, dried cane juice, rice & barley malt, & excess sweet fruit belong in this category}, fructose (levulose), Aspartame, and sorbitol (sugar alcohol).
CYCLAMATES & SACCHARIN

Positive:

* No calories; very sweet; only small quantities needed;

Negative:

* Not present in nature; artificial, man-made chemicals; unpleasant aftertaste;

SUGAR (SUCROSE: = glucose + fructose)

* Includes maple syrup, honey, fruit juices, dried cane juice, rice & barley malt used as sweeteners, and even excess sweet fruits consumed whole;

Positive:

* Natural substances; metabolized for energy; taste good;
* We are used to sugar-type sweeteners because they've been around for a long time;
* Cheap to make & widely available: sucrose from beets & cane; glucose from starch (corn, grain, etc.);

Negative:

* Sucrose is a highly refined source of excess "empty" calories: essential vitamins, minerals, fatty acids & amino acids are removed from whole food source;
* In 1815, average sucrose consumption (Britain) was 15 lb/person/year; present consumption of sucrose is 120 lb/person/year, & often higher;
* Maple syrup, honey, fruit juices, dried cane juice, & sweet fruits contain some minerals &/or vitamins, but share most of the drawbacks of refined sugars, which result from an excess of concentrated, rapidly absorbed, simple carbohydrate molecules, which affect human bodies in the ways listed below:
* Human body is used to metabolizing 300 grams of glucose/day (mostly from starch), but this glucose is made available only slowly by digestion, & absorbed slowly into the body, at about the rate that cells "burn" glucose to produce energy; thus sucrose (& fructose) may be expected to produce more detrimental effects on health than glucose;
* Feeds acid-producing mouth bacteria; increase mouth acidity by 100 times; result in tooth decay (dental caries); unsuitable for "chewable" supplements;
* Absorbed rapidly, resulting in hyperglycemias (diabetes) & hypoglycaemia;
* Stress pancreas (insulin levels increase up to 4 times); long-term result may be diabetes;
* Stress adrenal glands; increase adrenalin levels by up to 10 times; hyperactivity, mood instability, headaches, & behavioural problems may result;
* Increases fat (triglyceride) levels in blood stream (excess sugars turn into saturated fats);
* Increases total cholesterol & "bad" LDL cholesterol in blood stream (excess sugars push cholesterol production);
* Increases risk of cardiovascular disease;
* Associated with weight gain & obesity;
* Associated with development of acne;
* Serves as food that increases rate of growth of candida, bacteria, & fungi;
* Inhibits body's ability to metabolize essential fatty acids; inhibit production of vital, hormone-like, regulatory prostaglandins;
* Inhibits immune function; increase risk of allergies & cancer;
* Cross-link proteins; speed aging; shorten life span of animals;
* Blocks activity of growth hormone;
* Refined sugars deplete chromium, zinc, B-complex vitamins, & other essential nutrients from body;

FRUCTOSE (LEVULOSE = "grape" sugar)

Positive:

* Natural substance;
* 20% sweeter than sucrose;
* Absorbed slightly slower than sucrose and glucose;

Negative:

* Body is used to metabolize 8 grams/day; now has to deal with 75 grams/day, because of increased sucrose & "fructose sweetener" consumption;
* Metabolized even faster than sucrose; shares drawbacks of sucrose, except for somewhat lower insulin, hyperglycaemia, & hypoglycaemia effects due to slower absorption;
* Highly refined source of excess "empty" calories: essential vitamins, minerals, fatty acids & amino acids are removed from whole food source;
* Feeds acid-producing mouth bacteria; increases mouth acidity by 100 times; results in tooth decay (dental caries); unsuitable for "chewable" supplements;
* Stresses pancreas (insulin levels double); long-term result may be diabetes
* Stresses adrenal glands; increases adrenalin levels;
* Increases fat (triglyceride) levels in blood stream (excess sugars turn into saturated fats);
* Increases total cholesterol & "bad" LDL cholesterol in blood stream (excess sugars push cholesterol production); as dangerous as sucrose in this regard, & worse than glucose;
* Increases risk of cardiovascular disease;
* Serves as food that increases rate of growth of candida, bacteria, & fungi;
* Inhibits body's ability to metabolize essential fatty acids; inhibits production of vital, hormone-like, regulatory prostaglandins;
* Increases likelihood of gout by increasing uric acid production;
* Inhibits immune function; increases risk of allergies & cancer;
* Cross-links proteins; speeds aging;
* Blocks activity of growth hormone;
* Depletes chromium, zinc, B-complex vitamins, & other essential nutrients from body;

ASPARTAME (NutraSweet™)

Positive

* 200 times as sweet as sucrose; minute quantities needed; 1/200th the number of calories of the same sweetness provided by sucrose;
* Shown safe at 200 mg/kg of body weight; acceptable daily intake set at 40 mg/kg of body weight/day;
* Digested & metabolized by normal body processes;
* Does not feed acid-producing mouth bacteria; does not increase mouth acidity; does not result in tooth decay (dental caries); sweetener of choice for "chewable" supplements (2.5 - 5 mg/day, or less than 1 mg/kg is used);
* Safe for diabetics (5% of population) & pre-diabetics (about 20% of population is hyperglycemic-hypoglycemic);
* Safe for those with problems of heart & arteries (about 50% of population); does not increase LDL & total cholesterol; does not increase blood fats (triglycerides);
* Not associated with obesity & development of acne;
* Does not increase insulin & adrenalin; not damaging to pancreas & adrenal glands; not associated with hyperactivity;
* Does not support growth of candida, bacteria, & fungi;
* Does not block essential fatty acid mobilization from fat tissues, or prostaglandin functions; allergy is extremely rare (less than 1 in 10,000 people);
* Does not block immune function; safe for those with cancer (about 25% of population);
* Does not speed aging due to cross-linking of proteins;
* Does not block growth hormone;
* Tested for safety for 16 years before FDA approval; now approved in 80 countries;
* Found safe for pregnant & lactating women; found safe for children, adults;
* Found safe for use by diabetics & epileptics; not carcinogenic;
* Approved by American Diabetic Association, American Dietetic Association, Epilepsy Institute, American Medical Association, Centres for Disease Control, World Health Organization, European Economic Community, Food & Drug Administration (U.S.), Health & Welfare (Canada), regulatory agencies of the U.K., Scandinavian countries, Japan, & others;
* Made from naturally occurring substances: L-Phenylalanine (Phe) (an essential amino acid), L-Aspartic acid (Asp) (an amino acid found in proteins), & an ester-linked methyl group (Me) (found in many natural substances); these are bonded in natural ways (peptide bond between Asp and Phe; ester bond between Phe and Me); body knows how to metabolize this molecule (uses esterase & peptidase enzymes);
* Phe (50% of Aspartame molecule) is an essential amino acid, which must be present in the diet (phenylketonurics, 1/15,000+ births, are {genetically} unable to metabolize Phe, and must restrict the amount of Phe present in their diet); important for making neurotransmitters (catecholamines); necessary for making tyrosine; necessary for pigment production; important for blood pressure, circulation, blood glucose levels; daily diet contains 1,000 to 5,000 mg; single 15,000 mg dose may produce slight headache in some people;
* Asp (40% of Aspartame molecule) is used by the body in brain transmission & energy production; it increases proliferation of immune tissues; Asp protects against radiation damage; has anti-stress properties; is useful in treatment of myocardial disorders; diet contains 1,000 to 5,000 mg/day; single dose of 5,000 mg of Asp shows no toxic effects; single dose toxicity estimated to be above 100,000 mg;
* Me (10% of Aspartame molecule), in the ester form in which it is present in Aspartame, is also present in fruits (grape, banana) & vegetables (tomato), and is metabolized by the body in the same way: (toxic) MeOH is converted by de-toxifying enzymes to (toxic) formaldehyde, then to (non-toxic) formic acid, which is excreted in urine; MeOH is undetectable in blood even after intake of "abuse" doses of Aspartame (200 mg/kg, which is a 14,000 mg dose for an average 70 kg {154 lb} person);

Comparisons:

* "Chewable" supplement contains 5 mg Aspartame, producing 0.5 mg of MeOH;
* 250 ml of diet Coke contains 130 mg Aspartame, producing 13 mg of MeOH;
* 250 ml of tomato juice contains no Aspartame, but produces 77 mg of MeOH;
* 250 ml of red grape juice contains no Aspartame, but produces 44 mg of MeOH;
* 250 grams of banana contains no Aspartame, but produces 47 mg of MeOH;

Negative

* Caution: Aspartame contains Phenylalanine; people who require Phenylalanine-restricted diets (phenylketonurics) must also monitor their intake of Aspartame;
* Considered to be "unnatural", which is not accurate; Aspartame is as "natural" as Vitamin C synthesized from starch or glucose;
* Occasional skin rash (urticaria) which clears up on discontinuing use of Aspartame-sweetened soft drinks;
* Dizziness, headache, nausea reported; these symptoms were not confirmed in double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, but may nevertheless occur in some people;
* Not suitable for hot foods (boiled, baked, & fried); Aspartame loses its sweetness when heated to these temperatures; only suitable for unheated foods;

ACESULFAME POTASSIUM

Positive:

* Calorie-free sweetener, 200 times sweeter than sugar.
* Excellent stability over a wide range of pH under high temperatures, and good solubility.
* Is not metabolized or stored in the body. After it is consumed, it is quickly absorbed by the body and then rapidly excreted unchanged.
* Has been used in foods and beverages worldwide for over 15 years; used in Europe since 1983 and in the United States since 1988.
* Approved for use in over 90 countries.
* Found safe by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the World Health Organization and the Scientific Committee for Food of the European Union.
* Acefulfame potassium has been found to be safe for use in beverages. Acefulfame potassium is highly stable. No by-products can be found in beverages under normal storage conditions. Scientists and regulatory authorities have thoroughly reviewed data and have concluded that even under extreme acidity, temperature and storage conditions, acefulfame potassium is safe for use in beverages.
* Useful in diabetic diets - Studies have shown that acefulfame potassium has no effects on serum glucose, cholesterol, total glycerol or free glycerol levels.
* Man-made compound manufactured from a process that involves the transformation of an organic intermediate, acetoacetic acid, and its combination with the naturally occurring mineral, potassium, to form a highly stable, crystalline sweetener.

Negative:

* No known negative implications in man, but as with all man made compounds, long term risk is possible.

SORBITOL (SUGAR ALCOHOL)

Positive

* Slows absorption from intestine (does not release excess insulin);
* Up to 30 grams can be used by diabetics (but laxative effect begins at 5 to 15 grams/day);

Negative

* Half as sweet as sucrose; larger quantities needed for same sweetness;
* Feeds mouth bacteria; increases mouth acidity; fosters tooth decay;
* Produces gas, diarrhoea, & abdominal distension;
* Increases load on liver (which must convert sorbitol to fructose, then to glucose);
* Incompatible with oxygen & with oxidizing agents; must be kept away from air in air-excluding containers;
* May worsen electrolyte (potassium, sodium, & chloride ion) status;
* May damage linings of arteries & veins (thrombophlebitis); may worsen cardiovascular problems.

References:

* Braverman, E.C., and Pfeiffer, C.C. The Healing Nutrients Within - Facts, Findings and New Research on Amino Acids. Keats Publishing, New Canaan, CT. 1987.
* Cleave, T.L. The Saccharine Disease. Keats Publishing, New Canaan, CT. 1975.
* Duffy, W. Sugar Blues. Warner Books, New York, NY. 1979.
* Martindale The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 29th edition. The Pharmaceutical Press, London, England. 1989.
* Pauling, L. How to Live Longer and Feel Better. Avon Books, New York, NY. 1986.
* Pearson, D. and Shaw, S. The Life Extension Fat Loss Program. Doubleday & Co., Garden City, NY. 1986.
* Werbach, M.R. Nutritional Influences on Illness. Third Line Press, Tarzana, Ca. 1988.
* Yudkin, J. Sweet and Dangerous. Bantam Books, New York, NY. 1973.
* Journal articles too numerous to list.

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[hummingbird11]

thank you so much, Metqa, for posting this interesting info!

TGIF
HB

[metqa]

Thanks, hummingbird. I'm always learning, always changing my mind and my thoughts, figured I'd share. Let everyone have information to make their decisions on.

Send some of your namesake over to visit my Morning Glorys, I saw a beautiful humming bird yesterday, flew right up to my face as if to say "What are YOU doing?"

I wonder if nectar is fructose?

[hummingbird11]

Hey my friends are flying over to your place now so GET READY!!

Good question! It's gotta be, right?
Nectar

[Myriad]

If you ever look at (admittedly anecdotal) reports on the health effects of some artificial sweeteners, I don't think you would be so keen to take them.

However, there are scientific studies that show the whole theory behind these sweeteners does not actually work in practice.

This is one such report from the BBC:

"Scientists from Purdue University in the US now believe that a sweet taste followed by no calories may make the body crave extra food.

Their research, published in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience, found that rats fed sugar subsequently had lower appetites. " ...

The saccharin-fed mice ate more calories, put on more fat, and gained more weight than their sugar-fed counterparts."
BBC NEWS | Health | 'Diet' foods weight gain puzzle

The effect is not particular to saccharin, as other research has shown:

"In fact, when the researchers took a closer look at their data, they found that nearly all the obesity risk from soft drinks came from diet sodas.

"What was surprising was when we looked at people only drinking diet soft drinks, their risk of obesity was even higher."
"There was a 41% increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day," Fowler says.
Drink More Diet Soda, Gain More Weight?


Personally, I rather think nature knows best...

[metqa]

Originally Posted by hummingbird11

Hey my friends are flying over to your place now so GET READY!!

Good question! It's gotta be, right?
Nectar

Wow, Your Right! Two of them Swooped in and hung out in a tree this afternoon. Word Flies!

Originally Posted by Myriad

If you ever look at (admittedly anecdotal) reports on the health effects of some artificial sweeteners, I don't think you would be so keen to take them.

Personally, I rather think nature knows best...

My intention in posting was not to try to convince people to chose one or another of any. The purpose of posting this was to inform people and let them make there own educated decisions.

Now for MY opinion. . . just because something is natural doesn't make it the best. and just because something is not natural doesn't make it evil. and just as the definition explained many artificial sweeteners are made from natural ingredients. the combination wouldn't happen in nature but then lemonade probably wouldn't happen in nature either.

I've decided it more important for me to know the truth than to be swept up and let lies, either through intent or ignorance, determine my decisions, if I can help it.

I want to be able to think responsibly, and that starts with knowing and seeking the truth. What you do with that truth is up to you.

Responsible Thinking: An Approach to Critical Thinking

[CrzyCatLady]

Thanks for posting this. I was wondering about saccharin. I use Sweet n Low in my tea and I even bake with it. I kept seeing all these negative things about aspartame but nothing really about saccharin. It's probably best to avoid all of them but I know that it would never work for me.