Let's have a minute to look a little bit closer to these
sugar alternatives and see which one is
better to take or better to avoid.
Artificial Sweeteners
The word "artificial" indicates that these
sweeteners are human-made chemical compound instead of coming by nature. They
don't contain essential nutrients like vitamin or mineral. They're also very
low in carbohydrates and calories.
Although the US FDA has mentioned that artificial sweeteners
to be Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) for human consumption, they add no
nutrients to our diet. That’s the reason why they may not be a healthy choice.
In fact, many researches about artificial sweeteners had
found relation between consuming them with many health problems, including
cancer. On the other hand, many health professionals tend to agree that these
sweeteners are a good choice for diabetics, because they don't cause spike on
blood sugar.
Example of artificial sweeteners are aspartame (Equal, Nutra
Sweet, Spoonful), Sucralose (Splenda) and Saccharin (Sweet N' Low) .
High Fructose Corn Syrup
High Fructose Corn Syrup is made from corn starch which is
further processed to yield glucose. An enzymatic processing is then carried out
to convert it into fructose. Pure corn syrup is then mixed to produce the
desired sweetness.
The most frightening fact about HFCS is probably the mercury
contamination. This fact is published in scientific journal, Environmental
Health. This study revealed that almost 50% of commercial HFCS samples from
brand-names food and beverage products had been tested positive for heavy metal
mercury.
Mercury is toxic in all its forms and causes a wide range of
adverse health effects.
But how come there is heavy metal like mercury get in the HFCS?
One of ingredient used to produce HFCS is caustic soda,
which apparently most of them was produced in industrial chlorine plants using
the mercury cell (Castner-Kellner process). This may be the reason why mercury
can contaminate the HFCS.
Source: www.ehjournal.net/content/8/1/2
Besides of its dangerous mercury contamination, HFCS itself
does not really contain any nutritional value in its syrup confection.
According to US Department of Agriculture, one tablespoon of
corn syrup contains:
0 grams of fat
2 mg of sodium
14 grams of carbohydrates
15 grams of sugars
0 grams of proteins
0 grams of dietary fiber
0 grams of iron
0 grams of vitamin A and C.
Many experts had seriously warned to avoid consuming HCFS
because it does not only lack of nutritional value, but worse; it will endanger
human health.
Natural Sweetener
-
Maple Syrup or Maple Sugar
Maple syrup made from maple tree
sap. Maple sugar is crystallized maple syrup. Maple syrup has a high glycemic
index (GI of pure maple syrup is 54, while flavored maple syrup is 68), which
can cause blood sugar to rise.
-
Agave Nectar
Agave syrup comes from the sap of
the Maguey cactus. It consists of
56-92% fructose, while the rest is mostly glucose. Agave nectar is chemically
converted fructose, which is more readily turned into triglycerides and fat
than sucrose. A rise of blood triglycerides levels may lead to heart disease.
Nevertheless, agave has a low
glycemic index (30) so it won't cause any significant rise of the blood sugar
levels. It has also trace amounts of minerals such as calcium, potassium,
magnesium and iron.
-
Honey
Honey is an invert sugar formed by
enzymatic activity from nectar. It is a combination of fructose, sucrose,
glucose and maltose. It does contain trace amounts of vitamins and minerals and
is believed as alternative medicine for certain disease.
However, it is a high glycemic sweetener
(commercial blends of honey was reported to have GI value of 58 to 69), which
should be avoided by those who have diabetes.
-
Stevia
Stevia as sweetener was made from
the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana. This herb has been used as sweetening agent in
South America for centuries.
Stevia has few or no calories and
200-350 sweeter than common sugar. The glycemic index of stevia is zero because
it can’t be absorbed by intestines.
The FDA has not approved stevia in
its whole-leaf or refined forms because it may be risky to kidney, heart and
reproductive systems.
-
Coconut Sugar
Coconut sugar was made from coconut
sap that is tapped from certain part of coconut flower. The sap is then
evaporated to remove the moisture content. The end result is coconut syrup
which can be molded to make blocked coconut sugar. It can also be crystallized
or remained in its liquid form (this product is also known as coconut nectar).
Coconut sugar has some overplus
compared with other sugar replacement;
1. It
has a low glycemic index (35).
2. It’s
rich with nutrients by nature. Many studies have shown that coconut sap
contains vitamin C and B, amino acids as well as essential minerals.
3. It
undergoes very low process (evaporation) without adding preservatives or
bleaching agent.
4. For
some people, it has a great caramel taste.
Coconut sugar has been claimed as
one of the best natural sugar sweeteners that is recommended as sugar
substitutes.
However, there are some points you
should put into consideration when deciding to use this one;
1. Some
manufacturers may blend coconut sugar with common cane sugar. Check the label
and make sure it’s 100% coconut sap.
2. Some
manufacturers may add sodium metabisulfite as preservatives and bleaching agent
to make the appearance better. Nevertheless, the existence of sodium
metabisulfite can be detected by the taste of sugar (little bit salty). Check
the label and do own research on coconut sugar’s supplier or manufacturers.
3. Coconut
sugar is not the same as palm sugar. Palm sugar was made from sap of other
palmae plant like Arenga pinnata or Borassus flabellifer. Palm sugar has
different nutrient contents with coconut sugar.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar