How healthy are sugar substitutes

?
Most people are aware that they consume too much sugar. This awareness
is also confirmed by the WHO, which recommends a maximum intake of 50g of sugar per day
to avoid weight gain. Unfortunately, the reality is different.
According to statistics, in 2022, every German consumed about 140g of sugar
daily, almost three times the recommended amount.
How many sugar cubes correspond to 50g of loose sugar?
The amount recommended by the WHO corresponds to approximately 14 sugar cubes. To give you
an idea of the amount of sugar contained in foods, here is a
short excerpt from the "Sugar List":
● Jam: 25g (2 teaspoons) = 5 sugar cubes
● Nut-nougat spread 40g (3 teaspoons) = 6 sugar cubes
● Coca Cola 330 ml = 12 sugar cubes
● Lemonade 330 ml = 13 sugar cubes
● Iced tea 200 ml = about 6 sugar cubes
● Fruit yogurt 3.5%, 150g = 6 sugar cubes
● Gummy bears (300g bag) = 78 sugar cubes
● Licorice, 75g = 15 sugar cubes
Why is high sugar consumption unhealthy?
Table sugar is a highly processed food. It contains neither nutrients nor
fiber, vitamins or minerals, but consists almost exclusively of
carbohydrates. This gives it a high energy content. Excessive
sugar consumption therefore promotes weight gain. According to the Federal Statistical Office,
in 2019, 54% of all Germans were already overweight.
Another reason is the blood sugar level, which rises sharply with the intake of sugar.
The pancreas has to produce insulin to break it down. If the
blood sugar level remains high, the pancreas eventually becomes overwhelmed and
can no longer produce enough insulin. Permanently elevated blood sugar levels lead to
diabetes and a range of secondary diseases, including circulatory disorders,
pathological changes in blood vessels, dementia, and others. In addition, there are the
health problems caused by obesity.
It should also not be forgotten that too much sugar is bad for
dental health.
Is there also healthy sugar?
Yes, in comparison to table sugar, fruit sugar does not have any of the negative consequences described above.
Fruit sugar or fructose is sugar that occurs naturally
in certain types of fruit and vegetables, for example in apples, pears,
mangoes, bananas, corn, or peas. Apart from honey, these were previously the only
natural sources of sugar available to humans.
Are sugar substitutes healthier?
This question cannot be answered generally. It depends on which
sugar substitutes are involved and in what quantities they are consumed.
In principle, sugar substitutes are lower in calories than sugar and do not harm the teeth.
In the EU, 8 artificially produced sugar substitutes are approved:
● Sorbitol
● Xylitol
● Isomalt
● Mannitol
● Maltitol
● Lactitol
● Erythritol
● Polyglycitol syrup
In addition, there are sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame-K, or the natural
sweetener stevia, which originally comes from Paraguay. Furthermore, fructose is added to many
foods, although it is industrially produced. Some of these
substances only taste sweet, others sweet and bitter at the same time, for example saccharin.
Do sugar substitutes also have disadvantages?
If consumed in larger quantities, they can cause flatulence, gastrointestinal
discomfort, or diarrhea. Fructose in particular has further
harmful effects. The body does not process fruit sugar in the pancreas,
but in the liver. There it is converted into glucose and fat. This promotes the
formation of a fatty liver. In addition, the body does not produce
insulin when consuming fruit sugar, which is responsible for satiety. This can tempt
one to eat more.
Low-sugar diet - a healthy alternative
Instead of resorting to sugar substitutes or sweeteners,
reducing sugar consumption is the better alternative. You can achieve this through a series of measures
that are relatively easy to implement:
● Largely avoiding ready meals and fast food, as these contain a lot of sugar.
● Eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, but fruit with a lot of sugar, for example
grapes and bananas, only in moderation.
● Avoiding industrially produced fruit juices, iced tea, cola, lemonades, and soft drinks as much as possible.
● The same applies to sweets, cakes, pies, pastries, and snacks