10 Alternatives To Sugar. Part 1

The taste of sweet is one of the most addictive things on the planet and the ability to burn fat is directly related to the avoidance of the white stuff. For those seeking to live the fat loss lifestyle it is imperative to find alternatives to sugar. Many natural and chemical sweeteners exist and have benefits as well as potential risks. Here are ten alternative sweeteners from best to worst based on both research, clinical experience and in some cases my educated, but admittedly biased opinion.

1. Xylitol- pronounced (ZYE-LA-TALL), although it sounds like a chemical this is a completely natural compound present in many fruits. This one is my favorite healthy sugar alternative. The human body actually makes several grams of xylitol per day and uses it in several biochemical reactions. Usually something that is found in nature and made in the body means it is going to be very healthy and have little harmful effect. This sweetener was first used in large amounts in Russia and Finland during sugar shortages in WWII. It is derived from the bark of birch trees or the husks of corn. It comes in the form of granules and can be used 1 for 1 in place of sugar

Xylitol actually has many healthy benefits. It has been shown to inhibit bacterial adherence in the mouth, nose, lungs and ears. Because of these effects it has beneficial effects in decreasing cavities as well as decreasing upper respiratory tract infections especially ear infections in children. Rat studies also show it may have a favorable impact on bone density and muscle mass. In all, this sweetener is not only a good replacement for sugar but also a healthy functional food.

Xylitol is sold under the brand name Xylosweet among others and can be found in most health food stores. Xylitol should be introduced into the diet slowly to avoid digestive discomfort that occurs in some. Clinically I have seen this effect be transient as the body adapts quickly to its ingestion. Most people adjust to this sweetener nicely enjoying the very low calorie (4 calories per teaspoon) and non-insulin promoting action and all the healthy effects. It has the clean sweet taste of sugar with a slightly cooling after taste.

2. Erythritol- pronounced (EE-RITH-RA-TALL). This is another natural sweetener found in small concentrations in fruit. Of the natural sugar alternatives this one has the best taste in my opinion. Like xylitol, it is almost indistinguishable from regular table sugar. It is a zero calorie sweetener and has no effect on insulin. It also has favorable and healthy effects on good bacteria that live in the digestive tract. It is very gentle on the stomach and is about 70% as sweet as sugar. It is sold under the brand names Sweet Simplicity and Zero. It has a very light taste with a slight vanilla aftertaste.

3. Stevia- comes from a South American plant called Stevia Rebaudiana known commonly as sweet leaf. Stevia is made from the leaves of the plant which are about 300 times the sweetness of sugar. The plant has been used in South America for hundreds of years and has been used extensively in other countries like Japan for decades. Stevia has recently been approved for use as a sweetener in the untied states and has earned GRAS status (Generally Recognized as Safe) from the FDA. Cargill has recently launched a sweetener using Rabaudioside one of the sweet compounds in stevia mixed with erythritol. It is sold under the brand name Truvia and is becoming widely available in many Grocers. Stevia has no insulin producing effects, has been used by native cultures to treat diabetes for centuries, and can help the body re-sensitize to the actions of insulin. Very high amounts of the leaf have been shown in some animal studies to lower sperm counts through impacting testosterone. This has not been shown in humans but native cultures reportedly fed the leaves to their husband they thought were being unfaithful lending more credibility to the claim. Clinically I have seen no ill affects from high doses of stevia in my clients.

4. Maltitol- pronounced (MALL-TA-TALL) this is another “sugar alcohol” that is made from the hydrogenation of glucose polymers. It has about 2 calories per gram. It is about 90% as sweet as sugar and has a very safe tract record. Maltitol has not found widespread use because it is a very slowly absorbed substance and therefore can have many uncomfortable digestive effects including gas and laxative action in sensitive people. This can be pronounced in some. We have found upwards of 80% of our clients report some type of digestive upset with this sweetener. It is found in many sugar free hard candies, gummy bears, and chocolates.

5. Splenda (sucralose)- This is the first of the chemical sweeteners we will cover and is reportedly the safest if you trust the FDA. There have supposedly been over 100 studies on this sweetener and almost all of them show it is safe. There is one small study that showed a shrinkage of the thymus gland in rats fed this compound. Since the thymus is an important immune organ this would not be a good thing to have. Although, we have not been able to verify this independently, the story is that splenda was discovered in research on pesticides. It also has very similar chemical structure to many pesticides being that it is a chlorinated sugar molecule. This has led many biochemists and alternative medicine practitioners to be very skeptical of this compound. In my clinical practice I have seen a very high rate of gas, bloating, and other digestive complaints with this compound. This makes sense given much of the research on sucralose shows that much of the compound passes through the digestive system unabsorbed. Sold under the brand name Splenda, this sweetener is by far becoming the most popular alternative sweetener on the market. Although, much of the research says it is safe in my biased opinion people should be a little weary of any molecule resembling a pesticide. Because of this I usually recommend my clients stick to xylitol, erythritol, or stevia and use Splenda in only small amounts.

In part 2 I will discuss several other sweeteners including Aspartame, Agave, and Saccharin.