Unsweet Advice: What About These Alternatives To Sugar?

Question:
What are your thoughts and how far away do you stay from the “Dirty Dozen” and do you use any of the recommended sweets?  (I tried the brown rice syrup, and that was another thing I couldn’t get used to)     
The Dirty Dozen:
1.  Dextrose
2.  Fructose
3.  Sucrose
4.  Maltose
5.  Corn syrup
6.  High fructose corn syrup
7.  Malt syrup
8.  Honey
9.  Molasses
10.  Maple syrup
11.  Modified food starch
12.  Corn starch
Alternatives might include fruit, evaporated cane juice, brown rice syrup, aguava nectar, or natural and less refined sweeteners such as Sucanat and stevia.

Answer:

Most sugar alternatives are simply other forms of sugar with a slightly different chemical make up. Here are my personal feelings about the following forms of sugar. Opinions (and reactions) vary.

1.  Dextrose - Occurs naturally. I avoid if added.

2.  Fructose - same as above.

3.  Sucrose - Same as above.

4.  Maltose - Same as above.

5.  Corn syrup - Prefer to avoid it.

6.  High fructose corn syrup - Absolutely avoid.

7.  Malt syrup - I avoid it.

8.  Honey - Effects your blood levels. I use sparingly. As a natural alternative it is preferred over chemical sweeteners. Still, I eat very little honey in the course of a year, and all from baking.

9.  Molasses - Same as above. Some folks like to use it for cooking. I avoid it.

10.  Maple syrup - Same as above. I’ll have it once in a while during breakfast. It will effect your blood sugar.

11.  Modified food starch - Sometimes it can’t be avoided easily because it is in so many things, especially if you go out to eat.

12.  Corn starch - Same as above.

The other alternatives you mentioned:

Fruit - I love fruit and eat it daily. What a wonderful and natural treat.

Evaporated cane juice - I avoid this completely. It will kick your butt and most certainly changes your blood sugar levels.

Brown rice syrup - Avoid.

Agave nectar - I haven’t used it but hear good things about it. Worth trying.

Natural and less refined sweeteners such as Sucanat and Stevia - I have not tried Sucanat. It’s still sugar, just not so refined, so I’d generally avoid it. I’m looking to try Stevia as I only hear good things about it. At the time of this writing, the US FDA is reviewing Stevia as a sweetener and many food and beverage companies have already invested millions of dollars into using Stevia to sweeten their food and drink products. Stevia has been extensively tested over the past ten years and apparently has many positive health benefits. 

Remember, everyone is different and we all react differently to the different types of sugar. For a complete run-down of what’s right for you, consult a doctor or nutritionist. If you’re in good health, you might try eating foods containing these sugars and see how you feel. Journal about your experience.

The Tree of Unsweetness

A tree starts with a seed. Under the right conditions, a seed will grow into a seedling. The seedling grows into a sapling. A sapling grows into a small tree. A small tree grows into a mature tree. It doesn’t happen overnight.

When you stop being sweet, it’s like growing a tree. You get the seed of an idea first. Then you start to implement your idea by taking action. Under the right conditions, you make it through each step, one step at a time. And it doesn’t happen overnight.

Even if you decide to quit sugar cold turkey, it will still take time to be good at it. Eating well is a skill. Some people were taught that skill from when they were kids. Other people must teach themselves.

Have you quit sugar? Quitting implies giving something up. To stop being sweet means to no longer be the way you used to be. It means taking responsibility for yourself. It means you are changing and growing. And that takes time.

It all starts with a seed. That seed has been planted in your mind now. Will you nurture it and help it grow? It’s all up to you.

Video: What’s Going On In My Sugar Addicted Body?

In the following video, Natalie explains what’s going on when you eat and become dependent on sugar.

Visit Natalie’s website: NutritionNatalie.com

Video: Sugar Alternatives Explained

Joseph Strickland gives an overview of some of the different types of alternative sweeteners on the market as well as explaining their uses and repercussions.

Visit Nutrition Austin’s website: NutritionAustin.com

Ready for a “Healthy” New Coke?

Word around sweet-town is that the US FDA is gearing up to give Stevia GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status soon. If this happens, soda and all kinds of sweets will start selling with Stevia-based sweeteners. Cocoa Cola has already begun cutting deals with a Stevia supplier in China.

I sometimes wonder how much the big companies influence the FDA which has passed on giving Stevia GRAS status thus far. In the meantime, sugary foods continue to sell and the large companies have been getting their supply chains in place. Once ready, they’ll push for approval and most certainly get it. Suddenly they’ll be telling us, “Sugar was no good for you and you knew that. Now we use Stevia-based healthy sweeteners.”

As for me, I’m going to keep avoiding soda altogether.