Scientific research
has shown that all carbohydrates will eventually be turned to sugar
when processed by the human body. In fact, the American Diabetic
Association (ADA) states that for each gram of carbohydrate a
diabetic consumes blood sugars may rise 3 to 5 points. This is the
primary reason that the ADA promotes the theory of blood sugar
management and weight loss through the practice of 'carb counting'.
By reducing the amount of carbohydrates you consume you can
effectively lower your blood sugar to some extent without the use of
medications. This is one of the primary reasons that 'no-calorie' and
'low-calorie' sweeteners were developed.
Like myself, many
diabetics turn to no-calorie or low-calorie sweeteners as a way to
cut down on their sugar intake in order to help lower their blood
sugars and be more compliant with their doctor's wishes. If you
search the internet, you will find a wide variety of sugar
substitutes. Prices for these sugar substitutes can vary quite a bit
as well, with some being quite expensive. What I am going to discuss
in this article is the most common types of sugar substitutes that
you will find on your local supermarket shelves, Sweet & Low,
Equal, Splenda, Truvia, and Stevia In The Raw. These are the sugar
substitutes that most diabetics turn to when they are told to cut
back on their sugar intake by their physician and or diabetic
educator. First, however we are going to look at the glycemic index
and how it was created as it is often used to rank sugar substitutes
as well as other foods.
The Glycemic Index
(GI)
In the mid 1980's
Dr. David Jenkins and his colleagues at the University of Toronto
began to experiment with the concept that certain foods had slower
digestion and absorption rates which usually lead to lower insulin
levels. While in general this concept is true, it is not always the
case. Over time they developed a method of comparing various foods
using glucose as the gold standard (which they rated as 100) to
determine how it effects insulin production and blood sugars levels
in the blood stream after the consumption of food which they called
the glycemic index.
According to the
ADA, “The glycemic index (GI)
is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to
the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods
with a high GI are those which are rapidly digested and absorbed and
result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low-GI foods, by
virtue of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises
in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for
health. Low GI diets have been shown to improve both glucose and
lipid levels in people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2). They have
benefits for weight control because they help control appetite and
delay hunger. Low GI diets also reduce insulin levels and insulin
resistance”.
When
it comes to artificial sweeteners and the glycemic index, there are a
few variables that have to be taken into consideration. Many of the
zero-calorie or low-calorie sweeteners that most of us find on our
supermarket shelves indicate that they have a low glycemic index, but
they still contain ingredients
(dextrose – GI 100, maltdextrin- 110) that have carbohydrates
and are high on the
glycemic index. So
what we find is that the
glycemic index for sugar
substitutes is a
function of three things: 1)
the amount of
carbohydrate present, 2)
the type of
carbohydrate present, and
3) the presence of
other substances such
as soluble fiber
that slow metabolism of carbohydrates. In
many respects, we have to take the manufacturers word for it. Kinda
scary I know. Anyway, let's look at the sweeteners most of use are
familiar with and find readily available on our supermarket shelves.
Sweet'n Low Low
Calorie Sweetener
First introduced in
1957, Sweet'n Low was one of the first commercially produced sugar
substitutes mass marketed in the United States. Sweet'n Low gets it
primary sweetness from granulated saccharin, but it also contains
some dextrose. Diabetics have been using the “pink stuff” as many
call it because of it's pink packaging for years. In 1977, research
in laboratory rats indicated that saccharin caused cancer, but this
research was later determined to be faulty. Having said that, Sweet'n
Low has over time has lost market share and is rapidly becoming
replaced by other sugar substitutes such as Equal, Splenda, and now
Stevia extracts. You can however still find it in just about every
restaurant table, and it still has a large presence on local
supermarket shelves. According to the company website, 3 packets of
Sweet'n Low is 1 tablespoon, and while it has no calories, each
packet contains 1 gram of carbohydrates.
Sweet'n Low
(saccharin, dextrose)
1 Tablespoon –
Calories 0, fat 0 grams, protein 0 grams, carbohydrates 3 grams
While saccharin is
listed as having a GI of 0, it does contain dextrose as a bulking
agent. Whether the calories come from the dextrose or the actual
saccharin itself is unknown, but we do know that Sweet'n Low contains
dextrose as one of it's ingredients. So while Sweet'n Low contains no
calories, it does contain 3 grams of carbohydrates. Quite a bit less
than granulated table sugar, but still 1 carbohydrate per package, or
three grams per tablespoon.
Equal Low Calorie
Sweetener (aka NutraSweet)
Developed back in
the early 1980's, before there was Splenda, and Stevia, Equal low
calorie sweetener was introduced to America. It quickly became the
number one artificial sweetener used by millions of Americans who
formerly used 'Sweet & Low' low calorie sweetener. Aspartame is
the primary sweetening agent used in Equal. Like many low calorie
sweeteners, dextrose and maltdextrin are added as “bulking agents”
to help dilute the sweetening effect and make it easier to measure.
Equal (dextrose,
maltdextrin and aspartame)
1 Tablespoon –
Calories 39, fat 0 grams, protein 0.3 grams, carbohydrates 9.3 grams
While aspartame has
a GI: 0, it is difficult to determine the actual glycemic index if
Equal as it contains both dextrose and maltdextrin as bulking agents
which have considerably high GI values. What we do know is that Equal
contains 9.3 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon, or 3.1 grams of
carbohydrates per teaspoon. Almost as many calories and carbohydrates
per tablespoon as table sugar (48 calories and 12 grams of
carbohydrates). Not exactly a good low calorie or low carbohydrate
choice when compared to sugar.
Splenda Low Calorie
Sweetener
Splenda contains
sucralose that does have a glycemic index (GI) of 0, but it also
contains maltdextrin which has a glycemic of 105, so is Splenda
really good for diabetics? Well maybe, but in order to answer this
question we have to look at both sucralose and maltdextrin.
Sucralose
1 Tablespoon –
Calories 0, fat 0 grams, protein 0 grams, carbohydrates 0 grams
Maltdextrin
1 Tablespoon –
Calories 45, fat 0 grams, protein 0 grams, carbohydrates 11.43 grams
Splenda (sucroalose
and maltdextrin)
1 Tablespoon –
Calories 6, fat 0 grams, protein 0 grams, carbohydrates 1.5 grams
So how do we know
how much maltdextrin is in Splenda brand sweetener. Well, if 1
tablespoon of sucralose contains 0 calories, and 1 tablespoon of
maltdextrin contains 45 calories, and 1 tablespoon of Splenda
contains 6 calories, then we simply divide 6 by 45 to get the
percentage ( 6 / 45 = 0.133). To check our math, let's multiply 0.133
to the maltdextrin to see what we get.
Calories = 45 x
0.133 = 5.985 or 6
Carbohydrates =
11.43 x 0.133 = 1.52
So we see from
simple math that Splenda low calorie sweetener contains 86.7%
sucralose and 13.3% maltdextrin. So if the glycemic index of
sucralose is 0, then maltdextrin is the sole contributer for the GI
for Splenda. Since we now know that Splenda contains 13.3%
maltdextrin, we can figure the GI for Splenda low calorie brand
sweetener. Based on these calculations, Splenda should have an
overall GI of 14.6 which is considered a low on the glycemic scale.
We figure that by taking the glycemic index of maltdextrin (110) and
multiplying it by 13.3%. (110 x 0.133 = 14.6).
So is Splenda really
good for diabetics? Well, the verdict is out on this one, but as a
diabetic, I use Splenda everyday as part of my low carbohydrate high
fat (LCHF) lifestyle. It is not a zero-calorie sweetener as 1
tablespoon has 6 calories, but it is low carb, as 1 tablespoon only
has 1.5 grams of carbohydrates.
Personal Note: I use
the Great Value Low Calorie Sweetener (Splenda clone) at home. I am
using the name Splenda, but all the information comes from the
package of the Great Value Low Calorie sweetener. I have read that
the use of Splenda will cause your blood sugar to spike, I have not
seen my blood sugars rise significantly with the use of Splenda, in
fact, I have not seen them increase at all but your results however
may vary.
Truvia Zero Calorie
Sweetener
Another popular
zero-calorie sweetener that you will find on your supermarket shelves
which infers that it is Stevia, but it really is not. It is in fact
made of erythritol, rebiana, and natural flavors. I will be honest,
when this was given to me by my parents, I thought it was Stevia, but
surprise it is not, it is mostly erythritol. The following are the
nutritional facts according the to container. Note that on the
nutritional label all of the carbohydrates come from erythritol (3
grams in ¾ teaspoon).
Truvia (erythritol,
rebiana)
¾ Teaspoon –
Calories 0, fat 0 grams, protein 0 grams, carbohydrates 3 grams
So if we do the math
we get the following estimated numbers.
Truvia
1 Teaspoon –
Calories 0, fat 0 grams, protein 0 grams, carbohydrates 4 grams
1 Tablespoon –
Calories 0, fat 0 grams, protein 0 grams, carbohydrates 12 grams
In theory,
erythritol is supposed to have a GI of 0, however 1 teaspoon contains
4 grams of carbohydrates, all derived from erythritol. While it is
true that Truvia is a 'zero calorie' sweetener, as a diabetic and
some one on a LCHF eating plan, I have concerns as to whether
erythritol really has such a low GI, when it has a carbohydrate count
of 4 grams per teaspoon. So yes, Truvia is zero-calorie, but it is
definitely not carbohydrate free.
Stevia In The Raw
Another popular
zero-calorie sweetener that you will find on your supermarket shelves
which includes the name Stevia in it's name. The primary ingredient
however is dextrose. In fact the nutritional label lists the
ingredients as dextrose and Stevia leaf extract in that order. While
rebiana is the part of the Stevia plant that imparts it sweetness, it
is not listed as an ingredient. I have no certain idea what they mean
by 'Stevia leaf extract', but my best guess is that it is rebiana.
The box in which the packets comes in states “Each packet contains
less than 4 calories per serving which the FDA considers dietetically
zero.” According to the company website 1 ½ packets are equal to 1
tablespoon of sugar.
Stevia In The Raw
(dextrose, Stevia leaf extract)
½ Teaspoon –
Calories 0, fat 0 grams, protein 0 grams, carbohydrates < 1 grams
Stevia In The Raw
(dextrose, Stevia leaf extract)
1 Packet –
Calories < 4, fat 0 grams, protein 0 grams, carbohydrates < 1
gram
Stevia In The Raw
(dextrose, Stevia leaf extract)
1 Tablespoon
(estimated) – Calories 11 - 12, fat 0 grams, protein 0 grams,
carbohydrates 2.5 - 3 grams
Using the same math
as we did for Sweet'n Low (3 packets equal the same bulk amount as 1
tablespoon) we are going to estimate the calorie and carbohydrate
content. It should be noted however that the manufacturer states that
Stevia In The Raw is quite a bit sweeter than sugar. Keep in mind
that individual tastes vary. The 'Stevia In The Raw' container lists
< 1 carbohydrates per packet, however, if dextrose is the main
ingredient, and dextrose contains not only calories, but
carbohydrates as well, my concern is to how accurately their claims
are.
Side By Side
Comparison
To make it easier to
examine your sugar substitute options I have listed them all here
side by side so that you can look at the nutritional data you help
with your decision as to which sugar substitute you may want to use
if any. Granulated table sugar is listed first for reference, all the
sugar substitutes are listed alphabetically, i.e. not in any
particular order based on my personal opinions or preferences.
Granulated Table
Sugar
1 Tablespoon –
Calories 48, fat 0 grams, protein 0.3 grams, carbohydrates 12.6 grams
Equal (dextrose,
maltdextrin and aspartame)
1 Tablespoon –
Calories 39, fat 0 grams, protein 0.3 grams, carbohydrates 9.3 grams
Splenda (sucroalose
and maltdextrin)
1 Tablespoon –
Calories 6, fat 0 grams, protein 0 grams, carbohydrates 1.5 grams
Sweet'n Low
1 Tablespoon –
Calories 0, fat 0 grams, protein 0 grams, carbohydrates 3 grams
Stevia In The Raw
(dextrose, Stevia leaf extract)
1 Tablespoon
(estimated) – Calories 11 - 12, fat 0 grams, protein 0 grams,
carbohydrates 2.5 - 3 grams
Truvia (erythritol,
rebiana)
1 Tablespoon –
Calories 0, fat 0 grams, protein 0 grams, carbohydrates 12 grams
I have done my best
to keep this information as accurate and unbiased as possible. The
goal of this article was to help you make the best choice regarding
readily available sugar substitutes available at your local grocery
store that will not destroy your food budget. I am not saying these
are the best alternatives, just the ones that most of use have
available locally.
Are Sugar
Substitutes Safe?
There
are a number of blogs and websites that tout numerous articles
advising you to beware of alleged hidden dangers "artificial
sweeteners" and that you should avoid all of these substances at
all costs. Many of them typically offer lengthy discussions and or
anecdotes to back up their claims, or they quote previous research
that has been determined to have been faulty, and our the results
have not been able to be replicated, or in some cases simply been
proved untrue.
On
their website the Mayo Clinic has this to say about artificial
sweeteners “according to the National Cancer Institute and other
health agencies, there's no sound scientific evidence that any of the
artificial sweeteners approved for use in the U.S. cause cancer or
other serious health problems. And numerous research studies confirm
that artificial sweeteners are generally safe in limited quantities,
even for pregnant women”.
Do
not take my word for it, after all I am just another blogger as well
and I encourage
you to do your own research. However,
when evaluating such claims it should
be noted that numerous
research studies have confirmed that artificial sweeteners are
generally safe sugar substitutes when used in approved limited
quantities. In addition, the
National Cancer Institute as
well as many other health
agencies have concluded that in fact there is no sound scientific
evidence that any of the artificial sweeteners approved for use in
the United States causes
cancer and or
any other
serious health problems.
Conclusion
The bottom line,
most researchers believe that we would all be better off if we could
cut sugar completely out of our diet. The reality of it is that most
of us never will. The focus of this article was not to convince you
that any particular low calorie sweetener is better than the other.
Let's face it, they all have their detractors, rather the goal of
this article was to you give you the necessary information to make an
informed decision about what is best for you and your family.
Just keep in mind that low-calorie or zero-calorie does not mean zero carbohydrates. Truvia has just as many carbohydrates as sugar 12, and Equal has 9.6 carbohydrates. Of all the low-calorie sweeteners, the Great Value Low Calorie (Splenda clone) has the lowest amount of carbohydrates a 1.5 carbs per tablespoon.
I will be honest, I
have been using the Great Value Low Calorie Sweetener (Splenda clone)
for several years after I was first diagnosed with diabetes. It works
for me and I like it, I have tried the others and at this point, I
keep going back to Splenda. I hope you have found this article to be
informative and helpful and if so we ask that you share it with your
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