What’s the first thing we learn as children? Our ABC’s. So, we thought it would be a fun idea to do the ABC’s of keto! This blog series will look at some of the main ideas and the not-so-main ideas of keto as we work our way through the alphabet. The first one in our series is: A is for artificial sweeteners.
The Difference between Artificial Sweeteners and Natural
Artificial sweeteners are synthetically created to substitute sweetness into our foods and drinks. The most common artificial sweeteners include aspartame (aka NutraSweet, Equal, Sugar Twin), sucralose (aka Splenda), and Sacchari (aka Sweet ‘N Low). These chemically produced sweeteners are intensely sweet, so you don’t need much of it in order to get the same level of taste as table sugar.
Natural sweeteners are those that are from a natural source. This doesn’t mean they are completely natural though. Most natural sweeteners still go through a refining and/or extracting process. When you think of things like maple syrup or table sugar, they come from natural sources, but they are also highly processed before we buy them.
The Pros and Cons of Artificial Sweeteners
There are a lot of pros with artificial sweeteners. The biggest advantage is that the product is incredibly sweet (like 600 times sweeter than table sugar) so you don’t need much of it. That means little to no calories added to a food or drink, and that’s good for the waistline. People who have issues with obesity often turn to artificial sweeteners in order to keep their calories low and lose weight. In fact, some studies have shown that using these sweeteners actual decreases hunger and calorie intake.
They also don’t raise blood sugar levels, so they are a go-to for people with diabetes or at risk of diabetes. They don’t contribute to tooth decay either, so that’s a huge pro for parents who don’t want to pay for fillings.
On the negative side is the fact that you are taking in chemicals. But, as Bill noted in his blog on aspartame, we take in chemicals all the time. Many of our foods, when they aren’t fresh or whole foods, have preservatives and chemicals to hold it together. And, that’s not counting the chemicals used in the packaging of our foods. So, really, a diet Coke probably isn’t going to do you any more harm than another chemically filled snack.
Myths Around Artificial Sweeteners
There are a lot of articles out there that say artificial sweeteners can cause headaches, depression, seizures, and even cancer. These have been pretty much debunked as myths. Some people may be sensitive to them, but most of us can eat and drink them without any concerns. The one thing that can arise is stomach issues, especially if you eat too much of them.
The In Between Sweeteners
So, as keto people, we don’t eat natural sweeteners like table sugar, honey, or maple syrup. They have way too many carbs, not to mention calories attached to them. But, Bill and I also don’t eat a lot of aspartame or sucralose either. What do we do? We certainly don’t go without any sweetness in our lives.
We use erythritol, monk fruit, and stevia to sweeten our foods. Because the FDA doesn’t limit the amount of processing in a “natural” sweetener, they are officially seen as natural. But, lets face it, they are far from the naturally occurring original package.
Erythritol occurs naturally in some fermented fruits, cheeses and vegetables. It’s made when a certain type of yeast ferments the glucose from corn or wheat starch. So, it’s officially from a natural source, but it’s highly processed. The sweetener from monk fruit is also extracted from the fruit into a liquid and powdered form. Stevia is from the leaves of the stevia plant – again processed to get out the sweetness.
A Final Word
What the research tells us is that sweeteners – artificial, natural, or anywhere in between, are best used in moderation. We’ve been having one can of soda sweetened with aspartame once a day, and that’s plenty. If we decide we need to switch things up a bit to get back to losing weight or if we start feeling a bit under the weather, that’s the first thing to go. Sugars are not necessary for our diet. They don’t add anything except pleasure to our lives. So, tread lightly with the artificial sweeteners. Your body will thank you for it.
Wendy
