Artificial Sweeteners and Diabetes

Today artificial sweeteners are present in almost all grocery shops and many people are using them as one of the best substitutes for natural sugar. Not only diabetics but also people who are concerned about their health and weight control are resorting to artificial sweeteners. Various commercial products too are using artificial sweeteners in them to make their food item 'healthy'. Be it 'diet' or 'sugar free' drinks, 'low calorie' cakes and other delicacies which require sugar to attain the desired taste. But not all the 'diet drinks, and 'low calorie' foods are healthy to consume. According to health experts some artificial sweeteners are hazardous for health as they are associated with many side effects. Hence it is essential to know about them before you consume them.

What are Artificial Sweeteners?

It is essential to understand what are artificial sweeteners in order to understand their functioning and role in the human body. Artificial sweeteners are nothing but sugar alcohols that are manufactured in the laboratory. Most of the artificial sweeteners are made from fruits, vegetables, and sugar itself which are processed to reduce the carbohydrate content in the sugar that increases the blood sugar levels. Some artificial sugars are known as reduced calorie sweeteners, wherein they contain carbohydrate sugar but in lesser amount which adds fewer calories to the body. Whereas, others are zero calorie or extremely low calorie which add negligible amount of sweeteners to the body.

The regular sugar contains carbohydrates that after consumption increase the blood sugar level of a person. But, artificial sugars contain low or no calories which makes them an ideal choice to be consumed by diabetic people. But excessive intake of artificial sweeteners is reported to have many side effects, such as, gastrointestinal problems, skin infections, breathing difficulties, palpitations, muscle pain, anxiety, depression, and mood swings, etc. But there are few products that are certified as safe by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and these products could be consumed by diabetics but again in moderate amounts. To know more about these products, read further.

Commercial Artificial Sweeteners

Saccharine Containing Sweeteners: Saccharine is a zero calorie artificial sweetener that is around 300 times sweeter that the regular sugar. Some commercial sweeteners such as, Sweet' N Low, Sugar Twin, and Sweet Twin contains saccharine which can be used in hot as well cold foods. But it is advisable for pregnant and lactating mothers to not to consume this sweetener as it can be hazardous for the fetus and the baby.

Aspartame Containing Sweeteners: This type of artificial sweeteners contains around 4 calories and is 180 times sweeter than the usual sugar. Equal and NutraSweet are two of the popular brands that use Aspartame as core ingredient of their product. This sweetener cannot be used in extremely hot recipes as it loses the taste but it is best suited for cold and warmer foods.

Sucralose: Sucralose is used in Splenda artificial sweetener which is 600 times sweeter than the regular sugar. This sweetener is widely used in cooking and baking various delicacies as it is known to give the desired taste in both hot and cold foods.

Apart from this, Sweet One, Swiss Sweet, and Sunnett are some of the commercial artificial sweeteners that contain acesulfame potassium or acesulfame K which can be consumed safely by humans, especially, those who are diabetic.

But remember to keep the intake of such artificial sweeteners to the minimum due to reported cases of side effects of artificial sweeteners. Diabetic patients may use these sweeteners to have wider options in foods but not in high amounts. Because, some diabetics are reported to have increased blood sugar levels after using artificial sweeteners though scientists are still researching for the cause for the same. According to a few health experts the reason for this increase in blood sugar may relate to the overall excessive consumption of food by diabetics. So, it is not the artificial sweetener but the extra food that contributes to the problem. Therefore, the diabetics should consume such sweeteners in moderation to enjoy food and maintain good health.