With rampant rumors floating around stating that ‘fake’ sugar will kill you or that all-natural agave syrup will help you lose weight, sugar–and its substitutes–can become a surprisingly confusing topic. Now that New Year’s Resolutions are in full swing, January is prime weight-loss season for many people in the United States. The number of nation-wide gym memberships typically increases dramatically, and lamentations about “shedding that holiday weight” pour out of many mouths into aggravated ears.
However, recent studies suggest that weight loss is more significantly influenced by a person’s diet than the amount of exercise they do. With that in mind, the “evils” of sugar are prevalent in the media, and sugar substitutes are heavily advertised. However, the huge variety of faux sugar choices can be bewildering and overwhelming, and for many people, choosing a sweetener could end up being the result of clever marketing rather than making an informed choice based on the nutritional value of a product.
Sugar substitutes such as aspartame and Splenda are the most commonly used in the food industry today. Both sweeteners are used in popular sodas like Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi, and are also present in many foods, including sugar-free gum and sugar-free jams. Scientifically speaking, aspartame is composed of two amino acids. And, while amino acids are considered the building blocks of protein, aspartame is far from being nutritionally similar to protein. Splenda is made of sucralose, which is the end-result of treating sugar with various chemicals (yikes!). Sucralose can’t be absorbed by the body, which is what makes it calorie-free.
The media constantly spreads rumors warning consumers of the danger of sugar substitutes. However, despite rumors of aspartame being extremely unhealthy and even deadly to humans, there have been many studies disproving this. In a study published by the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers studied the effects of sugar on the behavior of children. They concluded that aspartame “did not adversely affect the behavior or cognitive functioning of children.” While drinking diet soda does reduce a person’s calorie intake, it’s not encouraged by scientists for folks trying to lose weight. Artificial sugar increases the body’s general tolerance for sugar, as it’s about 180-200 times sweeter than sucrose. As a result, the body begins to crave sweeter foods, which tend to be higher in calories.
The latest sugar-replacement to hit the market is agave syrup, also known as agave nectar. It may sound familiar to you–probably because it’s made from the same plant that tequila is derived from (admit it, you borrachos). Agave nectar is primarily natural, unlike sugar substitutes, but it does contain calories. The main selling point of agave nectar, besides its nutritional value, is that it’s said to have a low glycemic index–meaning it has a steady influence on blood sugar levels. According to the glycemic index theory for weight loss, foods with high glycemic indexes should be avoided because they cause a rapid blood sugar spike when consumed, making you hungrier and likely causing you to eat more. Agave nectar’s low glycemic index plops it in the same category as foods like fruit and tubers (modified plant structures that store nutrients in plant stems or roots). It also lacks the bitter aftertaste that some sugar substitutes have, but contains the calories that sugar substitutes do not.
The food industry is always coming out with new food trends, and sugar substitutes are here to stay. Perhaps, at least, you can now feel somewhat comforted that you probably won’t die from drinking diet soda (no promises–everything in moderation, people!). Choosing which sugar or sweetener to use, however, might lead to extreme irritation and anxiety, so…good luck with that.
Photo by ZisBoomBah.
