Please read the article I found here: http://www.healthylife-healthyplanet.com/artificial-sweeteners.html
When I was considering what I wanted to say in this blog post about sweeteners, I found this article and amazingly, it said EXACTLY what I wanted to say to you. Read it please. It is short and "sweet".
Our bodies don't know how to process chemicals when we ingest them. Period. They have to be processed out of the cells of the body through the body's intricate self-cleansing system (think liver, kidneys, bloodstream, lymphatic system). Those that can't be filtered out of the body get sequestered in fat cells as a means of safe storage. Have you ever known someone that drinks lots of diet soda, eats lots of low-fat and sugar substituted foods but still seems unable to significantly lose weight? There is a reason for that. At the end of this blog you will find a list of artificial sweeteners to avoid when looking at food labels. My reference: http://supersweetblog.wordpress.com/list-of-artificial-sweeteners/
I want to take a moment to address High Fructose Corn Syrup, also known as Corn Syrup. This cheap sweetener is also now in many, many processed foods. Derived from corn, it appears that it is "natural" but in reality it is a highly processed food. There is a lot of controversy surrounding HFCS, whether it is acceptable as a food source or not. I won't try to play chemist here and explain why I think it is harmful to our health but I will tell you it's use has been on the rise for 40 years and the obesity rate has also been on the rise. I will let you read this article if you want some scientific research done by Princeton University: https://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/ There is also growing concern that HFCS has adverse effects on brain function, especially in growing children (who probably consume more of it than the average adult).
So how do you make food that tastes like "Ambrosia of the Gods"? Well I use honey, pure maple syrup (the kind that only lists maple syrup in the ingredients list), and occasionally reach for Agave or Cane Sugar. The later two are processed sweeteners as well so I try to limit the use of those.
One of the best sweeteners I have found comes from a plant called Stevia. It is a perennial plant in the south but here in Iowa it will not live through the winters outside. The leaves can be dried and crushed and produce a very sweet flavor. To equal one cup of sugar in a recipe, you only need 1 - 3 teaspoons of dried Stevia leaf. It has zero calories and truly is the BEST NATURAL SWEETENER I have found. I have started a flat of Stevia seeds in my little greenhouse and hope to have many plants growing by next summer. They are sure to love the Iowa summers on my deck and I can harvest enough leaves to sweeten all my recipes with them. Here is a picture of baby Stevia plants I am growing. You can also buy pure Stevia at most health food stores.
So here again, there is good, better, and best. There are many choices for us to make personally that fit in our lifestyle and our desire for health. Don't let the journey to healthier eating get you down. Take on the challenge and make small baby steps. Stay informed and read labels. Stay tuned for more information here. Ask questions.
Here is the list of artificial sweeteners to watch for in the food and drinks you consume:
| Name of Sweetener | |
| Sorbitol | |
| Mannitol | |
| Glycerol | |
| Acesulfame potassium (k) | |
| Aspartame | |
| Cyclamate | |
| Isomalt | |
| Saccharin | |
| Sucralose | |
| Alitame | |
| Thaumatin | |
| Neohesperidine dihydrochalcone | |
| Aspartame-acesulfame salt | |
| Maltitol | |
| Lactitol | |
| Xylitol | |
| Erythritol |
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