Artificial Sweeteners 

Artificial sweeteners scare me. I use stevia in my tea and when I need to use a sweetener for baking, I use Rapadura which is raw dehydrated cane syrup. It has the nutrients of the plant still in it. I don't believe that any of the artificial sweeteners are safe to use and it breaks my heart to see people excited about Splenda, touting it as "natural" because it's one molecule removed from sugar...but isn't ozone one molecule away from oxygen?

The Toxic Truth About Artificial Sweeteners
By Corie Goodson

The problem with sugar is that it doesn’t contain any nutrients so when you consume too much you crowd out room for healthier foods. In fact, it is estimated that on average, Americans consume over 200 pounds of refined sugar annually. On the other side of the coin you have artificial sweeteners which are getting more negative press as adverse health effects begin to emerge.

What’s the big deal? Well, decades ago it was found that saccharin may cause cancer and was taken out of products and off the shelves. Next, enter aspartame or Nutrasweet as it is commonly referred to. The FDA said it was the recommended alternative and put it in all sugar free products. It wasn’t very long before women in particular started complaining of heart palpitations and headaches as a result of ingesting aspartame in their usual products. Later it was discovered that due to a chemical reaction in the body, aspartame turns into a neurotoxin (one that affects the brain and nervous system). It is now believed to mimic symptoms of Alzheimers, MS, Parkinsons and a host of other neurological diseases. While it hasn’t been taken off the market, there is yet another contender, Splenda.

Splenda’s claim to fame is that it is a healthy alternative to other artificial sweeteners because it is made from sugar. Yes, Splenda is manufactured from sugar molecules but in order for them to be converted to Splenda they have to use a process whereby they chlorinate them. Hello, I said chlorinate! We know chlorine is a known carcinogen and shouldn’t be consumed in any amount. Since Splenda has only been on the market for a short time, there is no way of knowing whether it will cause harmful side effects. If history is any indication, I wouldn’t be so quick to be the guinea pig for such a study. I’ll admit, it is confusing even for those of us in the health profession. There is so much conflicting information and false advertising being bombarded on us all the time that it is just too difficult to keep up on all the latest information.

What about sugar alcohol? Sugar alcohol usually ends in “tol” on labels. Mannitol is one example. These can be an acceptable alternative in very small amounts as they do not affect blood sugar as much as the real thing, but too much will cause gastric distress, bloating, cramps and diarrhea. You will find sugar alcohol in many of the low carb candies and chocolates on the market as well as products made for diabetics. This is one time when portion size really needs to be adhered to as not paying attention could cause some not so pleasant side effects. Your best bet is to minimize refined sugar rather than substitute it with anything artificial.

Health tip: Try using fruit juice or Stevia to sweeten things instead. In fact, applesauce is a great substitute for sugar and oil in baked goods.

Corie Goodson is a health educator and speaker, freelance writer and author of the book Tween Kwisine: A Road To Better Health. For more information log onto: http://www.happydogpublications.com Source: http://EzineArticles.com/