Safe sweeteners versus artificial (plus a link to chocolate cake)

 Most of us love a sweet treat. Me too! Sweets in and of themselves are not "bad" or wrong. Some diets will tell you to just not eat anything sweet. I disagree with that. You can make several great decisions when dealing with a sweet tooth. It's true that the healthier you eat, and the more active you are, the less of a sweet tooth you will have. It's also true that some sweeteners are dangerous and can cause weight gain, memory problems, stroke and cancer, so I'll talk about a couple of sweeteners that are important to avoid. 

Speaking of a sweet tooth.....

....in case chocolate cake sounds good- here's a recipe with stevia

Ok now I feel like I need to make chocolate cake. Again. 

And like I said, it's not always a bad thing. 

The key is to stick with natural sweeteners and as close to whole foods as possible. Here are a few sweeteners that are safe. 

Stevia. 

Stevia is a plant leaf that that's actually been used, to some extent, to help regulate blood sugar. The really cool thing is- it's sweet! So it makes a great alternative to sugar, especially for diabetics or anyone struggling with weight gain. It's a little bit sweeter than sugar though, so be careful how much you add to tea or coffee. A little bit goes a long way. It can help reglulate blood sugar and may help with memory and weight loss. 

Erythritol.

Erythritol is a safe sugar alcohol.  It's naturally found in stratberries and the bark of the birch tree. Sometimes the products on the shelf are using erythritol that's derived from corn, but it's usually non GMO and doesn't have any corn in it. If you have an anaphylactic reaction to corn don't try this one, but other than that it's safe and effective. The erythritol products I've seen at stores are usually a 1:1 ratio with sugar for baking and adding to warm drinks. Erythritol can be helpful for tooth health. If you can find gum made with erythritol it's great for helping teeth remineralize, even after small cavities. 

Monk fruit extract. 

Monk fruit is a newer sweetener to me, but everything I've read says it's low glycemic and safe. It tends to have less aftertaste. I tried it and it's delicious. 

Honey. 

Honey is a fine sweetener. It does have sugar, so you want to be careful with how much you use, but it's definitely safe in moderation. Not for babies. The benefits, though, could be that if it's from local bees it may help with allergies. 

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Anyway....here are the sweeteners I stay far away from. It would be a good idea to read all labels on drink mixes, soft drinks, energy drinks, "sugar free" sweets, ice creams, etc, so you can avoid these. 

Sucralose. (just say NO!!)

Sucralose is Splenda. It's a chemical sweetener, so your liver works over time to detox what you consume. So, I'd call it toxic. It's not directly related to cancer (so not the MOST toxic), but my thought would be that it eventually could cause it. All chemicals will gum up natural processes and have potential to cause cancer. Also, it's shown in studies that it may hurt your gut. Sucralose is a cheap alternative to the natural sweeteners, and most people aren't aware of it. Food manufacturers can put "sugar free" on the label and that's become a real marketing strategy as more people are getting diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. You would be MUCH better off having a little bit of real sugar. 

Aspartame. (the WORST)

This sweetener is associated with increased cancer risk, so I'd definitely recommend avoiding it. It's in diet sodas, and diet sodas are associated with an increased risk of stroke. Yikes! This one is so scary. It's also not good for your gut or liver....or any part of you. Also, any chemical (yes, this one is a chemical too), can cause weight gain, memory issues and loss of focus, so if you are a diet soda drinker and feeling foggy and gaining weight...stry switching to a naturally sweetened soda. It's still low sugar. I like Zevia. I get it at Sprouts or HEB. All of the flavors are naturally sweetened with stevia. 

Ok, so the very BEST sweetener out there is just eating a piece of fruit. It's got antioxidants, fiber, hydration, natural sugars to support optimal gut health, and let's just face it. Fruit is litterally the most delicous sweet treat you could ever have. Cherry cobbler, apple pie and blueberry crumble....they would be nothing without the fruit that they contain. Right?

So just skip heating up the house and go grab an apple, a few grapes, or a handful of blueberries. If you have a hard time making good nutrition decisions, and you think you may need support, I'd be happy to help. I'm a certified holistic nutritionist and I'm currently taking new clients. Leave a comment here or find me on my free facebook group and message me there. 

You can beat your sweet tooth, and natural sweeteners can help! Stay strong friends!