It is customary to say that diabetic patients should not eat sweets like jaggery, black sugar, white sugar and sweets made from them. You’ve heard them talk while drinking coffee/tea, ‘It’s low in sugar, let’s put a ‘Sugarine’ tablet or two ‘Sugar Free’…’ What are these artificial sweeteners? What are the advantages and disadvantages of these?
‘Artificial Sweeteners’
‘Artificial sweeteners’ are artificial sweeteners that help sweeten the food we eat. Alternatives to sugar from natural sources include; They have a sweeter taste than sugar. Since they provide less caloric energy than white sugar, they do not raise blood sugar as much.
How did they find out?
Saccharin is a popular artificial sweetener. It was discovered by accident. Fahlberg was investigating the presence of adulteration in white sugar imported into the United States. It is the research on ‘Coal tar’. Once in 1878 he ate a piece of bread without washing his hands.
It was sweeter than usual. He snapped his fingers in surprise. Fingers are also sweet. Surprised. He rushed to the examination hall. All the glass flasks, plates and accessories he used for research that day had a salt attached to them. He tasted it. Everything is too sweet. He examined the crystal. It was a chemical called ‘Benzoic sulfimide’.
How did it come about? A person who boils an acid on the first day forgets to stop it. It continued to boil and dissolve, mixing with the other two chemicals on the table and transforming into a new substance. That was what was written on the table.
He prepared it separately and sold it under the name ‘Saccharine’. During the two world wars sugar was in short supply and ‘saccharin’ was used as a substitute; Subsequently, it received overwhelming response from the people.
Artificial sweeteners in circulation
Saccharin, Aspartame, Sucralose, Acesulfame, Levulose, Stevioside.
Can diabetics use it?
In the early days of the invention of artificial sweeteners, there was a perception that they were ‘good for diabetics’. Therefore, it was suggested that diabetics who were worried about not being able to eat anything sweet, could add artificial sweeteners to their food and drinks. But little by little they started to warn us that ‘exceeding the amount will lead to nectar’. Thus, this opinion has now changed.
Importantly, artificial sweeteners are not only found in beverages like coffee/tea/milk; More than 6,000 food items, soft/cola drinks, candy sold in the global market. All cookies, candies including chocolate, ice cream, sufari pakku, panmasala, chewing gum, medicines etc. are mixed in.
Due to the fact that they started eating too much of these food items, diabetes and the accompanying obesity problem are now on the rise. Therefore, the World Health Organization has suggested that caution is necessary when using artificial sweeteners alone or when eating foods prepared with them.
Cancer risk
The artificial sweetener ‘Cyclamate’ was first found to cause cancer in the world, so it was banned. Later, studies in mice confirmed the cancer risk associated with long-term sugar consumption.
Doctors have warned that this danger can also come to humans. However, it is still not banned. Similarly, some studies have shown that men who used aspartame were more likely to develop leukemia and cancers of the lymph glands.
A safe sweetener
So far the one that hasn’t been a problem is the ‘stevioside’ sweetener. The reason is that it is a natural sweetener made by purifying the leaves of the South American plant called ‘Stevia rebaudiana’; 150 times sweeter than sugar. However, it does not contain any sugar content. It does not provide caloric energy; Does not raise blood sugar.
Its side effects are not yet known. Therefore, it is safe not only for diabetics but also for everyone’s health. After eating the sweet stuff in it, the mouth and tongue will sting a little. This is its only drawback.
Natural sweets
Doctors recommend unadulterated natural honey as an alternative to white sugar. The reason is that it not only contains sweet starch, but also vitamins such as niacin, riboflavin, pyridoxine, iron, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes that are necessary for our health.
Next, honey has a sweeter taste compared to white sugar. However, its calorie content is less than that. One tablespoon (15 ml) of honey provides 64 calories; White sugar provides 80 calories.
White sugar is nothing but sweet. 50% glucose; 50% fructose. 50% glucose in honey; 30% fructose. Others are already mentioned nutrients. Because of this, honey has a lower glycemic index than white sugar.
Diabetics can control their blood sugar better by adding half a teaspoon of honey instead of a tablespoon (5 ml) of white sugar. At the same time, do not eat honey with added sugar. If you eat like that, your blood sugar will rise.