Fructose - Avoid
Many of a weight loss diet or low carbohydrate diet use
fructose as a sweetener. Fructose goes
straight to your liver for processing and gets converted to glycerol, so whilst
it does not create an immediate spike in insulin, it does create an insulin
spike a few hours later. Fructose raises
triglyceride (cholesterol) levels. Fructose
is naturally found in fruits and some vegetables, but in its natural form, the
naturally occurring fibre in fruits and vegetables slow down the fructose
absorption. However, high fructose corn
syrup, a processed fructose from corn added to many processed foods like fruit
juices, jams, desserts, soft drinks, protein shakes and other commercially
processed food or drinks create huge imbalances in blood sugar levels and can
increase fatty deposits in the liver leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver
disease. Fructose can also create
bloating in patients with gastrointestinal problems.
Sucralose - Avoid
The most common tradename for Sucralose is Splenda, although
a few other companies also make sucralose sweeteners. Sucralose is bound to maltodextrin, which has
about 12-15% sugar which causes insulin response, making it difficult to
reverse diabetes and work on weight loss.
This additive has a E number index of E955.
Stevia – Can use
Stevia is a plant with extremely sweet non-caloric leaves
that contains no carbohydrates. It is 30
times sweeter than sugar, and putting too much of stevia powder or liquid into
your food or drink makes it bitter. It
does not stimulate an insulin response.
Be careful that you do not use stevia with maltodextrin.
Buddha’s fruit
(or Luo Han Guo) – Can use
This is a relatively new sweetener, with zero calories and
does not raise blood sugar levels.
Aspartame - Avoid
The most popular brand names of aspartame are Equal and
NutraSweet. Typically, if the product/ drink says ‘Diet’ it is may be sweetened
with aspartame. Long term use of
aspartame can create other problems particularly of the neurological systems
like headaches, migraines, dizziness and mood disorders. Aspartame in powder form sold as Equal or NutraSweet
contains maltodextrin which leads to weight gain and metabolic syndrome. This sweetener has been shown to affect the
gut microbiome. This can have a huge
impact on weight loss. This additive has
a E number index of E951.
Acesulphame K -
Avoid
This is one of the most popular artificial sweeteners. It is used in many ‘diet’ products. Though it contains no calories, it sparks an
insulin response and weight loss is difficult with Acesulphame K. This additive has a E number index of E950.
Saccharine – Avoid
This is one of the oldest brand names around. Whilst it contains zero calories, the latest
tests have shown that saccharine disrupts the gut microbiome which we now know
has a great impact on weight loss. Hence,
this is not a good sweetener for weight loss purposes. This additive has a E number index of E954.
Erythritol – Can use
with care
This is a sugar alcohol with very little sugar and very low
glycemic index (GI=1). It is good for
dental care (does not contribute to tooth decay) but is not easily digested in
the stomach, so is fermented by bacteria in the intestines. This can increase flatulence.
Xylitol – Can use
with care
This is a sugar alcohol with a higher glycemic index
(GI=10). Like erythritol, it does not
contribute to tooth decay and some clinical trials claim that xylitol may even
prevent dental plague. However, xylitol
may cause diarrhea in susceptible individuals or in larger doses. Use with care.
Thaumatin – Can use
This is a natural sweetener and has zero glycemic
index. This is extremely sweet. This sweetener is not easily available. However there are no known disadvantages
using it.
