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What are the best artificial sweeteners now?

By February 10, 2009 - 3:07pm
 
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I remember when "everyone" used Sweet-N-Low in the pretty pink packet, and it was perfectly OK. Now that we've learned that aspartame has some negative health consequences, many people have been scaling back on its use. (With that said, it is still offered at restaurants, and is included in many "sugar free" foods).

I am at high-risk for diabetes, and my mother now has pre-diabetes. I know many people are different, but with my health history, "real" sugar is actually more dangerous for me than "artificial sugar".

Can you help me determine which artificial sweetener is the best? Stevia is one of the newest ones, but there are some other similar-sounding sweeteners. Are these all the same? What are the other ingredients?

thanks!

Add a Comment9 Comments

EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Yeah, i just tried Natvia which i bought from coles. Too good to be true, i say. Great with my teas and coffees. I even baked with it. It is probably closes it is to sugar. Best tasting sweetener ive tasted for a very long time. and it is all natural. I need to tell more people!!!!!!

September 9, 2010 - 7:17pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Stevia is more expensive but i think it's worth every penny. I bought Natvia, another Stevia based sweetener, from Coles and I recommend it to everyone! All natural and less calories than Equal!! I put it in everything - my coffee, cereal and my famous choc cake!

August 25, 2010 - 10:31pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Well Stevia is definetely the best-the only problem-it's too expensive

July 3, 2010 - 10:35am

I am not familiar with the quality rating of that product but it is my understanding that Pepsi Cola will be using stevia made by Purevia to launch their new beverage. I have been using NuNaturals for a while and I am happy with its purity. There are so many brands out there now, I think the best way to judge a product is by reading the labels to ensure that the greater ingredient use is stevia and that the "other" ingredients are not toxic for the body. The purer the better of course!

February 13, 2009 - 1:51am

I've been using a product called PureVia, which says it is "made from the extract of the Stevia plant".

Is this a fancy way of saying it is not actually Stevia, or is it the real thing?

February 12, 2009 - 2:25pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Alison Beaver)

Alison, Purevia uses alot of bulking agent and sugars and a lower quality stevia. That is the reason why it taste bitter. I've tried a product called Natvia. It taste amazing. and from the ingredient list, it is pretty simple. They use better ingredients i think.

September 9, 2010 - 7:19pm

Nothing artificial is good for the body! So, here is my answer, just like rlyons remarked: STEVIA, STEVIA, STEVIA....oh, I forgot, one more STEVIA!

There is plenty of research about the safety of this "natural" sweetener to the point that PepsiCo has announced a new line of beverages using stevia. Research suggests that stevia may improve health. Jan Geuns, a biologist in Belgium who has explored the substance's pharmacological effects on humans, points to two Chinese studies that have found stevia can significantly lower blood pressure among people with mild hypertension. Danish researchers have reported that stevia seems to reduce blood glucose levels among patients with type 2 diabetes.

As a second choice and with limited use, I like agave syrup which comes from a cactus plant.

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/living-well-usn/2008/07/28/the-zero-calorie-sweetener-stevia-arrives.html

February 12, 2009 - 2:27am

It's really better to use natural sweetners which do not raise the glycemic index. I swear by sucanat and agave. They sweeten really well without having the same negative effect on the body.

Stevia is not artificial at all. It is a South American shrub whose leaves have been used for centuries by native peoples in Paraguay and Brazil to sweeten their yerba mate and other stimulant beverages.
Stevioside, the main ingredient in stevia is virtually calorie-free and hundreds of times sweeter than table sugar. That's why it appeals to so many people - Stevia is a healthy and safe alternative for Diabetics

Agave syrup consists primarily of fructose and glucose. Due to its fructose content and the fact that the glycemic index only measures glucose levels, agave syrup is notable in that its glycemic index and glycemic load are lower than many other natural sweeteners on the market, therefore it is also good for diabetics.

Sucanat is generally accepted as a substitute for brown sugar. Unlike regular brown sugar, sucanat is grainy instead of crystalline. Of all major sugars derived from sugar cane, Sucanat (not a "processed" sugar)ranks the highest in nutritional value, containing a smaller proportion of sucrose than white cane sugar.

To make a long story short, why use "artificial sweeteners" when there are so many great alternatives available from the health food store?

February 11, 2009 - 12:17am
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