Which sugar substitutes are safe for diabetics. How do different sweeteners affect blood sugar. What are the pros and cons of artificial sweeteners for diabetes management. Is Splenda ok for people with type 2 diabetes. What natural sugar alternatives work well for diabetic diets.

Understanding Sugar Substitutes for Diabetics

For individuals managing type 2 diabetes, controlling carbohydrate and sugar intake is crucial. Sugar substitutes can provide sweetness without significantly impacting blood glucose levels. However, not all sweeteners are created equal when it comes to diabetes management.

Sugar substitutes generally fall into two categories:

• Nutritive sweeteners – Provide calories and can affect blood sugar
• Non-nutritive sweeteners – Provide little to no calories and typically don’t raise blood sugar

When choosing sugar alternatives, it’s important to consider their effects on blood glucose, calorie content, and overall health impacts. Let’s explore some of the top options for people with type 2 diabetes.

Sucralose (Splenda): A Popular Choice for Diabetics

Sucralose, commonly known by the brand name Splenda, is one of the most widely used artificial sweeteners worldwide. But is Splenda ok for diabetics?

The good news is that sucralose is an excellent option for people with type 2 diabetes. Here’s why:

• It’s 600 times sweeter than sugar, so only tiny amounts are needed
• Has no effect on blood sugar levels
• Passes through the body with minimal absorption
• Contains zero calories

The FDA has approved sucralose and recommends an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 5 milligrams or less per kilogram of body weight. For a 132-pound individual, this equates to about 23 tabletop packets per day.

Saccharin: The Original Artificial Sweetener

Saccharin, sold under the brand name Sweet ‘N Low, has a long history as an artificial sweetener. How does it stack up for diabetics?

• Calorie-free
• 300 to 500 times sweeter than sugar
• Does not affect blood sugar levels
• FDA-approved as safe for consumption

While saccharin was once labeled with a cancer warning, further studies have concluded it is safe for human consumption. The FDA recommends an ADI of 15 mg per kg of body weight, which translates to about 45 tabletop packets for a 132-pound person.

Aspartame: Low-Calorie but Not for Everyone

Aspartame, found in Equal and NutraSweet, is another popular artificial sweetener. How suitable is it for people with diabetes?

• 200 times sweeter than sugar
• Very low in calories (not zero-calorie)
• Minimal impact on blood sugar
• FDA-approved, but some conflicting research exists

While generally considered safe, aspartame is not suitable for individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU). Some studies have raised concerns about potential health risks, but more research is needed to draw definitive conclusions.

Natural Sugar Alternatives for Diabetics

While artificial sweeteners are popular, many people prefer natural alternatives. What options are available for those with type 2 diabetes?

Stevia: A Plant-Based Sweetener

Stevia is derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant and offers several benefits for diabetics:

• Zero calories
• 200-300 times sweeter than sugar
• May help lower blood sugar levels
• Available in liquid and powdered forms

Studies have shown that stevia does not raise blood glucose levels and may even have a positive effect on insulin sensitivity.

Monk Fruit: A Sweet Option with Potential Health Benefits

Monk fruit sweetener is another natural option gaining popularity. Here’s what diabetics should know:

• Zero calories and carbs
• 100-250 times sweeter than sugar
• Contains antioxidants called mogrosides
• No known negative side effects

While more research is needed, some studies suggest monk fruit may have anti-inflammatory properties and could potentially help with blood sugar control.

Sugar Alcohols: A Mixed Bag for Diabetics

Sugar alcohols are another category of sweeteners that diabetics should be aware of. These include options like xylitol, erythritol, and sorbitol. How do they affect blood sugar?

• Lower in calories than regular sugar
• Can have a minimal effect on blood sugar levels
• May cause digestive issues in some people
• Can have a cooling effect in the mouth

While sugar alcohols can be a good option for people with diabetes, it’s important to monitor their effects on your individual blood sugar levels and digestive system.

The Impact of Artificial Sweeteners on Health and Weight Management

While artificial sweeteners can help reduce calorie and sugar intake, their long-term effects on health and weight management are still being studied. What should diabetics consider?

• May alter brain response to sweetness
• Could affect feelings of satisfaction from sweet foods
• Might lead to overconsumption of sweet foods
• Long-term health effects not fully understood

The American Diabetes Association recommends using artificial sweeteners in moderation and focusing on reducing overall sweetener consumption, including both sugar and sugar substitutes.

Strategies for Using Sugar Substitutes Effectively

For people with type 2 diabetes, incorporating sugar substitutes into their diet can be helpful, but it’s important to do so wisely. What are some effective strategies?

1. Use sugar substitutes to reduce overall sugar intake gradually
2. Experiment with different options to find what works best for you
3. Monitor blood glucose levels when trying new sweeteners
4. Be mindful of portion sizes, even with zero-calorie options
5. Focus on whole, unprocessed foods as the foundation of your diet
6. Consult with a registered dietitian or healthcare provider for personalized advice

Remember, while sugar substitutes can be a useful tool in diabetes management, they should be part of an overall healthy eating plan.

Potential Risks and Side Effects of Sugar Substitutes

While sugar substitutes are generally considered safe, some people may experience side effects or have concerns about long-term use. What should diabetics be aware of?

• Digestive issues: Some sugar alcohols can cause bloating or diarrhea
• Headaches: Some people report headaches after consuming artificial sweeteners
• Dental health: Sugar alcohols may contribute to tooth decay
• Interactions with medications: Some sweeteners may interact with certain drugs
• Potential metabolic effects: More research is needed on long-term impacts

If you experience any adverse effects after using sugar substitutes, consult your healthcare provider for guidance.

The Importance of Reading Labels

When using sugar substitutes, it’s crucial to read product labels carefully. Why is this so important for diabetics?

• Some products labeled “sugar-free” may still contain carbohydrates
• Serving sizes can be misleading
• Products may contain a mix of different sweeteners
• Some foods with artificial sweeteners may still be high in calories or unhealthy fats

By understanding labels, you can make more informed choices about the products you consume.

Incorporating Sugar Substitutes into a Diabetic Diet

Successfully integrating sugar substitutes into a diabetic diet requires a balanced approach. How can you effectively use these sweeteners while maintaining overall health?

1. Use sugar substitutes to reduce sugar intake in beverages like coffee and tea
2. Replace sugar in baking with appropriate sugar substitutes (adjusting recipes as needed)
3. Choose sugar-free or low-sugar versions of condiments and sauces
4. Experiment with natural sweeteners in smoothies or yogurt
5. Be cautious with “diabetic” or “sugar-free” labeled foods, as they may still impact blood sugar

Remember, the goal is to reduce overall sugar consumption, not simply replace all sugar with artificial alternatives.

The Role of Portion Control

Even when using sugar substitutes, portion control remains crucial for diabetes management. Why is this important?

• Helps maintain a healthy calorie intake
• Prevents overconsumption of sweet foods
• Assists in blood sugar control
• Encourages a balanced diet

Use tools like measuring spoons or food scales to ensure you’re consuming appropriate portions of sweetened foods and beverages.

The Future of Sugar Substitutes for Diabetes Management

As research continues, new sugar substitutes and technologies are emerging. What developments might we see in the future for diabetes management?

• More natural, plant-based sweeteners
• Improved understanding of long-term health effects
• Development of sweeteners with additional health benefits
• Advanced technologies for monitoring blood sugar responses to different sweeteners
• Personalized sweetener recommendations based on individual metabolic profiles

Staying informed about new research and developments can help you make the best choices for your health as a person with type 2 diabetes.

The Importance of Individualized Approaches

While general guidelines are helpful, diabetes management is highly individual. Why is a personalized approach to sugar substitutes important?

• Different people may have varying blood sugar responses to the same sweetener
• Personal taste preferences play a role in long-term adherence
• Some individuals may have specific health conditions that affect sweetener choices
• Medication regimens can interact differently with various sugar substitutes

Work closely with your healthcare team to develop a sweetener strategy that works best for your individual needs and health goals.

In conclusion, sugar substitutes can be a valuable tool for people with type 2 diabetes in managing blood sugar levels and reducing calorie intake. Options like sucralose (Splenda), saccharin, stevia, and monk fruit offer sweetness without significantly impacting blood glucose. However, it’s important to use these alternatives mindfully, considering their potential effects on overall health, weight management, and long-term diabetes control. By understanding the various options available and working with healthcare professionals, individuals with diabetes can make informed choices about incorporating sugar substitutes into their diets effectively.

9 Sugar Substitutes for Type 2 Diabetes

When it comes to blood sugar and weight management, not all sugar substitutes are created equal. Find out which option is the best fit for your health goals.

By Sheryl Huggins SalomonMedically Reviewed by Kelly Kennedy, RDN

Reviewed: August 21, 2019

Medically Reviewed

Sugar alternatives can satisfy your craving for something sweet without destabilizing your blood sugar levels.

Ina Peters/Stocksy

Taming a sweet tooth can be a challenge for anyone, but for people with type 2 diabetes, it’s necessary to keep how much you consume in carbohydrates, including sugar, under control.

Sugar substitutes offer sweetness while making it easier to control carbohydrate intake and blood glucose (sugar). There are many sugar substitutes to choose from, but they’re not all calorie-free, and they vary in terms of their impact on blood sugar.

When you’re deciding which sugar substitutes to use, consider that they come in two varieties, noted an article published in the journal Diabetes Spectrum:

• Nutritive These provide calories and can affect your blood sugar.
• Nonnutritive These provide little to no calories and, per a review published in May 2018 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, will not raise your blood sugar. They can be several hundred to several thousand times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar), according to the aforementioned article in Diabetes Spectrum.

But even if you choose a calorie-free sweetener, enjoy the sweet stuff in moderation. According to a study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior, artificial sweeteners can alter your brain’s response to sweetness and affect your ability to feel satisfied when you eat sweet-tasting food or drink, putting you at risk for consuming too much of it. In fact, the American Diabetes Association recommends that in the case of beverages, it’s best not to rely on zero- or low-calorie options as a replacement for ones that contain sugar beyond the short term; but instead, to consume as little of any type of sweetener as you can, and simply drink more water.

RELATED: How to Stabilize Your Blood Sugar

With that in mind, here are nine low- or no-calorie options to consider:

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Sucralose (Splenda), the Most Popular Sugar Substitute

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This sweetener is excellent for people with type 2 diabetes. That’s because Splenda is 600 times sweeter than sugar, yet those little yellow packets have no effect on blood sugar, says Keri Glassman, RD, CDN, of Nutritious Life, a nutrition practice based in New York City.

In addition, Splenda passes through the body with minimal absorption. These attributes have helped it become the most commonly used artificial sweetener worldwide, according to an article published in October 2016 in Physiology & Behavior.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has approved sucralose, recommends an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 5 milligrams (mg) or less of sucralose per kilogram (kg) of body weight per day. A 132-pound (lb) individual would need to consume 23 tabletop packets of the artificial sweetener per day to reach that limit.

RELATED: 10 Healthy and Delicious Recipes for People With Diabetes

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Saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low), the Oldest Artificial Sweetener

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Saccharin, the sweetener sold in pink packets under the brand name Sweet ‘N Low, is calorie-free and is about 300 to 500 times sweeter than sugar, per the Sweet ‘N Low website. It was the first artificial sweetener, with chemists discovering it as a derivative of coal tar by mistake in 1879, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

If you’ve been using artificial sweeteners since the 1970s, you may remember a previous warning label that warned of saccharin increasing the risk for cancer. But rest assured it’s safe. The research that prompted the label was done on animals, and further studies by the National Toxicology Program of the National Institutes of Health concluded that saccharin shouldn’t be on the list of potential carcinogens. Saccharin is currently FDA-approved.

A 132-lb individual would need to consume 45 tabletop packets of the artificial sweetener per day to reach the ADI of 15 mg of saccharin per kg of body weight per day, according to the FDA.

RELATED: 8 Mouthwatering Brownie Recipes for People With Diabetes

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Aspartame, a Low-Calorie Sweetener yet Not Okay for People With PKU

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Aspartame, sold in blue packets under the brand names Equal and NutraSweet, is a nonnutritive artificial sweetener that is 200 times sweeter than sugar, according to the FDA. While not zero-calorie like some other artificial sweeteners, aspartame is still very low in calories.

While the FDA has reviewed the scientific research and found aspartame safe to eat, Glassman notes there have also been some conflicting study results on this sweetener’s safety. “Although its low-calorie reputation is appealing for most weight-conscious individuals, it has been linked to many negative side effects,” Glassman says. Some animal research, including a study published in December 2014 in the journal Cytotechnology, has shown linkage to leukemia, lymphoma, and breast cancer. “Other research shows a [possible] linkage to migraines.”

Yet the American Cancer Society notes that U.S. and European regulatory agencies have, respectively, concluded that aspartame is “safe” and that research doesn’t indicate an increased risk of cancer in humans.

Nevertheless, people with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare condition in which they are unable to metabolize phenylalanine (a key component of aspartame), should not consume this sugar substitute, notes the NHS. If you don’t have PKU, aspartame is safe to consume.

A 132-lb individual would need to consume a whopping 75 tabletop packets of the artificial sweetener per day to reach the ADI of 50 mg of aspartame per kg of body weight per day, notes the FDA.

RELATED: No- and Low-Calorie Sweeteners May Not Help With Weight Loss

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Stevia (Truvia or Pure Via), a Natural Sweetener Option

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Steviol glycosides are sweeteners derived from the leaf of the stevia plant, which is native to Central and South America. Truvia and Pure Via, both brands of stevia-based sweetener, are calorie-free, and stevia is often used as a sweetener in foods and beverages. According to the 2019 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes, published in January 2019 in Diabetes Care, nonnutritive sweeteners, including stevia, have little to no impact on blood sugar. The FDA has approved the use of certain stevia extracts, which it has generally recognized as safe (a term that is applied to food additives that qualified experts deem as safe, and therefore not subject to the usual premarket review and approval process).

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center notes that people have reported side effects, like gastrointestinal symptoms, after eating high amounts of stevia. But to date, there is no solid scientific research to prove these claims.

The FDA recommends an ADI of 4 mg or less of Truvia per kilogram of body weight per day. A 132-lb individual would need to consume nine tabletop packets of the artificial sweetener per day to reach that limit.

RELATED: The Best and Worst Sweeteners for Weight Loss

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Sugar Alcohols, a Low-Calorie Option for Sweetening Your Fare

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Sugar alcohols, or polyols, are derived from the natural fibers in fruits and vegetables, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center. Per the International Food Information Council Foundation, commonly used sugar alcohol sweeteners in many so-called “sugar-free” desserts, candies and gums include:

• Xylitol
• Sorbitol
• Mannitol
• Isomalt

Though sugar alcohols are relatively low in calories and more blood sugar–friendly than carbohydrates, they may have a laxative effect and cause indigestion, bloating, and diarrhea in some people, the FDA points out. Products containing sorbitol and mannitol must bear a label warning that excess consumption can cause a laxative effect, per the FDA.

The gastrointestinal symptoms arise because sugar alcohols are not completely absorbed in the digestive tract, says Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDE, a medical reviewer for Everyday Health who’s based in Prescott, Arizona. She explains that unabsorbed carbohydrates from these sweeteners pass into the large intestine, where they are fermented by gut bacteria to produce gas. See how you respond to a small amount before incorporating them into your daily diet.

Also, keep in mind that sugar alcohols do contain some carbohydrates and are nutritive sweeteners, so they can affect blood sugar levels.

“It’s important for people with diabetes to read the nutrition facts label for total carbohydrate content and plan accordingly,” says Grieger. “Remember that the information in a nutrition facts label is based on one serving, and it’s easy to eat more than one serving of foods that contain sugar alcohols, which can increase the total carbohydrate consumed.” If you count carbs to manage diabetes, a common rule of thumb is to subtract half the amount of the sugar alcohol carbs listed on the nutrition label from the total carbs listed, according to the University of California in San Francisco.

RELATED: 7 Reduced-Carb Waffle Recipes for People With Diabetes

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Erythritol, a Sugar Alcohol With Fewer Side Effects Than Other Options

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Erythritol is also a sugar alcohol sweetener, but unlike the others just mentioned, it has less than 1 calorie per gram, notes the International Food Information Council Foundation, and doesn’t have a big effect on blood sugar levels, per the American Diabetes Association. It’s an ingredient in the stevia-derived sweetener Truvia and is marketed under the brand-name Swerve. Swerve measures cup-for-cup like sugar, and you can use it like table sugar, or in cooking and baking recipes that call for sugar.

If other sugar alcohol sweeteners give you tummy trouble, this may be a better option for you. It is less likely to produce the gas, bloating, and diarrhea that happen from fermentation by gut bacteria because only about 10 percent of the erythritol you consume enters the colon, per past research. The rest leaves the body through your urine.

There’s no ADI for erythritol, but the FDA hasn’t questioned notices submitted by erythritol makers that the sweetener is “generally recognized as safe.”

RELATED: The Best and Worst Foods to Eat if You’re Managing Type 2 Diabetes

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Monk Fruit Sweetener, Another Natural Option for Sweetening Your Foods

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Also known by the names Luo Han Guo fruit extract and Siraitia grosvenorii Swingle fruit extract, this nonnutritive sweetener comes from a plant native to southern China. The extract contains 0 calories per serving, per the International Food Information Council Foundation, and per the FDA, is 150 to 200 times sweeter than sugar. Popular brands include Monk Fruit in the Raw and Lakanto. The FDA has not questioned notices submitted by monk fruit sweetener makers that the extract is “generally recognized as safe.” The agency doesn’t specify an ADI for monk fruit sweetener.

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Acesulfame Potassium, a Popular Sugar Substitute in Diet Soda

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Also known as Ace-K, this nonnutritive sweetener is FDA-approved and about 200 times sweeter than sugar. Often manufacturers combine it with other sweeteners, though it is also sold for tabletop use under the brand name Sweet One. You will also find it in some of your favorite diet soft drinks, such as Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Diet Mountain Dew. The FDA recommends an ADI of 15 mg or less of Ace-K per kilogram of body weight per day.

A 132-pound individual would need to consume 23 tabletop packets of the artificial sweetener per day to reach that limit.

RELATED: The 8 Best Fruits for a Diabetes-Friendly Diet

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Allulose (Dolcia Prima), a New Artificial Sweetener That’s No Longer Considered an Added Sugar

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Allulose (also known as D-allulose or D-psicose, per the U.S. National Library of Medicine) is an extremely low-calorie sweetener that occurs naturally in small amounts in wheat, raisins, dried figs, brown sugar, and molasses, according to the FDA. Marketed under the brand name Dolcia Prima (which Tate & Lyle, Splenda’s manufacturer, makes), it has 90 percent fewer calories than sucrose, while being 70 percent as sweet.

You can find Dolcia Prima in Magic Spoon Cereal, which is sold online; and expect to see it soon in beverages, desserts, candy, yogurt, and other treats. That’s because allulose got a big boost from the FDA in April 2019, when the agency declared it can be excluded from the total and added sugars listed on nutrition labels going forward.

“The latest data suggests that allulose is different from other sugars in that it is not metabolized by the human body in the same way as table sugar,” says Susan Mayne, PhD, director of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “It has fewer calories, produces only negligible increases in blood glucose or insulin levels, and does not promote dental decay.”

Under the revised guidance, manufacturers can use a caloric value of 0.4 calories per gram to calculate the total number of calories per serving of allulose, instead of the previous 4 calories per gram. The sweetener still must be included in the total carbohydrates listed, though. While allulose isn’t on the list of FDA-approved sweeteners, the agency hasn’t questioned notices submitted by manufacturers that the sweetener is “generally recognized as safe.”

But the European Union has yet to approve allulose, according to an article published in April 2019 in Food Manufacture, nor has Canada added it to their list of permitted sweeteners. Furthermore, research into its effectiveness for controlling blood sugar is limited to small studies, such as a small randomized, double-blinded trial published in June 2018 in the journal Nutrients, which was funded by Tate & Lyle. The authors observed that small doses of allulose (5 or 10 g) did not have a significant effect on blood glucose levels when taken with a standard glucose tolerance test, but they recommended larger sample sizes for future studies.

RELATED: The Next Generation of Food Sweeteners

One Last Thing About Using Sugar Substitutes When Managing Type 2 Diabetes

As you can see, there are many artificial sweeteners to help you reach your blood sugar goals. Just remember that maintaining them will be easier if you practice moderation and don’t allow sweet-tasting food and beverages to lead you to overconsume them. “A major goal should be to reduce all types of sweeteners in your diet, including sugar substitutes, so that you become accustomed to the naturally sweet taste of food,” says Grieger. Then trust your body to tell you when enough is enough.

Additional reporting by Margaret O’Malley.

Sucralose and Diabetes: Know the Facts

If you have diabetes, you know why it’s important to limit the amount of sugar you eat or drink.

It’s generally easy to spot natural sugars in your drinks and food. Processed sugars can be a bit more challenging to pinpoint.

Keep reading to learn more about the processed sweetener sucralose and how it can affect your blood sugar levels.

Sucralose, or Splenda, is an artificial sweetener often used in place of sugar.

One of the major benefits of sucralose is that it has zero calories (1). You may find this helpful if you’re trying to manage your daily calorie intake or dieting.

Sucralose is sweeter than sugar (1), leading many people to favor the substitute over the original. Because of this, you need only a small amount of sucralose to get a very sweet taste in your food or beverage.

Substituting sucralose for sugar may help you lose weight.

A review of randomized controlled trials found that artificial sweeteners like sucralose can reduce body weight by about 1.7 pounds on average (2).

Unlike some other sweeteners, sucralose does not promote tooth decay (3).

Sucralose may affect your gut health.

The friendly bacteria in your gut are extremely important for your overall health, benefiting your immune system, heart, weight and other health aspects.

Rodent studies indicate that sucralose can modify intestinal microbiota and may eliminate some of this good bacteria, leading to inflammation of internal organs, like the liver (4).

In vivo studies show that sucralose may alter hormone levels in your digestive tract, leading to abnormalities that may contribute to metabolic disorders like obesity or even type 2 diabetes (5).

Research also shows that metabolic alterations caused by sucralose can lead to glucose intolerance, which increases your risk for diabetes (6).

More research is necessary to fully understand the link between sucralose and gut health, including more human studies.

But it is not entirely harmless.

Cooking with sucralose may also be dangerous.

In high temperatures — such as during cooking or baking — sucralose can disintegrate, forming potentially toxic chlorinated compounds (7).

Based on the available data, potential health risks associated with cooking with sucralose are not fully understood. You may want to think twice before cooking with sucralose.

Artificial sweeteners like sucralose are marketed as sugar substitutes that don’t raise blood sugar levels, making them a safer choice for diabetics.

While these claims seem promising, they have yet to be confirmed by multiple large studies (8).

Previous studies have found sucralose to have little to no effects on blood sugar levels in individuals of average weight who regularly used sucralose (9).

But more recent research suggests that it can cause blood sugar levels to spike in other populations.

A small study found that sucralose elevated blood sugar levels by 14% and insulin levels by 20% in 17 people with severe obesity who didn’t regularly consume artificial sweeteners (10).

These results indicate that sucralose may elevate blood sugar levels in new users but have little effect on regular consumers.

For individuals with diabetes who do not produce insulin or do not respond to the hormone properly, a spike in blood sugar levels could cause serious health problems.

If you have diabetes, you may want to limit your sucralose intake.

You may not realize it, but sucralose is likely a part of your diet already. If you like to drink low-calorie soft drinks and juices, eat diet snacks, or chew gum, sucralose is likely the sweetener you taste.

Whether you already consume sucralose or are thinking about adding it to your diet, talk to your doctor to see if substituting sucralose for sugar in your diet is the right move for you.

If your doctor approves, you should first consider everything that you’re currently drinking and eating and look for areas to substitute sugar with sucralose.

For example, if you take sugar in your coffee, you may gradually replace the sugar with sucralose.

You may notice that you don’t need as much sucralose as you did sugar.

Once you get used to the taste of sucralose, you may want to incorporate it into larger recipes — but be mindful that cooking with sucralose may be unsafe.

According to the FDA, the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) level for sucralose in the United States is 5 milligrams (mg) per kilogram (kg) of body weight per day (11).

For a person who weighs 150 pounds, that comes out to roughly 28 packets of Splenda a day.

That doesn’t mean you necessarily should consume that much Splenda.

You may want to practice moderation, especially if you have diabetes.

Sucralose may be a zero-calorie sugar substitute that can help you lose weight, but it may raise blood sugar levels and affect your gut health.

This can lead to health consequences, especially if you have diabetes.

Before adding sucralose to your diet, check with your doctor to make sure they believe it’s the right choice for you and your diabetes management.

If you do decide to use sucralose, you may want to practice moderation and monitor your blood sugar levels after consumption.

You can purchase sucralose by its brand name, Splenda, at your local grocery store.

Sugar substitutes for diabetes | What is the best sweetener for type 2 diabetes:

The sweet habit is strong in modern people, and even type 1 and type 2 diabetes cannot force you to completely abandon it. Sweeteners help out – low-calorie substances that do not increase glucose levels.

Natural and artificial sweeteners

Sugar substitutes allow diabetics to experience the familiar sweet taste of food without suffering the ill effects. With their help, you do not need to radically change the usual diet, it only needs to be slightly adjusted. Sweeteners for type 2 diabetes, as well as type 1, fall into two categories: natural and artificial (synthetic). Products of the first variety are extracted from natural products. Surrogates are made artificially from chemical compounds.

Can a natural sweetener be used in diabetes?

Natural substitutes do not contain artificial compounds, are easily absorbed by the body and excreted naturally. They do not cause an increased release of insulin. However, even with the seeming absence of harm, you should not exceed the daily dose (it is 35-50 grams). Excess is fraught with undesirable consequences.

Natural sweeteners are used in various dishes such as pastries, desserts and are also sold separately. The main types of these substances are as follows:

• Fructose. This substance is extracted from the fruits of plants. In terms of calories, it coincides with ordinary sugar, but the taste of fructose is more pronounced. Fructose has a beneficial effect on hepatic glycogen, which has a positive effect on the state of the body in diabetes of any type. However, there are also dangerous moments: fruit sugar is absorbed longer, so the feeling of fullness does not come immediately. A person with diabetes, with unlimited consumption of fructose, may experience prolonged, insatiable hunger. To protect yourself from the negative effects of fructose consumption, you should not exceed its daily volume of 30 grams. If the dose is exceeded, there is a risk of obesity, because in excess, the body converts fructose into fat.
• Xylitol. Compared to sugar, this sweetener contains 40% fewer calories. Thanks to this factor and the low glycemic index, xylitol can be used for obesity and diabetes. This product instead of sugar in diabetes mellitus dissolves well in water and has a cooling effect, gives a feeling of freshness in the oral cavity.
• Stevia. This perennial herb from South America is a good sugar substitute for type 2 diabetes. Its composition is rich in useful substances: fiber, vitamins, fatty and organic acids, micro and macro elements. Those who choose stevia experience an overall beneficial effect on the body. The substance is suitable for use as a prevention of diabetes mellitus in healthy people. The substance has a pronounced taste and low calorie content, normalizes metabolic processes. In some cases, allergic reactions to stevia are possible in the form of rashes on the body, nausea, and gastrointestinal disorders.
• Sorbitol. This substance is obtained by processing corn, wheat and potato starch. The sweetener is completely absorbed by the digestive system. It is highly nutritious and has a strong laxative effect. With uncontrolled use, nausea, diarrhea, pain in the lower abdomen are possible.

Can artificial sweetener be used in diabetes?

Synthetic sweeteners are not digestible, but only add the usual sweet taste to dishes. They do not provide any energy value, so they “deceive” the body and do not give it the expected carbohydrates. There is a desire to eat more, which negatively affects weight. When choosing which sugar substitute can be used for diabetes, you need to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of such artificial sweeteners:

• Saccharin. The substance is several hundred times sweeter than ordinary sugar, but gives an unpleasant taste of metal. The sweetener contains no carbohydrates and does not damage teeth. The maximum daily dose is 11 tablets.
• Aspartame. Long-term consumption causes headaches, insomnia and allergies. When heated, the substance decomposes into phenylalanine and methanol, which then converts to formaldehyde, which is a strong carcinogen.
• Cyclamate. The sweetener is added to juices, compotes and confectionery. In the stomach, it is broken down and converted into the substance cyclohexylamine, which has not yet been fully studied. Cyclamate is banned in the US and France.
• Acesulfame. 200 times sweeter than regular sugar. The composition of the substance includes aspartic acid, which has a negative effect on the nervous system. The sweetener is banned in the US.
• Mannitol. Sweetener should not be used more than 50 gr. Per day. Excess leads to diarrhea with dehydration and other problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
• Dulcin. This substance is a derivative of urea. It causes cirrhosis of the liver, growth retardation, anemia. This sweetener is not recommended for diabetics.

Which sweetener is best for diabetes?

It is recommended to choose the right sweetener together with your doctor, because every substance, even natural ones, has its drawbacks and side effects. The doctor takes into account the patient’s history, the state of his liver, kidneys and other organs. You should not choose a sweetener on your own, based on the material you read and your own preferences. Negligent attitude to one’s health leads to big problems.

Despite the dangers of artificial sweeteners, manufacturers continue to use them for the following reasons:

• they are cheaper than natural ones;
• are excellent preservatives;
• they increase appetite, which leads to an increase in food sales.

Proximity to nature and natural products is beneficial for the body. A safe and healthy sugar substitute is honey, as are dried apricots, raisins, figs, and dates. These are the best sugar substitutes for diabetes. If we compare natural and artificial sweeteners, those that are extracted from the fruits of plants do less harm. However, here we should not forget about the limit of consumption.

What sweeteners are made of and what are their benefits and harms for humans – June 5, 2022

Some sweeteners can be 50 times sweeter than sugar, but that doesn’t make it any easier for you

Photo: Daria Selenskaya / City portals

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Sweeteners are often considered the ideal alternative to sugar: fewer calories and supposedly no health problems. Once we figured out that sugar is actually not as terrible as it is painted – it’s all about eating habits and dosage. Yes, if you constantly eat sweets, excess weight, diabetes, and heart and vascular diseases will appear. But is it true that sweeteners are better?

There is no definite answer to this question. If only because there are too many sweeteners, and each has its pros and cons.

Most often, people are drawn to sweeteners in three cases: they want to take care of their health, they plan to lose weight, or they have a history of diabetes. Depending on this, you need to choose which sweeteners to use and whether they are needed at all.

For example, if your goal is to lose weight, you need zero-calorie sweeteners to help you fight those extra pounds. Therefore, here the action plan is as follows: we go to the doctor, consult with him and draw up an individual diet, taking into account the sugar that is part of the products. Why can’t you buy the first sweetener you find? If you choose it incorrectly, you can provoke obesity.

— The cause of obesity is an excess of calories from any source, not just from sugar. As long as your diet has the right amount of calories, protein, and essential vitamins, it doesn’t matter what sources you get the rest of your calories from. They can be both from “slow” carbohydrates (cereals, vegetables), and from “fast”, that is, from sugar, – explains doctor Viktoria Yablokova.

Viktoria Yablokova — doctor, anesthesiologist-resuscitator, fitness trainer, nutritionist.

Yes, and there are different sweeteners. Some contain saccharin, xylitol, cyclamate, which can cause indigestion if the sweetener is abused, while others contain fructose.

Here again we are faced with the fact that each group has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Artificial substitutes are made from chemical compounds. For the most part, they are non-caloric and do not overload the body, but each has its own characteristics, and this applies not only to sweets.

– The same cyclamate is made from sodium and calcium salts and is about 30-50 times sweeter than sugar. It is not absorbed by the body and is excreted naturally,” says dietitian Irina Toropygina. – Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sucrose and is thermostable. Saccharin is 300-500 times sweeter than sucrose. And aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sucrose, but it is not suitable for adding to hot dishes, as it is destroyed when heated.

Irina Toropygina — nutritionist, functional integrative nutrition specialist, DNA testing specialist. Directions of work: diagnosis and identification of the causes of overweight or underweight, development of an individual diet for the treatment of obesity and overweight, nutritional support for various eating disorders.

But heat degradation is not the only (and not the biggest) disadvantage of aspartame. According to doctors, it is contraindicated in pregnant women, children, patients with diabetes mellitus and phenylketonuria, a hereditary disease in which it is important to follow a low-protein diet, otherwise the accumulation of phenylalanine and its toxic products will lead to severe damage to the central nervous system, manifested, in particular, by mental impairment. development.

“Studies have shown that aspartame is dangerous during pregnancy, a link has been found between preterm birth and its presence as a dietary supplement,” says MD Polina Zhovtyak. – Aspartame is a source of phenylalanine, which in the human body leads to hormonal imbalance. In addition, aspartame disrupts amino acid metabolism, protein metabolism and structure, the integrity of nucleic acids, and leads to disruption of the nervous system.

Polina Zhovtyak – dentist-therapist, candidate of medical sciences. Narrow specializations: “diagnosis and treatment of caries, non-carious lesions of the teeth”, “diagnosis and treatment of complicated forms of caries”, “direct and indirect aesthetic restoration of all groups of teeth”, “conservative treatment of periodontal diseases”.

Comparing known artificial sweeteners

Infographics: Vitaly Kalistratov / City portals

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Natural supplements are of course considered the safest. Most of them are well absorbed by the body and do not cause a critical increase in blood sugar. But even here there are nuances. The same fructose, according to experts, has no advantage over sugar.

— Fructose is one of the most common monosaccharides along with glucose, which serves as a source of energy for the body, says dietitian Oksana Vydrya. “However, unlike it, fructose is almost completely absorbed by the liver cells and converted into free fatty acids, which can lead to obesity and the development of cardiovascular diseases.

Oksana Vydrya is a practicing dietitian, a member of the National Society of Dietitians.

— It is known that excess fructose from food is metabolized in liver cells and activates the biosynthesis of large amounts of fatty acids, — adds gastroenterologist Veronika Cheraneva. – This accelerates the accumulation of fat and leads to the rapid development of fatty liver disease, impaired cholesterol and lipid metabolism, especially in risk groups – patients with diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, overweight and obesity.

Veronika Cheraneva — gastroenterologist, nutritionist at the New Hospital. Specialist in the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, dysbacteriosis, flatulence, colitis, constipation, esophagitis and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

What is the difference between natural sweeteners

Infographics: Vitaly Kalistratov / City portals

so perfect fit for diabetics. Composed of fruits, cornstarch, and some types of algae, sorbitol is about the same sweetness as sugar, but has a higher calorie content.

It’s not that simple here. Yes, if you lean on sweets, you will certainly develop diabetes. Therefore, it will never be superfluous to give up sweet sodas with a high sugar content – they do not give a feeling of fullness, but they increase the risk of developing diabetes, regardless of weight. Add deep processed products here: convenience foods, nuggets, dry breakfast cereals, chocolate, sausage, pizza and ice cream. In addition to sugar, they contain added fats, which also increase the risk of type II diabetes.

— Over time, due to uncontrolled consumption of large amounts of sugar, a person develops insulin resistance. The sensitivity of receptors to insulin decreases. That is, there is a lot of glucose in the blood, but it is not absorbed, does not enter the cell, the cell experiences hunger and does not receive glucose to perform energy functions. In response to this, a person consumes sweets even more and only aggravates the situation,” says Irina Toropygina. – Excessive consumption of sugar inevitably leads to the development of carbohydrate dependence and, over time, to the formation of diabetes mellitus, obesity, and insulin resistance.

But even if you eliminate sugar from your diet as much as possible, this does not guarantee that you will avoid diabetes. The American Diabetes Association has prepared a test that allows you to assess the risks of developing diabetes. And, judging by the questions, this is influenced by age, pathologies of relatives, pressure, physical activity and other factors.

Type I diabetes is associated with autoimmune damage to pancreatic cells that produce insulin (it helps glucose molecules get into the cell, where it is used as the main source of energy). However, the catalyst that triggers cell death is still not known for certain, so there is no effective prevention.

In type II diabetes, insulin is produced, but the cells are less sensitive to its signals. Visceral adipose tissue in the abdominal cavity surrounds the internal organs, produces substances that prevent insulin from binding to cell receptors. Determining that you are at risk for developing diabetes is fairly simple. If your figure resembles an apple, and your waist circumference is more than 80 cm (for women) or 94 cm (for men), here is a symptom for you. This is abdominal obesity. It provides insulin resistance, in which the pancreas cannot increase insulin production indefinitely, which will lead to diabetes, and with it – to arterial hypertension, heart attacks and strokes.