| Sugar from milk and fruit sources, for | | | | a pudding, for example, choose one made with |
| instance, should not exceed 10% of total | | | | skim milk and a sweetener than a high-fat, |
| kcalories. Concentrated refined sugars (e.g., | | | | high-sugar type. |
| table sugar) should be limited as much as | | | | |
| possible. The objective is to look for other | | | | Sugar Substitute Sweeteners |
| names on food packaging that are sugars, | | | | |
| including corn syrup, dextrose, sucrose, corn | | | | Nutritive Sweeteners |
| sweeteners, glucose, fructose, lactose, | | | | |
| honey, molasses, maple sugar, maple syrup, | | | | Fructose - Found in fruits, honey, and some |
| sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltose, or | | | | sweet vegetables. Fuctose absorbs more slowly |
| anything with 'sugar' in the name, e.g., | | | | in the GI tract than glucose and metabolizes |
| confectioner's sugar, or invert sugar. | | | | directly in the liver independent of insulin. |
| | | | Large intakes of 70+ grams per day can cause |
| The next step would be to reduce or replace | | | | diarrhea. |
| simple sugars with these suggestions: | | | | |
| | | | Sorbitol - A sugar alcohol found mainly in |
| Reduce sugar in recipes. Even with a vast | | | | plants and used in confectioneries (candy), |
| reduction of up to 20% or more, many recipes | | | | gum, toothpaste, and diabetic desserts. After |
| taste the same. With some recipes half the | | | | absorption, sorbitol oxidizes into fructose. |
| sugar can be substituted with an equal | | | | Sorbitol results in a slower, less pronounced |
| portion of a sweet spice, such as cinnamon, | | | | rise in blood glucose than sugar. More than |
| fennel, cardamom, allspice, anise, and | | | | 10 grams per day may result in diarrhea. |
| ginger. | | | | |
| | | | Xylitol - A compound derived from wood sugar. |
| Many breakfast cereals contain high | | | | It causes the least harm to teeth of all |
| percentages of sugar. Look for those that do | | | | nutritive sweeteners. Does not increase blood |
| not have added sugar and top the cereal with | | | | glucose levels. Intake of more than 30 grams |
| fruit if necessary and preferred. | | | | per day may result in diarrhea. Also, it may |
| | | | be associated with bladder stones and tumors. |
| Substitute fruit juices for fruit drinks, | | | | |
| soft drinks, punches, and other liquids that | | | | Artificial Sweeteners |
| contain high amounts of sugar. | | | | |
| | | | Acesulfame K - A synthetic sweetener that is |
| If substituting sugars, be aware that there | | | | very stable in heat. Marketed as Sweet One, |
| are two types of sweeteners or sugar | | | | Sunette, or Sun Sweet Tabletop. |
| substitutes. The first type is a class of | | | | |
| nutritive sweeteners that absorb slower than | | | | Aspartame - Best known as NutraSweet, it is |
| sucrose, they do not promote dental caries, | | | | found mainly in soft drinks, gums, pudding |
| and they do contain kcalories. The second is | | | | mixes, and other foods. It consists of amino |
| a class of artificial sweeteners that do not | | | | acids that break down in the GI tract, then |
| contain kcalories, and they are safe for use | | | | it absorbs and metabolizes. It has a very low |
| for diabetics and calorie reduced diets. | | | | nutrient and caloric value. |
| | | | |
| Using sugar substitutes (especially | | | | Saccharin - Better known as Sweet'n Low, |
| artificial sweeteners) should not give people | | | | Nutra-diet, and Sugar Twin, Saccharin is used |
| license to consume large amounts of these | | | | primarily in soft drinks and canned fruit. It |
| products simply because they are low in | | | | neither metabolizes or stores in the body, |
| kcalories. They also tend to be low in other | | | | but excretes in the urine. Saccharin has a |
| nutrient values and it is unclear what | | | | bitter aftertaste, is low in kcalories, and |
| medical conditions can arise from | | | | may be a possible carcinogen. |
| over-consumption. Hence, these products | | | | |
| should not be a substitute for fresh fruits, | | | | Sucralose - Available only in Canada to date. |
| vegetables, or other foods. However, if it is | | | | It contains no kcalories and is derived from |
| difficult to make it through the day without | | | | sugar. It is used in cooking and baking. |