FitSugar

Think You Know Your Sweeteners?

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 09:30:52 PDT

I am trying my darnedest to drink my tea without any sugar or sugar substitutes, but I can't lie - it ain't easy. I've always been a big fan of raw sugar, while others soak up the artificial sweeteners. While they all seem fairly equal (har, har), I do wonder if people know the differences between the vast selection. Come take my quiz and see how well you know your sweeteners!

Take the Quiz

What's the Deal With: Splenda With Fiber

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:00:00 PST

If you're a fan of sprinkling a packet of artificial sweetener in your coffee instead of sugar, you may be excited to hear that Splenda has a new product out that contains fiber. Each packet of Splenda (which has the sweetening power of two packets of sugar) offers one gram of fiber. Now I'm all for getting extra fiber whenever I can, since the recommended amount is between 25 and 30 grams a day, but I just don't feel right about this. That's because for one, I am no fan of artificial sweeteners, and two, I'd rather get my daily fiber by eating fiber-rich foods such as fruits, veggies, nuts, and whole grains, since these also contain valuable vitamins and nutrients.

I do applaud Splenda for trying to make a healthier version of their sweetener, because the packets with fiber are definitely a better option than plain old Splenda. So if artificial sweeteners are your thing, you might as well have your coffee and your fiber too.

Artificial Sweeteners Explained

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:30:00 PDT

I have a huge sweet tooth and I'm not afraid to admit it. I tend to go for treats made with real sugar, but I know many people watching their calorie intake like to go for sugar substitutes (so they can have their cake and not wear it too).

There are so many artificial sweeteners out there, it's hard to keep them straight. Here's a list of some of the most popular ones.

Type of Artificial Sweetener	General Info	Pros	Cons
Sucralose (Splenda)	Contains maltodextrin to bulk it up It's 600 times sweeter than regular sugar.	Has zero calories. You can bake with it. After 110 studies, the FDA concluded that sucralose has no toxic or carcinogenic effects, and poses no reproductive or neurological risks to people.	The bulking agents add about 12 calories per tablespoon of Splenda (although the nutritional info doesn't list these calories. Adds an artificial taste when you bake with it.

Want to see the rest of the list? Then

Saccharin (Sweet'N Low)	It's 300 times sweeter than regular sugar. Is a molecule made from petroleum. The FDA proposed a ban on it in 1977 when lab rats that were fed huge amounts contracted bladder cancer. The ban was never enacted though, and the warning label was dropped in 2000.	Has zero calories. You can bake with it.	Since 1981, government reports list it as an "anticipated human carcinogen." Male smokers may be at risk of cancer if they consume large amounts. Little studies have been done regarding its effects on children, so they should consume it in small quantities, or not at all. Pregnant women are advised to use saccharin sparingly.
Aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal)	It's 180 to 200 times sweeter than regular sugar. 70 percent of all aspartame is used in sodas. The FDA has set the acceptable daily intake (ADI) at 50 mg per kilogram of body weight. That translates to about four (12 oz.) cans of diet soda per day (that's a lot of soda).	One gram of aspartame contains 4 calories. In 1996, the FDA approved its use in foods and beverages. It's approved for consumption by pregnant women, as long as they follow the FDA's guidelines.	You can't bake with it. Some people may have a sensitivity to aspartame, and may experience headaches, dizziness, mood changes, or skin reactions after consuming it.
Acesulfame-K (Sunette or Sweet One)	It's 200 times sweeter than regular sugar. The body can't break it down, so it's excreted from the body unchanged.	It has zero calories. It's approved by the FDA. It doesn't increase the risk of cancer, or affect blood-sugar levels. You can bake with it. It's approved for consumption by pregnant women, as long as they follow the FDA's guidelines.	It has a bitter taste on its own. The consumer group, Center for Science in the Public Interest, believes that studies on this sweetener were poorly done and didn't test its potential cancer-causing risks.
Sorbitol, Mannitol	These are sugar alcohols that occur naturally in fruits, and are commercially made for use as sweeteners.	FDA has designated them as "Generally Recognized As Safe." They're absorbed slowly.	Some parts of these aren't absorbed at all, so consuming these in large quantities may cause diarrhea. This laxative effect can happen if you consume more than 49 grams of sorbitol, or more than 19 grams of manitol.

Fit's Tips: After hearing all those bad things about sugar substitutes, and knowing that one packet of real sugar contains only 11 calories, I think I'll stick to the sugar. What about you? Source

What's the Deal With: Sugar Substitutes

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 02:00:00 PDT

I went out for breakfast the other day and on the table sat the cute little container of sugar packets. I'm into the real stuff, so I always choose Sugar in the Raw (it has more nutrients than white sugar), but when I took a closer look, I saw at least 4 other colored packets in there.

Are these sugar substitutes really better for you? Is there some benefit to stirring them into your coffee instead of real sugar?

Basically, Equal, Splenda, and Sweet 'n Low all contain zero calories, fat, sodium, cholesterol, and protein. They contain less than 1g of carbs, so people trying to omit calories and carbs from their diet love these little packets.

OK, sounds like it's too good to be true, so here comes the million dollar question: Are these sugar substitutes safe? The truth is, we just don't know yet. There are no long-term studies of the side effects of artificial sweeteners in humans. The makers of these products did their own short-term studies on rodents and the results showed shrunken thymus glands as well as enlarged livers and kidneys. Since these tests weren't conducted on humans, the FDA decided that the results they were not conclusive. Hmmm.

Want to know about the side effects in humans? Then

read more Some people already experience headaches, dizziness, diarrhea, numbness, intestinal cramping, bladder issues, and skin rashes. I'll take calories over stomach pains any day. It's totally your personal preference though. Some people may use artificial sweeteners and not feel any side effects. Just for fun, now a lawsuit has been thrown at the situation. Equal is suing the makers of Splenda for misleading consumers with the advertising motto "Made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar." Splenda assures us that the process does in fact start with actual sugar, but at th end of the day, Equal is claiming that Splenda is a chemical just like Equal. Fit's Tips: Just so you know, 1 heaping teaspoon of sugar, or 1 sugar cube, contains only 25 calories. 1 packet of sugar contains 15 calories and 1 packet of Sugar in the Raw contains about 20 calories. We're not talking about a tremendous amount of calories here, and since I don't like eating artificial foods, I'd go for the Sugar in the Raw.

A Reader Recipe: Lemon Chia Seed Dressing

Fit Community — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 03:07:15 PST

Mix things up in your traditional salad dressing with this idea from CheesePlease. She posted this creative recipe in our Healthy Recipe group.

Amp up your salad dressing with chia seeds! This recipe is a healthy take on the classic poppy seed dressing.

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of one lemon
1/2 tsp chia seeds
2 packets of splenda

Directions
Whisk together all of the ingredients and enjoy right away.

For more on this recipe, visit her blog, CheesePlease. Upload your own recipes to our Healthy Recipe group, and we may feature yours on our homepage!

Got Olive Oil, Honey, and Sugar? Then You Have a Great Scrub

Michelle Phan — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:53:31 PDT

We're excited to continue our partnership with YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan! Every other week, we'll be bringing you the best from her website, MichellePhan.com. This week, Michelle shows you how to make a body scrub with three ingredients:

Hi everyone,

As the weather begins to cool, our skin becomes more high maintenance. The best thing you can do to keep your skin healthy and fresh 'til Spring is to exfoliate and moisturize, and this sugar and olive oil scrub does both!

Get a ghoulishly great Halloween costume with these tricks.

Sugar Olive Oil Scrub

4 Surprising Diet Disasters

Prevention — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 04:15:23 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

The surprising ways you turn healthy foods into diet disasters
By Nancy Rones, Prevention

1. Your marinades pack a big fat punch
You're wise to choose skinless grilled chicken, but be careful with condiments. Barbecue sauce is filled with sugar, which equals calories (about 94 per 1/4 cup).

The healthy move
Ditch the high-sugar sauce and instead spice up chicken by marinating it with cayenne red-pepper sauce, or mix hot sauce with some fat-free yogurt and smear it on your sandwich for buffalo-inspired flavor. Another way to punch up the taste and nutrient power of grilled chicken sandwiches and turkey burgers: Try a topping of homemade slaw. Bagged shredded cabbage makes a convenient base; toss it with flavored vinegar or fat-free mayo and a little mustard. At 11 calories per 1/2 cup, raw cabbage offers filling fiber and vitamins such as C and B6, and as a cruciferous veggie, it contains cancer-fighting antioxidants.

Swap These Foods to Lose Weight Fast!

2. Your coffee is anything but "regular"
Sipping coffee or tea plain isn't the problem. In fact, both beverages have been linked to a number of health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease and cancer. A study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry also suggests that drinking coffee may reduce your chances of type 2 diabetes. But major calories and saturated fat come with added ingredients such as sugary syrups, honey, whipped cream, and whole milk (1 percent and percent aren't much better). For about the same 450 calories in a large Iced Mocha Raspberry Latte at Dunkin' Donuts, for instance, you can eat two slices of Pizza Hut's hand-tossed pepperoni pizza. And while honey may seem like a natural, healthier alternative to sugar, the fact is it has 21 calories per teaspoon versus sugar's 16.

The healthy move
For a low-cal, lower-fat drink that feels like a sweet treat, choose coffee beans in tempting flavors such as chocolate almond, hazelnut, or white chocolate, rather than using syrupy mix-ins after brewing, and lighten your coffee with fat-free milk. Teas, too, come in sweet vanilla, berry, and tropical fruit blends. And whether you use Splenda, sugar, or honey in your beverages, limit yourself to about a teaspoon.

Sneaky Names of Sugar on Your Food Labels

Make sure you're not committing the other two disaster when you read more!

Let's Dish: What Was Your Biggest Recipe Failure?

Susannah Chen — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:02:44 PST

A recent article on The Kitchn titled 5 Reasons Why a Recipe Might Fail left me thinking about some of my biggest disappointments in the kitchen. One of them was many years ago when I was at a friend's house, and we decided to go a bit overboard on the baking substitutions, using applesauce instead of butter, Splenda in lieu of sugar, and baking powder rather than baking soda.

Needless to say, the end result above looked nothing like we'd anticipated. Top takeaway: be sure to know which replacements are tried and true, and don't sub in too many things at the same time! Hopefully I'm not the only one who's ever left the kitchen feeling a bit defeated. What's been your biggest recipe fail?