How Sweet is Too Sweet?

Sweet and Low, Splenda, Equal, Stevia, Truvia – The influx of these artificial sweeteners has made it possible to enjoy the sweet taste of sugar with less increase in pants size, but how much is too much?

To answer this question, the FDA developed ADIs or acceptable daily intake ranges which are based upon a 150lb person and are suggested to be about 100 times less than the smallest amount that would cause health concerns.  Within these ranges, these sweeteners are acceptable and diet friendly substitutes for sugar.

Saccharin aka Sweet’N Low:  Originally developed by researchers at Johns Hopkins University as a way for people with diabetes to sweeten their foods.  Still popular today, the FDA recommends keeping daily intake under 9-12 packets.

Sucralose aka Splenda: Chemically altered by replacing hydrogen-oxygen atoms on a sugar molecule with Chlorine atoms, Splenda is safe for baking and daily intake.  It is not recognized by the body as a carbohydrate and therefore contains no calories.  ADI recommends roughly no more than 6 cans of diet soda daily, or its equivalent.

Aspartame aka Equal: Chemically constructed by the joining of two amino acids L-phenylalanine and L-aspartic acid with a methyl ester group, aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar and safe for daily intake (roughly 18-19 cans of diet soda).  Because it contains phenylalanine, people with phenylketonuria (PKU) must severely restrict their consumption of Equal and other phenylalanine containing products.  Because of this, the FDA requires products containing phenylalanine to clearly state so on the label (see: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE).

Steviol Glycosides aka Stevia: Made into a powder or liquid state from the Stevia Plant, steviol glycosides contain Stevioside and Rebaudioside A, which give the plant its sweetness.  ADI is recommended at 4mg/kg bodyweight.

Rebina aka Truvia: Made from purifying Rebaudioside A found in the Stevia plant, Rebina goes directly from leaf to food grade specification in a process similar to steeping tea.  Rebina is characterized as natural and undergoes no chemical change.  The ADI is set at 29 packets/day.

Is natural really better?  It all boils down to taste.  Some people enjoy the taste of popular artificial sweeteners while others want to know they’re eating something natural.  Bottom line: all of the above mentioned sweeteners are safe in moderation and have not been shown to cause health concerns at or near these ranges.

Sourcres:

http://www.saccharin.org/history.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073

http://www.splenda.com/faq/no-calorie-sweetener

http://www.aspartame.org/aspartame_factsheet.html

http://www.caloriecontrol.org/

http://www.truvia.com/healthcare/faq/default.aspx

The Bread Debate

Multi-Grain or Nine Grain? Whole Wheat or Whole Grain?  Is there really a difference between whole grain and whole wheat bread or is 12 grain better than 9 grain?  This seems to be a popular question among shoppers who are often overwhelmed with all the bread selections.  I am sure that most of you have heard that whole wheat or whole grain bread is the better option but where do all these others fit into the scale of healthier options?

First begin by reading the food label.  An item is considered a true whole grain if the first ingredient contains the word “whole”.  If the product packaging has words such as “made with whole grains” or “made with whole wheat”, “seven or nine grain”, usually it is made from refined grains and not the whole grain.  Also, if the package says it contains wheat flour or unbleached flour that does not mean it is a whole grain either.  Best practice: look for the words “whole” in the beginning of the ingredient listing!

Whole Grain

Whole grain breads add fiber and more texture to your diet.  When a grain, of any type, is left intact, that means the entire bran, germ and endosperm is left intact.  The bran is a good source of fiber and B-complex vitamins, the endosperm contains protein and carbohydrates and the germ is rich in thiamin as well as antioxidants.  Look for breads that say 100% whole grain!

Whole Wheat

Whole wheat bread is also made from the whole grain, which means the bran, germ, and endosperm are intact.  The only difference is the grain used is always wheat.  Once again, for a bread to be 100% whole wheat, the first ingredient should say whole wheat flour.

Multigrain

This term often tricks us!  Some of the multigrain breads are made with the same flour as white breads, while each of the grains listed on the front of the package make up just a very small percentage of that bread.  To truly know what the bread is made of, look at the ingredient listing.  If the first grain listed is “enriched white flour”, it is not a whole grain.  It may be made with many types of grains, but still made mostly with white flour.

Brown Bread

Looks can be deceiving!  Brown bread does not mean whole wheat.  Some companies add food coloring or things such as molasses to make the bread brown.  Pumpernickel, a common brown bread, is made with rye and wheat flour.  It may be a whole grain, but is not always the case, so the only way to know for sure is to read the ingredient listing.  Remember, the word “whole” should be among the first few words listed.

White Bread

White bread is a refined grain.  This means that during the processing, the bran and endosperm are removed from the grain or wheat flour.  This also means that nutrients such as zinc, fiber, thiamin, niacin and other trace elements have been removed.  Sometimes switching from white bread to wheat bread can be difficult; especially if that is all you have been used to eating.  So make the switch slowly.  Start with a white bread made with some whole grains or a multi grain bread before heading straight to the whole wheat.  You will be surprised at how tasty many of the whole grain breads are!

Janie, the Pirate RD