Sweet little details...

Little packets that are sweet but dangerous

Justin Weisbrod, Contributor
Issue date: 11/7/07 Section: Food & Drink
http://media.www.thedailyaztec.com/media/s...s-3083106.shtml


Pop-Tarts, cereal, doughnuts, ice cream, pudding, cake, candy - you name it - something sweet equals something with sugar.

Sweetness is a preferred taste across all age groups. Many people search for something sweet after lunch and dinner, and some start their day off with the guilty pleasure.

Many companies that produce packaged foods and bottled drinks use artificial sweeteners to enhance the sweet taste and prolong shelf life. Although the Food & Drug Administration approves all of the following sweeteners, consume with caution.

Most of these sweeteners enter the body and leave unchanged. It's like putting gas in your tank and it never burning. It's flushed out your tail pipe unchanged - still as a gas.

Aspartame
This is used in low-calorie foods. In 1981, it was approved for use by the FDA but not without restriction until 1996. Aspartame is used worldwide in more than 100 countries and found in more than 6,000 products. Aspartame is sold in its powder form under the names Equal and NutraSweet.
It's a popular belief that aspartame causes cancer and tumors, Alzheimer's disease, nerve disorders, epilepsy, headaches and weight increase. It's non-carcinogenic and thus, safe to use.

High Fructose Corn Syrup
This is used in more than 1,000 packaged foods and dinks. It has been the main scapegoat to the obesity epidemic in the United States, which is the primary producer and consumer of HFCS. This refined and processed sugar is blamed for cases of diabetes, obesity and other health ailments.
Chemically, it's the same as sucrose or table sugar. Some medical studies show that the intake of HFCS leads to diabetes, overeating and increased appetite from spikes in insulin. However, other studies have shown that this is safe to use if you limit your intake.

Polyols
"Sugar alcohols" are found in many of today's energy and protein bars, among various other products. Sugar alcohols are partially absorbed from the small intestine into the blood stream and produce a low glycemic response, which means it produces little-to-no insulin.
Over consumption can lead to gastrointestinal problems, similar to laxative effects. Polyols don't lead to cancer or cause tooth decay.

Saccharin
This has been used for the last 100 years. It doesn't add calories or carbohydrates and won't rot your teeth. In 1977, saccharin was investigated as the cause of bladder cancer, but in 2000 it was removed from the list of carcinogenic substances. Saccharin is approved for use in more than 100 countries and sold in the U.S. as SweetN' Low

Sucralose
This substance is calorie-free and 600 times sweeter than sugar. Sucralose is used in more than 4,000 products and more than 60 countries. It passes through the body unchanged and isn't converted to energy because it's not recognized in the body as a sugar or carbohydrate.
Sucralose has no effect on insulin levels, and it doesn't lead to tooth decay. It's sold to the public under the name Splenda.

Sucrose
This is used throughout the world in many concentrated fruit juices, honey, brown sugar, sports drinks and packaged foods. Sucrose is found naturally in sugar cane and beets and is one of the most popular additive sweeteners used either refined or as syrup.
It will rot your teeth without proper hygene and has an effect on insulin.

Fructose
This is the sweetest natural sugar. Naturally found in fruit fructose is a common additive to food. This form of sugar will cause less of an insulin response than sucrose when taken in moderation. Studies do not show a link between fructose and obesity.

The majority of the sweeteners listed are used to make the packaged food and beverages consumers purchase palatable and to increase shelf life. Read the ingredients and look at the nutrition facts. Discover where the sugar is coming from and decide if you want to consume it.