Currently, the use of sweeteners is very common in our diet. They have been gaining ground on sugar, taking advantage above all of the halo of a harmful product that it has acquired as it is associated with obesity and cardiovascular diseases. However, “the real problem is not the consumption of sugar but its abuse,” observes the OCU.

There are three large groups of sweetening products: Natural sugars, Polyalcohols and Intensive sweeteners. Below, we analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

1-Traditional or natural sugars

Sucrose is the common sugar. In the same group are fructose, lactose, maltodextrin (which is used in sports drinks), and also honey or molasses, corn, agave or maple syrups, among others.

-Advantages: They provide sweetness and are good preservatives.

-Disadvantages: They are very caloric: 4 kcal/g in the case of sugar and fructose, and 3 kcal/g in the case of honey. They cause cavities.

-Tip: The World Health Organization recommends not exceeding 50 g per day

2-Polialcohols or “sugar alcohols”

«They are of natural origin and are present in different vegetables and fruits such as apples, pears or plums, among others. Their caloric intake is low and in high doses they can have a laxative effect. In this group are sorbitol, mannitol, isomaltitol, maltitol, lactitol, xylitol and erythritol.

-Advantages: They provide fewer calories than sugar. On average, they contain 2.4 kcal/g (erythritol has a caloric value of less than 0.2 kcal/g). They do not cause dental cavities.

Disadvantages: The OCU reminds that its intake “can cause increased gas due to bacterial fermentation in the intestine, flatulence, and even diarrhea and abdominal pain. In high doses it has a laxative effect. Current regulations (Regulation 1169/2011) require the phrase “excessive consumption can produce laxative effects” to be indicated. On the other hand, polyalcohols are additives. You can obtain information about each of them in the OCU additives calculator by entering the name or its E number.

This group includes aspartame, cyclamates, saccharin, acesulfame K, sucralose, thaumatin, neohesperidin and stevia. «They are sweeteners capable of sweetening between 50 and 2,500 times more than sugar. They barely provide calories, since they are used in very small quantities. But some have problems with the taste. Like polyalcohols, they are additives. Their safety is questioned, although today there is nothing to fear if they are ingested within the recommended limits.

-Advantages: They are very low-calorie sweeteners. They do not cause cavities. They do not influence blood sugar levels.

-Disadvantages: Certain sweeteners can give bitter notes (such as saccharin or acesulfame K) or metallic notes (cyclamate). The OCU also reminds that, although they are suitable for sweetening drinks, “in the kitchen they have little use: they lack consistency and, in addition, they lose their sweetness when heated, so they cannot be used in pastries.”

The regulations require that products containing aspartame be indicated: «Artificial sweetener aspartame. Not suitable for phenylketonurics»

Stevia is in fashion

Stevia (or stevia) was approved for use in the European Union in 2011 as an intensive sweetener with the code E960. In recent years it has become fashionable and appears as a prominent ingredient in many food products, which are advertised with the commercial hook “with stevia.”

Its sweetening power comes from substances called “steviol glycosides”, which are very resistant to heat, highly soluble and do not provide calories. It can be taken without problems by people who cannot consume aspartame, one of the most widely used commercially sweeteners.

Now, despite its natural origin, we must not forget that it is an additive (E960) and, as such, it has an established Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI: 4 mg per kg of body weight per day), which should be Do not exceed in adults or children. The “addition effect” of the additives must be taken into account.

recommendations

The Organization of Consumers and Users highlights three general recommendations:

-Do not abuse sweeteners even if they are natural, measure the doses you use.

-With the excuse that “it doesn’t make you fat” or “it makes you less fat”, do not freely use products that contain them, as it could have a negative impact on your health. Remember that in “light” products sugar is replaced by sweeteners, but in many of them a large amount of fat is maintained.

-“Don’t lose sight of the sum effect. If you put sweetener in your coffee, drink soft drinks, yogurt, cookies, jam and other sweetened products, you could exceed the Acceptable Daily Intake or ADI. Be careful, especially in the case of children. (Read the full OCU article, here).