What You Need to Know About Artificial Sweeteners

Don't use a synthetic sweetener until you have more information. Medical professionals are talking about potential negative effects of synthetic sweeteners. People use them for varying reasons, and there are plentiful types to select from.

What are artificial sweeteners?

Synthetic sweeteners are sugar alternatives that taste like sugar but are fake, in other words synthetic sweeteners are man-made.

Why use artificial sweeteners

Out of the myriad reasons a person might buy a synthetic sweetener, below are the most popular:

• Watching the waist line. Dieters who count calorie input can better watch their diet, without having to change the foods they eat.

• Dental care - man-made sweeteners are good for your teeth because certain kinds of synthetic sweeteners can decrease the plaque PH level.

• Diabetes - people with diabetes have a hard time maintaining their blood sugar levels, and using artificial sweeteners can help them enjoy a more varied diet whilst still enabling them to sensibly monitor their blood sugar levels.

• Save a few cents. Because artificial sweeteners are cheaper to create, they usually cost less than true sugar.

Information about varying kinds of artificial sweeteners

The primary types of artificial sweeteners that are usually on the market in the States, and have been allowed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are:

• Saccharin (e.g., Sweet 'n' Low) - was the first artificial sweetener to be found in 1879. Saccharin is 500 times sweeter than sugar and is often found in dietary foods and beverages.

• Aspartame (e.g., Equal, NutraSweet) - was created in 1965, it has no odor, is a crystalline powder, which is made from two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Aspartame has 200 times the sweetening capacity of sugar and is most likely utilized in frozen sweets, sodas and juices and chewing gum.

• Sucralose (e.g., Splenda, Altern) - has a sweetening power of 500 times that of sugar, and is made from sucrose when three chlorine atoms replace three hydroxyl groups. Sucralose is usually found in drinks, frozen treats, chewing gum and pastries.

What are the wellness effects of using artificial sweeteners?

Some tests imply a possible connection between artificial sweeteners and cancer or other wellness concerns.

Saccharin and aspartame are the most common widely used man-made sweeteners, which have in past research studies been found to cause forms of cancer in lab rats. However, further studies into these synthetic sweeteners have discovered that even though there have been issues in its use with rats there has been no suggestion of a causal link with human use and therefore those same man-made sweeteners have been approved by the FDA.

Read on for other sugar substitutes to sweeten things

Mostly the intake of man-made sweeteners is harmless and in some cases beneficial, however if you can't avoid concerns as to what man-made sweetener is best for you or the health implications that it might cause on either your daily life or, if you are expecting a baby, the affects that they might have on your unborn child, then there is a natural substitute that is commonly located on the market and that is honey or Xylitol. Xylitol is an organic compound that can be taken from many berries in addition to oats and mushrooms. Xylitol has also been established to not only be wonderfully safe for soon-to-be or breast-feeding mothers, but that regular intake can decrease bacteria which result in tooth decay.

Criss White is a freelance writer on baby, wedding, and parenting subjects. For other information, or for candy wedding favors (http://www.bridalandweddingfavors.com/candy-wedding-favors.html), visit Bridal and Wedding Favors. NOTE: As long as the credits and resource box are intact and the hyperlinks active, feel free to reprint this article in your newsletter, on your website, or e-zine.