Are Sodas with Pure Cane Sugar Really Better for You than High Fructose Corn Syrup?
Most beverages consumed by the average citizen has some sort of added sweetener. This can include products like sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners like Ace-K or aspartame. Although taste is important for most people, the safety of consuming many of these sweeteners is under the debate by food manufacturers and health officials; as well as the FDA. As a result, beverage makers and distributors have come out with new all natural versions of many products. This a good development in light of research that suggests that some sweeteners have led to health problems. However, not all natural sweeteners are as natural as they seem.
What is Pure Cane Sugar?
All natural sugar, or unrefined sugar, is one of the healthier options for use in sweetened beverages. Although it contains very little nutritional value, it comes without the harmful potential side effects of high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners because it is generally unprocessed and left as close to its natural state as possible. There are also usually not additional chemicals added. Pure, unrefined cane sugar is brown in color and can often be found in health food stores. Fortunately, due to growing concerns about refined sugar and artificial sweeteners, its popularity is growing and chain grocery stores are beginning to stock natural sugars alongside the more traditional refined varieties.
High Fructose Corn Syrup: Uses and Misinformation
The use of high fructose syrup, also known as HFCS, has skyrocketed in recent years because of its wide availability and cost efficiency. It is comprised primarily of corn syrup that has been stripped down and heavily processed to increase the fructose content. This leaves it with a taste that is far sweeter than that of regular cane sugar, thereby allowing much smaller quantities to be used. It also has a longer shelf life than sugar, especially all natural cane sugar which contains no preservatives to extend its use. This makes high fructose syrup very attractive to manufacturers of nearly all food products, especially beverage companies.
HFCS can be found in everything from soft drinks to canned goods, even if the item is labeled "all natural". For this reason, it is important to check all food labels to be sure that the "natural" product you are purchasing is actually made from natural ingredients. If HFCS is labeled, the product is not entirely natural.
Heated debates regarding the safety of high fructose corn syrup have been waged by many health organizations, primarily because it is believed HFCS may be a huge contributor in the current obesity epidemic. This is because high fructose corn syrup is processed differently by the body than sugar, and due to its unnatural composition, causes the brain to fail to recognize a feeling of fullness. This results in overeating when consuming products which contain HFCS, and because so many products have this sweetener in them, its hard to know which foods are safe. It is also theorized that HFCS may cause the body to produce more fat than usual, resulting in weight gain.
Some studies fight against these claims, however, stating that high fructose corn syrup is no more harmful than table sugar and that all sweeteners, regardless of where they are originated, should be consumed in moderation. This, in fact, is true as only 10% of daily caloric intake should be comprised of any sweetener, including natural varieties.
Ace K
Acesulfame potassium, more commonly known as Ace-K, is another widely used sweetener that has been targeted at the center of a growing debate. Ace-K is an artificial sweetener comprised of a cocktail of chemicals and additives and is in the same category as sucralose (commonly marketed as Splenda) and aspartame. Artificial sweeteners contain no calories, making them appealing to dieters, diabetics, and anyone who wants the sweet taste of their favorite treats without the calories and fat.
In many products, like soft drinks, Ace K is used along with other 0 calorie sweeteners like sucralose or aspartame because the blend of these sweeteners makes a more palatable taste than any one of them used alone.
Ace-K and similar products are especially beneficial to diabetics because they do not raise blood sugar the way sugar does. They also do not contribute to tooth decay. However, despite these benefits, all artificial sweeteners should be used in moderation.
Although some sweeteners are more harmful than others, it still stands that all should be consumed in small quantities. Whether sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial sweeteners like Ace-K; each has its own effects on the body and the waistline. That said, it is important to check food labels before buying soda or other foods and beverages to ensure that you know which sweeteners are being used and the amounts in which they are present. - 17268
What is Pure Cane Sugar?
All natural sugar, or unrefined sugar, is one of the healthier options for use in sweetened beverages. Although it contains very little nutritional value, it comes without the harmful potential side effects of high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners because it is generally unprocessed and left as close to its natural state as possible. There are also usually not additional chemicals added. Pure, unrefined cane sugar is brown in color and can often be found in health food stores. Fortunately, due to growing concerns about refined sugar and artificial sweeteners, its popularity is growing and chain grocery stores are beginning to stock natural sugars alongside the more traditional refined varieties.
High Fructose Corn Syrup: Uses and Misinformation
The use of high fructose syrup, also known as HFCS, has skyrocketed in recent years because of its wide availability and cost efficiency. It is comprised primarily of corn syrup that has been stripped down and heavily processed to increase the fructose content. This leaves it with a taste that is far sweeter than that of regular cane sugar, thereby allowing much smaller quantities to be used. It also has a longer shelf life than sugar, especially all natural cane sugar which contains no preservatives to extend its use. This makes high fructose syrup very attractive to manufacturers of nearly all food products, especially beverage companies.
HFCS can be found in everything from soft drinks to canned goods, even if the item is labeled "all natural". For this reason, it is important to check all food labels to be sure that the "natural" product you are purchasing is actually made from natural ingredients. If HFCS is labeled, the product is not entirely natural.
Heated debates regarding the safety of high fructose corn syrup have been waged by many health organizations, primarily because it is believed HFCS may be a huge contributor in the current obesity epidemic. This is because high fructose corn syrup is processed differently by the body than sugar, and due to its unnatural composition, causes the brain to fail to recognize a feeling of fullness. This results in overeating when consuming products which contain HFCS, and because so many products have this sweetener in them, its hard to know which foods are safe. It is also theorized that HFCS may cause the body to produce more fat than usual, resulting in weight gain.
Some studies fight against these claims, however, stating that high fructose corn syrup is no more harmful than table sugar and that all sweeteners, regardless of where they are originated, should be consumed in moderation. This, in fact, is true as only 10% of daily caloric intake should be comprised of any sweetener, including natural varieties.
Ace K
Acesulfame potassium, more commonly known as Ace-K, is another widely used sweetener that has been targeted at the center of a growing debate. Ace-K is an artificial sweetener comprised of a cocktail of chemicals and additives and is in the same category as sucralose (commonly marketed as Splenda) and aspartame. Artificial sweeteners contain no calories, making them appealing to dieters, diabetics, and anyone who wants the sweet taste of their favorite treats without the calories and fat.
In many products, like soft drinks, Ace K is used along with other 0 calorie sweeteners like sucralose or aspartame because the blend of these sweeteners makes a more palatable taste than any one of them used alone.
Ace-K and similar products are especially beneficial to diabetics because they do not raise blood sugar the way sugar does. They also do not contribute to tooth decay. However, despite these benefits, all artificial sweeteners should be used in moderation.
Although some sweeteners are more harmful than others, it still stands that all should be consumed in small quantities. Whether sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial sweeteners like Ace-K; each has its own effects on the body and the waistline. That said, it is important to check food labels before buying soda or other foods and beverages to ensure that you know which sweeteners are being used and the amounts in which they are present. - 17268
About the Author:
Imbibe is a leading provider of high quality private label beverages. Please visit http://www.imbibeinc.com to learn more.
posted by X - Men at
11:30 AM
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