Does your sweetener match up?

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From Ronda’s Front Porch to Yours

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Let’s face it: Sweeteners aren’t great for your health. They stimulate your appetite, encourage your sweet tooth and pack on the pounds while also placing you at risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and fatty liver.

But, we’re all human and cutting all sweeteners tomorrow isn’t realistic. That is why the Cleveland Clinic asked dietitian Anna Taylor, MS, RD, LD, CDCES, to rank the best and worst sweeteners to help you decide which one is best for you and how to break your habit.

Coming in at the number one way to sweeten your food and drinks is by using fresh or frozen fruit.  Fruit does not have any empty calories, which makes it an ideal sweetener, Taylor says.

Try sweetening oatmeal by mixing in banana or applesauce, adding berries to plain Greek yogurt and sweetening smoothies with frozen fruit. Another option is to add natural flavorings like vanilla or almond extract, cocoa powder and spices like cinnamon and clove. 

“I grew up with a diet high in sugar. When I cut down on added sugars and sweeteners, I started enjoying the natural sweetness of fresh berries and melon,” Taylor says. “That’s when my sugar cravings started to fade.”

Sugar substitutes, like Stevia, is another dietitian favorite.  Not only does it contain zero calories, but stevia-based sweeteners are herbal as opposed to artificial. Stevia blended with a sugar alcohol called erythritol (Truvia) works well in low-carb baked desserts, too. For a quick and easy sweet treat, Taylor suggests mixing 1 teaspoon of the sweetener with plain Greek yogurt and peanut butter.

If you have prediabetes or diabetes, artificial sweeteners and stevia are preferable to real sugar.  “Artificial sweeteners will not immediately raise your blood sugar like real sugar,” Taylor says.

Sugar substitutes may cause you to crave more sweet and sugary foods. Studies link artificial sweeteners, considered safe in moderation, with a higher risk of glucose intolerance, a precursor to prediabetes and diabetes. 

Artificial sweeteners may be associated with changes in gut bacteria and lead to increased fat storage, which no one wants.

Next week we will follow Taylor as she discusses natural sugar, refined sugar and no sugar.  Your assignment for this week is to look for added sugars on all food labels.  

I think you will be surprised.    

For more tips on healthy eating and resources to keep you families healthy and active visit us on our Facebook page at Scurry County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.