Controversy and Research on High Sweetness Sweetener

In recent years, the topic of hypoglycemic has been continuously concerned by people. More and more consumers who pay attention to health care have chosen products that are considered healthy to limit the intake of sugar components. But the debate about the impact of high-intensity sweeteners on health has never stopped.

The Trend of Hypoglycemic is Obvious

The latest nutritional survey found that about two-thirds of consumers in Europe said they were deliberately reducing sugar intake in their lives. This phenomenon shows that sugar has replaced the “diet demon” that fat occupied 20 years ago. "Status.

Some experts believe that high-sugar foods are closely related to non-communicable diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes that are sweeping the West. According to statistics, the number of products with the "low sugar" or "no added sugar" label in the food and beverages put on the market in Europe is the largest, and the proportion of juice drinks and snacks and confectionery is the largest. This phenomenon also reflects Various methods focus on the development of refined sugar-reduced products, but at the same time also retain the taste and taste that consumers like to the greatest extent.

This sugar reduction action also seems to be supported by regulators. For example, in the United Kingdom and Ireland, sugar taxes will be imposed on soft drinks starting in 2018. The England Department of Public Health has also set a goal that by 2020, the food industry ’s sugar intake will be 20% lower than the benchmark level set in 2015. However, MeliAldridge, executive coordinator of the Alliance for Natural Health, believes that adding sweeteners to food formulas is actually "part of the obesity problem", not a solution.

0 Calorie Drinks Are Not Good for Weight Loss

Artificial flavoring agents like aspartame, acesulfame, and sucralose have high sweetness and low calories, but are they really good for weight loss? There is still controversy in the scientific community. Studies have shown that long-term intake of artificial sweeteners may increase your risk of becoming fat. Glucose is a reference to the hypothalamic sensory area, and it will tell you when you are full. Glucose is not as sweet as sucrose or fructose, and its sweetness factor (a measure of relative sweetness) is 0.7, compared to 1.0 for sucrose and 1.2 for fructose. Dietary carbohydrates (such as glucose and fructose) produce the same amount of energy; about 4kcal per gram of energy.

Throughout the evolution, the brain has become accustomed to the fact that the sweeter the food, the more calories it may produce. Therefore, the brain is adapted to "expect" more calories from sweets. Non-nutritive sweeteners on the market today (such as saccharin, aspartame, stevioside, sorbitol, and xylitol, etc.) all contain a lot of sweetness, but no calories. This creates a situation where the brain is actually expected and never full, thus creating a desire to eat. Simply put, after you drink a low-calorie, high-sweetness beverage, you may feel more hungry, eat more, and gain weight.

Tate & Lyle: "The evidence is insufficient to support this suggestion"

This conclusion was rejected by the ingredient supplier Tate & Lyle. Perhaps this result is not surprising. The company provides a range of formulation solutions for customers in the food industry. Tate & Lyle ’s research shows that high-intensity or low-calorie sweeteners do not increase hunger, nor do they have the desire to eat more sweets, so they do not cause weight gain.

Stevia is A Popular High-intensity Sweetener

In addition, the company believes that the characteristics of low-calorie sweeteners also play an important role in diabetic patients, especially high-intensity sweeteners have no effect on blood sugar and insulin levels, which means that those who are diagnosed or suffering from type 2 diabetes risk People avoid dangerous blood sugar spikes without having to completely give up sweets.

Nutrition experts believe that health organizations around the world support the use of sweeteners instead of sugar to treat type 2 diabetes. Reorganizing foods to reduce sugar content will play an important role in meeting the growing public health challenges associated with diabetes and obesity.

Choices About Weight

Nutrition scientist Simon Steenson of the British Nutrition Foundation also believes that low-calorie or non-calorie sweeteners can play a role in weight control and prevent tooth decay and other problems. He said that replacing sugary foods and beverages with low / no-calorie sweeteners may help reduce overall calorie intake and weight control, especially for those who prefer sweet foods. But no single panacea can solve the problem of obesity. There are many causes of obesity, and the use of sweeteners alone cannot solve the obesity crisis.

One thing to note is that using low-calorie or non-calorie sweeteners is only part of achieving a healthier, more balanced diet. Reducing other high-calorie, high-fat foods, such as potato chips or fried foods, and paying attention to the amount of food eaten can also help us avoid excessive calories. When it comes to maintaining a healthy weight, staying active can also help control your weight, while also bringing other health benefits.

Experts Argue Publicly About Sweeteners, Which may Cause Confusion Among Consumers.

But most of this mixed information stems from the fact that science itself has not yet been finalized. No accurate research result can confirm the final result of this dispute. On the one hand, the safety of low-calorie and non-calorie sweeteners has been clearly confirmed. On the other hand, despite the current "insufficient evidence", there is some evidence that they may be related to obesity.

A scientific review of the safety of low / no-calorie sweeteners used in foods and beverages indicates that these sweeteners are safe, including for children and pregnant women, and the current average intake is lower than the European Food Safety Agency (European Food Safety Agency) Safety (Authority) set acceptable daily intake (AD).

Dr. SimonSteenson believes that consumption of low / no-calorie sweeteners is associated with negative health effects, such as weight gain and type 2 diabetes. Although there is currently no evidence of these effects, confounding factors may complicate the situation. For example, those who are already overweight are more likely to choose sugar-free beverages, rather than sugar-free beverages themselves actually causing weight gain. So for this controversial topic, more research and experiments are needed to analyze the relationship between them, which requires a detailed and long process.