Unrefined Cane Sugar or High Fructose Corn Syrup? The Sweetener Debate.
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?
Pure Cane Sugar is sugar that has undergone less processing and is often more brown in color than Refined Sugar (the white stuff, also known as Table Sugar). You often find Pure Cane Sugar in health food stores and the Natural aisles in your grocery stores. While Pure Cane Sugar (or Dehydrated Cane Juice) can definitely not be described as being good for you because it is a sweetener, on a scale of bad to less bad, Pure Cane Sugar is one of the better sweeteners you can choose. Because of this, Pure Cane Sugar is often included as the sweetener in beverages that carry the label Natural.
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.
If you check food labels, you will find high fructose corn syrup in everything from soda, juice, drink mix, yogurt, canned goods, and nearly anything else found on super market shelves. Even items that are labeled as all natural can often be found containing high fructose corn syrup. Whats the problem? Since HFCS is heavily processed and laden with chemically based preservatives, it is really anything but natural.
There have been some studies that show that High Fructose Corn Syrup is a big contributor to the obesity epidemic because it is processed differently by the body than other sweeteners like table sugar and Pure Cane Sugar. Some studies have also shown that the way in which HFCS is processed leads the body to produce more fat and also masks the bodys sensation of fullness, so people ingest more than they need to. In addition, it has been theorized that because High Fructose Corn Syrup is hidden in so many different products, we all unknowingly over-consume it.
Other conclusions have been drawn that say that HFCS is no less healthy for the body than sugar, and that all sweeteners should be in used in moderation. Even natrual sugar, they say, when consumed in excess of 10% of daily calories can lead to weight gain and obesity. This translates to a mere 50 grams of sugar each day within a diet of 2,000 calories. Of course, even less is better.
Ace K
Ace-K, also known as acesulfame potassium, is an calorie free sweetener that is often found in diet soft drinks and other beverages. Ace-K fits into the same category as other non-calorie sweeteners such as sucralose and aspartame. They all contain no calories and no fat, making them appealing for dieters and diabetics.
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.
For diabetics, Ace-K and other artificial sweeteners are especially appealing because they do not raise blood sugar. They also do not contribute to tooth decay as sugar can. These characteristics pose health benefits to those suffering from blood sugar and dental problems, however Ace-K and all similar products should still be used in extreme 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. - 17269
What is Pure Cane Sugar?
Pure Cane Sugar is sugar that has undergone less processing and is often more brown in color than Refined Sugar (the white stuff, also known as Table Sugar). You often find Pure Cane Sugar in health food stores and the Natural aisles in your grocery stores. While Pure Cane Sugar (or Dehydrated Cane Juice) can definitely not be described as being good for you because it is a sweetener, on a scale of bad to less bad, Pure Cane Sugar is one of the better sweeteners you can choose. Because of this, Pure Cane Sugar is often included as the sweetener in beverages that carry the label Natural.
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.
If you check food labels, you will find high fructose corn syrup in everything from soda, juice, drink mix, yogurt, canned goods, and nearly anything else found on super market shelves. Even items that are labeled as all natural can often be found containing high fructose corn syrup. Whats the problem? Since HFCS is heavily processed and laden with chemically based preservatives, it is really anything but natural.
There have been some studies that show that High Fructose Corn Syrup is a big contributor to the obesity epidemic because it is processed differently by the body than other sweeteners like table sugar and Pure Cane Sugar. Some studies have also shown that the way in which HFCS is processed leads the body to produce more fat and also masks the bodys sensation of fullness, so people ingest more than they need to. In addition, it has been theorized that because High Fructose Corn Syrup is hidden in so many different products, we all unknowingly over-consume it.
Other conclusions have been drawn that say that HFCS is no less healthy for the body than sugar, and that all sweeteners should be in used in moderation. Even natrual sugar, they say, when consumed in excess of 10% of daily calories can lead to weight gain and obesity. This translates to a mere 50 grams of sugar each day within a diet of 2,000 calories. Of course, even less is better.
Ace K
Ace-K, also known as acesulfame potassium, is an calorie free sweetener that is often found in diet soft drinks and other beverages. Ace-K fits into the same category as other non-calorie sweeteners such as sucralose and aspartame. They all contain no calories and no fat, making them appealing for dieters and diabetics.
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.
For diabetics, Ace-K and other artificial sweeteners are especially appealing because they do not raise blood sugar. They also do not contribute to tooth decay as sugar can. These characteristics pose health benefits to those suffering from blood sugar and dental problems, however Ace-K and all similar products should still be used in extreme 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. - 17269
About the Author:
Imbibe is an industry leading provider of great tasting private label beverages. Please visit http://www.imbibeinc.com to learn more.
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