Archive for December, 2011

Alternative sweeteners are widely used but controversial, and we regularly have colleagues and clients asking our opinion. Happy to oblige!

The three most widely used sweeteners are all synthetic compounds and are much sweeter than the natural sugars they replace. They are not generally digested or absorbed and contain zero to a few calories. OK, having said that, are they bad for you?

1. Saccharin

   In its lifetime there has been a lot of controversy over this little pink packet!

   First, a little fascinating history complete with some human emotion and ego: Saccharin’s discovery was one of those accidents of science. In 1879, Ira Remsen, and Constantin Fahlberg, two Scientists at John Hopkins, were working with coal tar derivatives. Having failed to wash their hands well enough before lunch one day, they were excited to discover that saccharin had an unmistakable sweet quality!

   The two men jointly published their discovery in 1880 . However, there the joint effort ceased. Fahlberg grew wealthy from patenting and mass-producing saccharin without ever mentioning Remsen. Remsen was livid, once commenting, “Fahlberg is a scoundrel. It nauseates me to hear my name mentioned in the same breath with him.”

   Is it safe?
   Although sugar rationing during World War Two along with the dieting crazes of the 60s and 70s made Saccharin very popular, what about the whole carcinogen issue? There have been many questions about the safety of saccharin since its introduction. Concern peaked in 1977, after the publication of a study indicating an increased rate of bladder cancer in rats fed large doses of saccharin. Studies by Nohynek et al., 2004 show an association with bladder cancer and the rubber stoppers in syringes used to inject rats with saccharin, raising the question whether it was the rubber stopper in the syringe or the saccharin being injected into the rats that caused the bladder cancer.

   Furthermore, the studies of the kind published in 1977 have been criticized for the ridiculously high dosages of saccharin that were given to the test subject rats; dosages were commonly hundreds of times higher than a consumer would use. No study has ever confirmed that saccharin has health risks in humans – at normal doses anyway.

   In any event, with the scare of these studies in the 70s, Canada promptly banned saccharin and the U.S. FDA proposed a ban. However, saccharin was the only artificial sweetener available in the U.S., and there was strong public opposition against a ban, especially among diabetics. Eventually, the U.S. Congress compromised by requiring that all saccharin-containing foods display a warning label indicating that saccharin may be a carcinogen instead of establishing a complete ban on the product.

   In 2000, the U.S. Congress finally repealed the law requiring saccharin products to carry health warning labels. So it is basically a safe sweetener, although less popular because of its aftertaste.

2. Aspartame

   Aspartame (NutraSweet®) is also very popular as its taste most closely resembles sugar. Created from two amino acids, L-phenylalanine and L-aspartate, aspartame is about 200 times sweeter than sugar but provides almost zero calories. But it has its problems for the manufacturer: it has a relatively short shelf life and can’t be used successfully in products that involve heat.

   And is it safe?
   A popular myth is that Aspartame turns into formaldehyde and causes cancer, or that the formaldehyde collects in the eye. Studies do show tiny amounts of formaldehyde that may come from this artificial sweetener. However, every plastic bag and aluminum container is lined with formaldehyde in the manufacturing process. It is also in that “new car smell” and “new carpet smell” that you’ve experienced. These could really be called “new formaldehyde smell!”  But, fortunately, the levels you get from Aspartame, if any, are much lower than from the inhalation of your new carpet! Hence, it is impossible to determine where the formaldehyde found in our bodies may be coming from…Aspartame, or ….???

3. Sucralose

   Finally, let’s look at the newest alternative sweetener on the market to day, Sucralose, used in an artificial sweetener known by the trade name Splenda®. (Sucralose and Splenda are not one and the same – Sucralose is a base sweetener, while Splenda is a blend of Sucralose and high glycemic sugars).

   500 times as sweet as regular sugar, Sucralose is roughly twice as sweet as saccharin and four times as sweet as aspartame. It is much easier to work with: it’s stable under heat, so can be used in baking, or in products that require a longer shelf life.

   Is it safe?
   If you have ever had water from a faucet in the U.S., you have consumed “chlorinated water.” Sucralose is basically chlorinated sugar, which is un-absorbable by humans. The FDA approved it after reviewing more than 100 animal and clinical studies which unanimously indicated little to no risk of ingesting sucralose.

   There is very good research on Sucralose on this site, if you are interested in reading further! Click here: Boresharesearch.com

WHAT ARE SUGAR ALCOHOLS? – used as additives in foods

As a group, sugar alcohols are not as sweet as sucrose, and they have less calories than sucrose. They taste more like sucrose, and are often even used to help mask the after taste of some of the artificial sweeteners.

Sugar alcohols are easy to spot, when you look at the ingredient list on packages, as they mostly end with “ol” as in alcoh”ol.” You’ve seen them: manitol, sorbitol, glycerol (also called glycerine), and our favorite, xylitol. 

Xylitol is a natural sweetener, from corn, usually, here in the U.S., and is used in sugarless candy, ice cream, and in diabetic foods. It’s low-calorie, not no-calorie, with about 2.4 calories per gram. It is also good for our teeth; the bacteria in our teeth love it and eat it just like they would any other sugar. However, bacteria cannot digest xylitol, so they blow up and die. Great way to make sure your teeth stay bacteria free!

Is it safe?
Sounds good, doesn’t it? But there is a bit of a down side. Too much xylitol can cause intestinal problems, bloating and diarrhea.

JUST A FINAL THOUGHT:
Although we like Xylitol, we have been trying out and testing a brand new sweetener, from Acai berry, called B-Sweet™, over the last six months and will have a report next month.  Also known as Sweet Infused Fruits, It is NOT an artificial sweetener, but an all-natural, low-glycemic, great tasting sweetener… The subject of a great deal of testing, it is also looking (and tasting) very good to us!

“Albert Einstein, who discovered that a tiny amount of mass is equal to a huge amount of energy, which explains why, as Einstein himself so eloquently put it in a famous 1939 speech to the Physics Department at Princeton, “You have to exercise for a week to work off the thigh fat from a single Snickers.”  ~ Dave Barry, Dave Barry Turns 50

We love Dave Barry…   Of course, we know none of YOU would eat a Snickers bar! Lol (shhhhh…. I’ll never tell….) 

Yes, it is once again that time of year that many people lose their focus with regard to their nutrition and fitness programs, as the holiday food and parties begin to wind up. The National Institutes of Health reports that eating over the holidays often results in a gain of a pound or two every year for many folks. Add this up over a lifetime, and that can be a substantial weight gain!

YOU CAN AVOID THIS TRAP!

1. No “free pass” for the holidays. 
   You know that mindset you grab onto, with the thought, “Oh, well, I’ll just get back on track after the holidays…”   Moderation during the holidays is a lot easier than all that hard work in the New Year.

2. Lighten up – literally. 
   Don’t do something dumb to yourself like determine that you will LOSE weight during the season. Be selective as to when to deviate from your healthy meal plan and get right back on track after you do over indulge.  When you deviate from the plan, only allow ONE deviation per day, so you get to choose breakfast, lunch, or dinner but not the entire day.

3. Eat a little something BEFORE you go to a holiday party.
   This is a big one. A great tip is to eat a little protein before you go, or protein first when you arrive at a party. Protein has a higher “satiety value” meaning that it is protein that turns off the hunger button in your brain, so shrimp, smoked salmon, sliced meats… these are the things to enjoy first.

4. Alternate alcoholic drinks with water (preferably Kangen Water & eliminate any chance of a hangover).
   
   We forget sometimes how many calories are in each drink. And of course, a few drinks later we forget about calories all together and merrily pig out!  Speaking of “calories,” keep this in mind: 1g of carbohydrates AND one gram of protein have only 4 calories each. A gram of fat has 9, and a gram of alcohol 7. To put this into perspective, here are some solid (or should I say fluid) numbers: 5oz wine = 90-105 calories; 12oz beer = 140 calories & “light” beer = 65-90; 1 ½ oz of alcohol = 90 calories…and if you mix it with sugary drinks, the calories can skyrocket as will your chances for a hangover.  So be sure to drink LOTS of Kangen Water 9.5 as an extra benefit of this amazing water is that it is a great hangover preventer!!

5. Really focus on the mouthfuls of great food you eat.
   
   How many times do we scarf something down without really tasting or enjoying it? Really savor those special treats, and you will eat less of them, as you are staying mindful of what you are ingesting.  Consider yourself a food “connoisseur” and challenge yourself to really distinguish the different flavors, textures, mouth feel, and spices in each bite as this will help you slow down and enjoy each bite to its fullest.

6. Find alternatives you can really enjoy.
   For example, beware of creamy sauces and toppings. Use low-fat yogurt in recipes that call for cream, and try lighter alternatives to cream where ever you can.  And try a pumpkin flan or a custard instead of pumpkin pie.

7. Step Away from the Table! 
   When enjoying a buffet style, take what you decide to take on your plate, then “step away from the table,” eat slowly, enjoy it, and don’t go back!

8. Find other forms of fun!
   So much of our focus is on food over the holidays. How about planning NON food events such as making decorations, or family outings such as playing games, or a walking tour of decorated homes in your area?

NOW is the time to REALLY focus on your goals and take the necessary steps to avoid backsliding too far. Continue to reach for YOUR highest level of excellence – especially during the coming months.

Best of luck and ENJOY! Happy Holidays everyone!

© 2011 Lucho Crisalle, CEO, Exercise & Nutrition Works, Inc.

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