Unhealthy Verses Healthy Sweetener
Artificial Sweeteners
When I was growing up everyone who was watching their weight used artificial sweeteners.
Synthetic Sweeteners were very popular. Back then we didn't understand the dangers of artificial, chemical, or synthetic sweeteners. We used lots of them without any thought about safety. We trusted our food industry!
Today the public is more aware of the harm in using these caustic sweeteners. Used very sparingly there may not be any harm done, but who wants to eat anything sweet sparingly? Not me!
Before we look at Healthy Sweeteners, let's take a look of two very popular brands of artificial sweeteners on the market today.
ASPARTAME
DISORDERS ASSOCIATED WITH ASPARTAME
- Birth Defects
- Cancer
- Brain Tumors
- Diabetes
- Emotional Disorders
- Epilepsy/Seizures
For a more comprehensive list of Health Risks and Disease Connections to Aspartame click on Dr. Mercola.com website for an article on ASPARTAME. What you don't know CAN hurt you.
The Dangers of Aspartame
The Dangers of Splenda
Splenda is a chemical substance and not a natural sugar
Dr. Janet Starr Hull wrote a Book called, Splenda, Is it Safe or not? New chemical sweeteners (like Splenda) and the sweetener blends (aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame K blended together in one product) may be causing users to show signs of weight gain, disruption of sleep patterns, sexual dysfunction, increases in cancer, MS, Lupus, diabetes, and a list of epidemic degenerative diseases. The corporations continue to stand tough in their denial of any connection to chemical sweetener additives.
Dangers of Sucrolose/Splenda
A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
Originally posted on Barbara Dewey‘s Website
I had been eating several Atkin‘s "Advantage" bars per week, for a long time. The label says that they are sweetened with sucralose (the other name for Splenda.) Last fall, I drank a lot of canned Atkin‘s shakes, which contain tons of sucralose. At the end of the week, I had an unbelievable episode of retching/vomiting lasting five hours. I couldn't get off the floor. The next day I went on the Internet and did a search for Splenda and sucralose. I learned I was not alone.
Go to www.mercola.com to his search engine, type in "Splenda" or "sucralose." There are around 30 testimonies exposing the adverse reactions.
Among the many symptoms were "retching/vomiting". I quit using anything with Splenda or sucralose in it. Note: While you are on Dr. Mercola‘s Web site, type in "Nutrasweet" or "aspartame" (the Diet Coke sweetener) and read about what a poisonous substance that is. It has caused blindness and even death.
Three weeks ago I bought some Lo-carb banana muffins. I didn‘t check the label. I trusted the health food store. I ate one muffin that afternoon and one more the next morning. What happened next is unbelievable. My left hip joint and the surrounding muscles became so extremely sore that I walked as if I were crippled. Lying on my left side caused excruciating pain.
At the time I thought that I had developed a combination of osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia (but OVERNIGHT?). I even bought a book called "The Arthritis Cure." I also went on a total cleansing diet, which soon eliminated the symptoms.
I prayed for understanding. Finally (after a week) I tracked down what happened to me. The label on the muffin package said that they contained "sucralose." I printed out and re-read the testimonies on Dr. Mercola‘s site. I was amazed to see that others experienced these same symptoms, plus many other symptoms including depression and panic attacks.
Unfortunately, with the "Low-Carb Craze" Splenda and sucralose are in everything. I saw regular Pepsi at WalMart yesterday with a sign that said: "1/2 the sugar." I looked at the label and sure enough, it said: "sucralose."
The problem is that people won‘t believe the dangers unless they have experienced it themselves. When I tell people about it, they say that sucralose does not bother them, that I must have an allergy to it or a sensitive body. Well, believe me, it affects EVERYONE, whether they believe it or not!
The whole world is looking for cures for cancer, arthritis, MS, MD, and all those terrible diseases. Do they want to check out the chemical poisons in our food supply? Oh, no! Of course not! Big business is too worried about the almighty dollar!"
ANOTHER PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
Dear Dr. Mercola,
I wanted to thank you for posting your article regarding sucralose, and to inform you of my reaction to eating it today.
I bought a low-carb bar called "Ultimate Lo Carb" by Biochem at a local health food store. I have been eating foods low in starchy carbs and thought this might be a good snack bar. Well, almost immediately after eating the bar I became nauseous. Then my stomach starting cramping and I began dry heaving.
I wondered what could have caused this and decided to read the label. The only ingredient I did not recognize was, "sucralose".
So, I jumped on the internet and found your article. In the meantime, I was heaving and feeling even worse. Well, I am allergic to chlorine, as well as having a liver that does not function well (I take a natural supplement called "Lipogen" for liver support as prescribed by my ND), and when I saw what you had to say about sucralose, I figured that was what was causing it.
I kept feeling worse, and I decided I needed to get it out of my system and took ipecac (maybe not the best move, but the only thing I could think of). By the time the syrup got into my stomach the heaving was getting worse and intestinal distress was setting in. It was like eating bad seafood. I nearly died of food poisoning by crab legs a number of years back, and this was the closest thing to that feeling.
Finally, everything in my system started coming out, and my body didn‘t stop until my entire digestive tract was cleared out. I have never reacted this violently to anything, except when I had food poisoning.
Something needs to be done to get this product off the market.
I can‘t help but be convinced that the FDA takes payoffs. No ethical person could approve the use of things like MSG (another thing I cannot tolerate), which is classified by the FDA as an excitotoxin and is known to be harmful to the central nervous system. I will do everything to get people to read your article and get the word out on the FDA‘s latest blunder.
Best,
Julie Philips
THE TRUTH ABOUT SPLENDA - Dr. Mercola
Fructose and Corn Syrup
What about Fructose?
Fructose Turns into Fat Far Faster than Other Sugars and Fats
The media have recently covered and reported the science of fructose.
Fructose is Far worse than ANY other sugars. Fructose is processed in your liver and most of it gets turned into fat storage. This is why fructose is a primary culprit behind obesity—far more so than any other sugars. If you drink two bottles of soda a day which contains fructose, count on gaining a pound of fat per week!
There are other health risks, besides obesity. The Cleveland Clinic states: "Foods high in simple sugars significantly contribute to high triglycerides." You will also find a list of other contributors to high triglycerides on their website.
Intense research over the past 40 years has confirmed that elevated blood levels of triglycerides, known as hypertriglyceridemia, puts a person at an increased risk of heart disease.
Meanwhile, one of the most thorough scientific analyses published to date on this topic found that fructose consumption not only leads to insulin resistance but also decreases leptin. Leptin is responsible for controlling your appetite and fat storage, as well as telling your liver what to do with its stored glucose.
When your body can no longer 'hear' leptins signals, weight gain, diabetes and a host of related conditions may occur. So, fructose contributes to poor health through a number of mechanisms.
High fructose corn syrup: When you eat 120 calories of glucose, less than one calorie is stored as fat. 120 calories of fructose, on the other hand, results in 40 calories being stored as fat. Consuming fructose is essentially consuming fat!
The metabolism of fructose by your liver creates a long list of waste products and toxins, including a large amount of uric acid, which drives up blood pressure and causes gout.
Fructose also interferes with your brain's communication with leptins resulting in overeating.
The Dangers of Sugar
Okay, this is where I think I may lose some of you. I can hear you screaming through the computer, "Come ON! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" Some of you are going to look at this and say WHAT! Why in the world are you attacking sugar? Everybody eats sugar.
My daughter is terribly allergic to sugar. After consuming sugar she almost passes out. She has aches and pains in the middle of the night. There are many symptoms directly related to SUGAR. Most of us know people who have hypoglycemia and diabetes right? If some people react to sugar consumption by developing blood sugar issues, doesn't it make sense that other's would develop other types of side effects from sugar consumption?
On a website by Garden of Life, a quote from the book, How to Stay Young and Healthy in a Toxic World, Ann Louise Gittleman writes: “Despite what the mainstream media would like us to believe, sugar is not an innocent substance that gives us pleasure and causes no harm. Quite the contrary; there is perhaps nothing else in the diet that promotes disease and aging more, over the long term, than excess sugar.”
In Reference to sugar, Dr. Mercola states, "This Addictive Commonly Used Food Feeds Cancer Cells, triggers weight gain, and promotes premature aging." He has two video's about the Dangers of Sugar on his website.
Here are a few more maladies that are attributable to sugar:
- Sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defenses against infectious disease.
- Sugar can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline, hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.
- Sugar feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas, biliary tract, lung, gallbladder and stomach
If you want more information about the detrimental effects of sugar, google "Dangers of Sugar." You will be amazed at what comes up. I think it's one of the best-kept secrets today.
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Coconut Sugar
The problem with most sugars is how they affect our blood sugar. Coconut sugar is ranked at 35 on the glycemic index. It also has more nutritional content than other sugars and sweeteners.
Coconut sugars are produced by smallholder farmers and reported to be the single most sustainable sweetener in the world.
Coconut Sugar is high in potassium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. It is a natural source of the vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, AND C.
Stevia the Healthy Sweetner
Hopefully, you have learned the dangers of using artificial, chemical sweeteners. What now? Enter Stevia... TaDa!! Finally, there is a sweetener that is 100% natural and safe. As an added bonus, it is good for you too.
Stevia contains antioxidants, fiber and more. Do a search online to discover more health benefits. Stevia is much sweeter than white sugar, so you only need a tiny bit. Stevia is approved as a Dietary Supplement in the USA. Did you know that Pepsi Cola and Coca-Cola have been involved in some extensive research and have made recommendations to the FDA? They expect Stevia to be approved and labeled as a sweetener very soon.
You can already find Stevia in Health Food Stores and it is now being marketed in many of your local grocery stores. When the FDA gives their final approval, we will find stevia being used in all of our favorite products.
For those of us who need to watch our weight and for those who have a sweet tooth, this is very good news!
Honeycomb
HONEY
HONEY, not just any honey bought on the grocer's shelf. Many honey products contain chemicals, pesticides, and artificial ingredients. The best honey is raw unprocessed honey. It is humankind's oldest sweetener.
RAW HONEY IS BENEFICIAL:
- Unfiltered and uncooked provides a rich, fulfilling taste with many nutritional benefits
- Promotes the growth of "good" bacteria in your intestinal tract
- Great way to soothe skin. Utilizes natural antioxidants to help assist in blocking free radicals.
- Helps with occasional sleeplessness.
- Promotes a healthy heart by reducing homocysteine levels.
- No refrigeration needed. Convenient, anywhere, anytime.
The best place to find raw honey is at your local health food store. Locally grown honey is known to help build up allergy resistance to outdoor pollens and allergens.
Although honey has benefits, it is important to understand that honey raises your blood sugar just as quickly as sugar does. The key is moderation, use a little in your tea or on your cereal.
More On Artificial Sweeteners
- Artificial sweeteners linked to risk of weight gain, heart disease and other health issues -- Scienc
Artificial sweeteners may be associated with long-term weight gain and increased risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, according to a new study. - Killing Yourself With Artificial Sweetenters and Sugar?
Sugar is a killer. Cancer thrives on sugar. Excess intake of sugar plays a major role in obesity and arteriosclerosis. It is also responsible for the rise in cancer and the current diabetic epidemic....