Sweeteners, natural or otherwise tend to occupy conversation space when diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Many living with diabetes prefer artificial sweeteners due to their lighter impact on blood sugars. My personal preference sways toward natural sweeteners and carbohydrate counting for their presence in foods.
I decided to ask some Twitter friends (who also happen to be registered dieticians) about their favorite sweeteners and received varied responses. Here is what I received – organic cane sugar for baking, agave syrup, stevia, pure local maple syrup, unpasteurized raw honey and ” love them all as close to a natural state as they can be”.
Andy Bellatti MS, RD prefers date paste as a sweetener. Andy states this natural sweetener is easy to make and is a whole food. Andy does go on to explain that his philosophy is to “limit all sweeteners”. There can be misconceptions about sweeteners being labeled as healthy or healthier than one another. Andy explains a dessert isn’t “healthy” because it is sweetened with agave for instance.
Take pitted dates add water and pulverize in your Vitamix – wala, date paste!
“Sweeteners can be grouped as nutritive (containing calories) or non-nutritive (containing zero or few calories) and as natural or artificial” according to Cleveland Clinic registered dietitian Mira Ilic, RD, LD.
Natural sweeteners- defined by Health Hub/ Cleveland Clinic
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“Turbinado or raw sugar - Made from sugar cane juice, raw sugar is slightly less processed than white sugar. It may contain a small but insignificant amount of vitamins and minerals.
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Honey - Honey contains antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, but the amounts are too small to be of any health benefit. Note: Honey should not be given to infants because it may contain botulism bacteria spores, a serious health hazard for babies.
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Agave nectar - Extracted from a desert plant, agave nectar is popular for its low glycemic index and concentrated sweetness. It contains a small amount of antioxidants, but not enough to benefit health. Agave nectar should not be given to infants because it is not pasteurized.
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Stevia - Stevia is a South American plant available in powder, liquid and leaf form. You can also grow it in your garden. Stevia does not raise blood sugar levels. Its bitter aftertaste has made debittered stevia products — Truvia® and PureVia® — popular.
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Monk fruit extract – The Chinese have used this extract from monk fruit, which grows on a vine, for hundreds of years. It is the main ingredient in Nectreese®, a newcomer from the makers of Splenda®.”
Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are sucralose, aspartame and saccharin. They are found in familiar products such as NutraSweet, Sweet ‘n Low, Equal, and Splenda.
Artificial sweeteners don’t have an effect on blood sugars or increase insulin needs. However, they aren’t without side effects such as stomach upset. If you see these artificial sweeteners on a label it doesn’t mean the product is calorie free. Some products have a mix of sweeteners with a net carbohydrate impact. Be sure to read nutrition labels thoroughly.