First and foremost, happy Friday! This might be too heavy a topic for the common Friday folk, however I feel it’s a good and necessary one.

“Low-sugar” “Sugar-free” “Low-fat” “Fat-free.” All these have one thing in common – they’re crap. You’ll find these slogans all over packaged products like cereal, oatmeal, crackers and the like. Now, any normal person who hasn’t studied nutrition will rightfully believe the obnoxious advertising located on the front of the package. Is it low-sugar, is it sugar-free or is it fat-free? When you look at the nutrition label, sure it may be lower in sugar or fat, however that’s not what’s important in terms of long-term health. Low-sugar means sugar has been taken out and some ‘fake’ sugar like poison has been put in. Same goes for sugar-free. How can something possibly sugar free and taste as if it has sugar in it? Well, they replace ‘real’ sugar with ‘fake’ poisonous sugar which comes hidden in the form of “sucralose” “aspartame” and or “dextrose.” 

Sucralose, aspartame, dextrose and sugar alcohols further explained:

“Equal, NutraSweet, and Canderel are ingredients of approximately 6,000 consumer foods and beverages sold worldwide, including (but not limited to) diet sodas and other soft drinks, instant breakfasts, breath mints, cereals, sugar-free chewing gum, cocoa mixes, frozen desserts, gelatin desserts, juices, laxatives, chewable vitamin supplements, milk drinks, pharmaceutical drugs and supplements, shake mixes, tabletop sweeteners, teas, instant coffees, topping mixes, wine coolers and yogurt.” Read more…

Sucralose sounds like real sugar as it ends in(-ose) but couldn’t be farther from the truth. “The presence of chlorine is thought to be the most dangerous component of sucralose. Chlorine is considered a carcinogen and has been used in poisonous gas, disinfectants, pesticides, and plastics.” YUM!!!!  That low-sugar cereal you just ate, or those 3 packets of splenda you put in your coffee… yeah you hit your daily chlorine intake Read more…

Dextrose can be found in various “Stevia Leaf” powders (which is considered natural zero calorie sweetener.) The problem with this is that ‘dextrose’ is actually a form of glucose and as you know glucose is a form of sugar. Therefore, this natural sugar-free substance is not sugar-free at all.  If you like stevia, I suggest looking for liquid stevia or brands that do not list dextrose as their first ingredient. “Dextrose, commonly called glucose, d-glucose, or blood sugar, occurs naturally in food, and is moderately sweet. It is a monosaccharide (basic unit of carbohydrates, C₆H₁₂0₆) and has a high glycemic index (digested carbohydrates ability to raise blood glucose levels, also called Gl) ranking at 100.”Read more…

Sugar alcohols are anything that ends in (-tol). Examples include; sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol. “Sugar alcohols naturally occur in many fruits and vegetables but are most widely consumed in sugar-free and reduced-sugar foods. The sweetness of sugar alcohols varies from 25% to 100% as sweet as table sugar (sucrose). ” These are standard ingredients for ‘sugar-free’ products.  Read more…

Side effects for most people – when ingesting these chemicals- include:

• Gas
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Stomach Cramps
• Intestinal Distress

These sweeteners are hidden in pretty much everything, which is why it’s important to read ingredients! You have to always wonder to yourself – if this claims it’s sugar-free what is in here as a substitute? If this is fat-free what has it been replaced with? Always question their claims or better yet stay away from anything packaged that has such claims because real food doesn’t need to claim it! Especially if you are prone to stomach issues, have IBS or other bowel disorders, artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols will wreak havoc on your system – I know this from first-hand experience. :/

If you need to sweeten up your life there are plenty of ways to do it without expanding your waistline. Remember, sugar is at the top of the pyramid so you should be eating it sparingly regardless. Fruit is your best option if you need sweetness daily along with honey or real maple syrup (in small amounts.) There are so many ways to make healthy, natural and real sweets you just need to get creative.

Examples include:

• Greek yogurt topped with fresh berries, nuts and a drizzle of honey,
• Plain oatmeal with berries, some raisins and nuts,
• A smoothie with banana, berries and peanut butter.
• A waffle or toast with peanut butter and natural jam or honey

The options are endless, you just need to search and put in the time! Bottom line: If you want a treat here and there (which is very normal) just go for the real stuff! It may have more calories now, but it wont give you cancer later!! You decide which is more important