Sweeteners Simplified

By Jane Connell, RD • January 11, 2024

Coach Jane provides some helpful information on recommended sweeteners for a healthy lifestyle.

As you focus on reducing your sugar and carb intake, you may be wondering how to find a suitable way to enjoy sweets without interfering with your metabolic health. Non-sugar sweeteners have been developed as an alternative to sugars. We see them widely used both as an ingredient in pre-packaged foods/beverages and as a separate sweetener that we may add ourselves to food/beverages. It can feel overwhelming given the variety of different non-sugar sweeteners (both natural and artificial) available in our food system. Read on to learn what HELPcare recommends regarding sweeteners and why.

Natural Sweeteners

HELPcare approved sweeteners include: blends of monk fruit, allulose, stevia, and/or erythritol.

Monk fruit: Monk fruit is a small, round melon native to Southeast Asia. Legend has it the monk fruit got its name from the Buddhist monks who first discovered it in the thirteenth century. Monk-fruit sweetener is made by extracting the fruit’s juice and converting it into a concentrated, dried powder that’s 100-to-250 times sweeter than regular sugar.

Allulose: Allulose is a naturally occurring molecule found in figs, raisins, jackfruit, kiwi, and maple syrup. Its chemical structure keeps allulose from being converted into energy while still providing a taste similar to sugar. Experts are excited about allulose because about 90 percent of it is excreted by the kidneys without being metabolized. That’s why allulose doesn’t raise your blood-sugar or insulin levels or turn on your fat storage switch, and it could also be supportive for losing weight and belly fat.

Stevia: Stevia is a natural sweetener made from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant native to parts of South America. Stevia products found on grocery store shelves, such as Truvia and Stevia in the Raw, don't contain whole stevia leaf. They're made from a highly refined stevia leaf extract called rebaudioside A (Reb-A). Because of Reb-A’s intense sweetness, it's typically diluted with sweeteners like dextrose, erythritol, or maltodextrin to make it more palatable. Ideally, look for “stevia leaf” in the ingredient list.

Erythritol: a type of carbohydrate that contains structural characteristics of both sugars and alcohols (although they don’t affect the body the same way that alcoholic beverages do). While most added sugar alcohols are manufactured, some like erythritol is found in small amounts in certain fruits and vegetables. A cautionary word- some people can experience gastrointestinal discomfort (ie, bloating, gas) with sugar alcohols.

Artificial Sweeteners

The most common artificial sweeteners include: aspartame (found in Equal and NutraSweet), sucralose (found in Splenda), and saccharin (found in Sweet 'N Low). We at HELPcare do not recommend the use of any of these artificial sweeteners for a variety of reasons including:

Many studies in humans have shown increase in body weight associated with artificial sweetener use.
Artificial sweeteners can affect the gut microbiome.
Artificial sweeteners can cause a decrease in the release of the hormone GLP-1, which is involved in appetite regulation and blood sugar, and over the long term, may increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

If you want to satisfy your sweet tooth on a low-carb or keto diet, you can experiment with using the natural sweeteners recommended by HELPcare (blends of monk fruit, allulose, stevia and/or erythritol) and see what you like. They can be a way to enjoy a sweet flavor while minimizing the downsides of regular sugar or artificial sweeteners. Of course, more research is still needed on long-term impacts of these new sweeteners as substitutes for sugar and artificial sweeteners. The good news is that as you transition to eating a lower sugar/carb diet, you may discover that you lose your taste for intensely sweet foods and may not need to rely on any type of sweetener on a regular basis.

Coming soon: Lisa Aase has an upcoming article on tips for using the HELPcare approved sweeteners in baking.

Jane Connell, RD

Coach Jane is a licensed, registered dietitian living in Camas, WA. She has been doing remote health coaching for the past 14 years through Optum in Eden Prairie, MN. She has joined the HELPcare coaching staff and will be coaching members through the HELPcare Challenge program.

Please sign in or register to post a reply.

UncategorizedUncategorized

GOT LIFE? How HELPcare is Restoring the Soul of Health Care

HELPcare Clinic is a direct primary care practice, which means we don’t file insurance claims or take Medicare or Medical Assistance but use a membership[...]

Take ChargeTake Charge

From Exhausted to Energized: Christy’s HELPcare Transformation

Through my work in helping to start HELPcare Clinic, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing some remarkable stories of transformation. Few have touched me as[...]

NewsNews

See “It’s not personal. It’s just Healthcare.” in Rochester Thursday, Sept. 11!

A powerful documentary on what ails the U.S. healthcare and health insurance system — including concrete solutions employers are using to provide better benefits at lower[...]

NewsNews

“It’s not personal. It’s just Healthcare.” documentary premieres in Austin Thursday

It's not personal. It's just Healthcare. has its southern Minnesota premiere this Thursday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. at the Hormel Historic Home in Austin.[...]

InBody Results

The InBody test analyzes your body composition, including lean mass, fat and water, broken down by body segment. The most important result from a health perspective is the visceral fat level, which is the fat that’s inside your abdomen. You want to have a lower visceral fat level of 10 or less.

HELP: The Health, Energy & Longevity Plan

HELP: The Health, Energy & Longevity Plan briefly encapsulates lifestyle elements which will help most people improve their health and sense of well-being. It’s particularly helpful in the context of the Standard American Diet (SAD) which has led to 88% of Americans meeting at least one criterion of metabolic ill health.

Save Your Health Plan

Health insurance in southeastern Minnesota costs 40-70% more than it does in the Twin Cities. In this course, you'll learn how you can provide better health benefits to your employees while saving on your monthly health plan premiums through a plan that includes direct primary care membership, such as at HELPcare Clinic. Key Topics: Why direct primary care (DPC) is essential to increasing access, improving quality and reducing costs. Innovative strategies to reduce costs for[...]