Alternatives to Sugar
Created | Updated Apr 2, 2007
Sugar, as we understand it, is sucrose. Sucrose has a high glycaemic index, has been implicated in suppression of the immune system and wreaks havoc with insulin production. It also encourages bacterial growth in the mouth, causing caries (dental decay) and gum disease).
Sugar by any Other Name
Polyols/Sugar Alcohols
These are all types of 'hydrogenated starch hydrolysate', made from corn, wheat or potato starch. They're all made in a similar way. Manufacturers can use a syrup that has more than one of these in it, and they label it according to the main one e.g. 'maltitol syrup'. These are sometimes listed as 'polyols' or 'sugar alcohol' on the nutrition information on food/drink packages. They're slowly digested carbohydrates. They're safer than chemical sweeteners, but are less sweet, and can cause gas and a laxative effect. They don't cause tooth decay.
- Maltitol/Hydrogenated Glucose Syrup
Has a smooth, mellow taste. Manufacturers can use it to replace fat as well as sugar, because it's creamy. Often used in sugar-free chocolate (much of which is made in Belgium). Also used in biscuits, cake mixes, lollies etc. The cake mixes are made in the USA but aren't easy to find even there. Maltitol is promoted as being tooth-friendly, but most of the other sweeteners are tooth friendly too. When it's used for lollies (chewable lollies, gums etc) it's the main ingredient (80% or more), so you can end up eating a lot of it, causing problems with gas and a laxative effect. Smaller amounts are used in chocolate, biscuits etc so then it's less of a problem.
- Mannitol
Sometimes used with maltitol in lollies. Has a clean, cool taste.
- Lactitol
Similar to maltitol. Same taste, same effects. Also widely used in sugar-free chocolate.
- Sorbitol
Tastes a bit odd, not as sweet as some of the others, has a cool taste.
- Isomalt
Is a combination of mannitol and sorbitol. Often used in hard lollies.
- Xylitol
Inhibits oral bacteria. Used in chewing gums, mints, gum drops, throat lozenges, cough syrups, mouthwashes, toothpaste etc. Made from birch or other hard wood trees or fibrous plants.
- Inulin
Reasons for Avoiding Sugar
Link to articles on hypoglycemia and diabetes. Weight - products made with other sweeteners have less calories. Teeth - most of these sweeteners don't cause or aggrevate decay (not sure about polydextrose, fructose or sugarine though).
Ways to Avoid Sugar
Foods and drinks made without sugar are labelled 'lite'1, 'diet', 'sugar-free', 'with sweeteners' or 'no sugar added'.
Some foods have both sugar and sweeteners, so they're lower in calories but aren't good either for people who want to avoid sugar or people who want to avoid artificial sweeteners.
Artificial Sweeteners
These are chemical sweetener compounds.
Cyclamate
Aspartame
Safety questioned by some people who say it shouldn't have been approved for use. Problems reported are... Products made with it are labelled "Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine." for the benefit of people with the genetic disease phenylketonuria, who have to restrict the amount of phenylalanine in their diet. Used widely in diet drinks and many types of sweets, desserts etc. Listed as aspartame, Nutrasweet or sweetener 951 in the ingredients list. You can buy it (mixed with other sweeteners) but it isn't suitable for cooking as it breaks down and loses its sweetness. It tastes very similar to sugar.
Acesulfame potassium /acesulfame-K
Also called sweetener 950. Safer than aspartame (but a lot of products contain both).
Saccharine
A chemical sweetener. Bitter aftertaste. Can buy as a liquid, use a few drops in cooking, or as tablets to use in coffee and tea. Used in foods and drinks, also in mouthwashes and toothpaste.
Natural Alternatives to Sucrose
These are plant extracts.
Polydextrose
Sugar modified so your body can't absorb most of it.
Fructose
Is a type of sugar, comes from fruit. Some people say its all right for diabetics as it's digested differently from sucrose. Not recommended for overweight diabetics. Other people say it contributes to causing diabetes so maybe it isn't good after all. Maximum recommended amount per day is... Can buy it and can use in cooking. Has a 'sharp' taste, is sweeter than sucrose.
Sugarine
Made from sugar. No taste at first, then very sweet aftertaste that stays for a while. Almost tastes like sugar but not quite. Can buy it. Can cook with it. Can use as substitute for sugar by volume (but it weighs less).
Erithrytol
Agave
Stevia
Natural, from a plant. Much sweeter than sugar, has to be mixed with other things. Can buy it mixed with maltodextrin.
1But low fat products are labelled 'lite' too, so check the ingredients.
