Artificial Sweeteners Backfired

CONSUMPTION OF ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS HAS BEEN SHOWN TO ALTER THE COMMUNITY COMPOSITION OF THE GUT MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES IN MICE, RATS AND HUMANS. (FIGURE CREDIT: ERIN MCKENNEY, DUKE UNIVERSITY & Scientific American blog) 
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/artificial-sweeteners-may-have-despicable-impacts-on-gut-microbes/)

The artificial sweeteners saccharin, sucralose and aspartame may raise
blood sugar by changing the makeup of the gut bacteria in the intestines.

These intestinal microflora play a major role in nutrition and your immune 
system and account for 4 POUNDS OF YOUR BODY WEIGHT !

Originally developed to reduce obesity and metabolic disease...studies show artificial sweeteners may due directly the opposite!
They may not DIRECTLY increase blood sugar, but the 
disruption of the intestinal bacteria MAY increase fasting blood sugar and 
impair blood sugar tolerance

Importance of Ingredient List....

Currently food labels are required to list sugar, but they do not differentiate between ADDED sugar and naturally occurring sugar....

Example:1 cup of skim milk has about 10 grams of naturally-occurring sugar, and 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt has about 12 grams. These amounts, along with any added sugar, will appear on the Nutrition Facts Label.

The protein in the dairy will slow the absorption and your blood sugar level will not spike like it would with added sugars.

The 4 grams of sugar in this unsweetened greek yogurt comes from naturally occurring lactose.

Be sure to pay attention to the ingredient list for the many other names sugar can be listed.  In addition, if trying to eliminate artificial sweeteners, there are generic names for the sweeteners you are more familiar with....sucralose=splenda, aspartame is nutrasweet and saccharin is sweet n low (to name a few).

Hopefully, plans to revise the nutrition facts label to differentiate between natural and added sweeteners will come to fruition.  In the meantime, be a smart shopper and read those labels!

Cinnamon Roll Smoothie

Cinnamon Roll Smoothie Deliciousness

(recipe for 2)

• 2 very small apples or one large one
• 1 med/large banana (frozen if you have it)
• (add 5-7 cubes of ice if the banana is not frozen)
• 1.5 scoop of Isopure 100% Whey Protein Powder (http://www.theisopurecompany.com/product/isopurewpi.html)
• 8 oz unsweetened almond coconut milk
• 8 oz unsweetened coconut water
• 1-1.5 cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 Tablespoon fresh spinach (at least)
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds (unsalted/raw is what I use)

Nutrition PER smoothie (makes 2):

Approximately 225 calories, 21 g protein + lots of fiber

What is Stevia?

What is Stevia? 

Stevia is 200-300 times sweeter than sugar and is a
composite native plant to South America

• Genus Stevia, S. Rebaudiana
• Cousin of the yellow mum
• Leaves are the source of the noncaloric sweetener
• Recent position paper by Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics reviewed 5 studies and it showed minimal to No effects on blood glucose and insulin

Stevia is also marketed as Truvia...is it the Same

• Erythritol- sugar alcohol
• Rebiana- HALF of one percent of Truvia is Rebiana (which IS a molecule of stevia plant)
• Rebiana is 200-300x sweeter than sugar…Truvia is only 2x
• Natural flavors  are listed in the ingredients, but what is the origin?

I'll review the basics of the most popular "non sugar" natural and artificial sweeteners over the next couple of weeks and then discuss the pros and cons....

Until next time...Wishing you Well,

Traci Miller, RDN