Myths and facts on sweeteners: Let’s find out
Calories? No, thank you. Sugar? Absolutely not. No-sugar diet — a big YES. If this is your motto, here’s the thing — avoid empty calories. To simply put it, empty calories are those which have no nutritional value. But where do empty calories come from? “Added sugar and fat,” says Anjali Khanna, a nutritionist based out of Delhi–NCR. Most packaged food products come laced with sugar and fat that contain high amounts of calories.
Thinking of how to skip white sugar or how to add healthy sweetness to tea or coffee? Here’s some good news. Khanna suggests managing your calorie intake by a simple change in habit, like choosing sweeteners or sugar substitutes. This helps in cutting down a lot of unnecessary calories.
Replacing sugar with sweeteners is trending in Delhi. And so is the no-sugar diet. But there are a lot of myths and safety concerns when it comes to sweeteners. Some of these include issues like glucose intolerance, increased risk of diabetes and weight gain, to absolutely bizarre ones like low-calorie sweeteners might lead to cancer.
Check this. The National
Cancer Institute has mentioned in an online factsheet that FDA-approved low-calorie sweeteners have not demonstrated any evidence of an association with cancer in humans. These have been classified under the generally recognised as safe (GRAS) category, showing that there is no conclusive proof to establish negative side effects of any low-calorie sweeteners. In fact, sweeteners go through several regulatory checks before they become a part of your diet.
Khanna says, “I keep safety measures in mind before I recommend diet plans to my clients. And sweeteners are safe to adopt. But they need to be taken in correct proportion, as we say too much of anything is bad.” In India, low-calorie sweeteners are regulated by FSSAI, which approves low-calorie sweeteners based on their claims and recommended accepted daily intake.
Anuj Pratap Singh, an American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified fitness trainer from Delhi, confirms that sweetener is a great way to replace sugar in one’s diet. He strongly recommends to balance physical exercise and calorie
In India, low-calorie sweeteners are regulated by FSSAI intake. He follows a similar regime and safely includes sweeteners in his diet.
In fact, international bodies such as the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) rigorous review of all available scientific research on low-calorie sweeteners has concluded that it’s completely safe at the current level of exposure, implying that Sugar Free is safe for consumption.
“Most low-calorie sweeteners do not cause established negative side effects when consumed in acceptable amounts. The overall objective should be to maintain a healthy diet while keeping sugar calories under check using alternatives and low-calorie sweeteners,” says Ishi Khosla, a Delhi-based nutrition expert. .
“Sweeteners pass through several regulatory checks like from WHO and FDA before they get legally approved for consumption. They are generally safe for most people if taken within limits as a part of an overall healthy diet,” she adds.
Shelee Gangulee, a Delhibased fitness trainer states, “In reality, evidence shows that low-calorie sweeteners are safe for humans. Eating foods low in empty calories does support weight loss, and it begins with using sweeteners.”
Apart from fitness commitments, Gangulee is also associated with what is called ‘donate your calories’. To donate your calories, all you need to do is buy a Sugar Free pack and the brand will donate an equivalent amount of nutritious calories to feeding underprivileged kids through its NGO partner, Akshay Patra.
“Life is so much sweeter when you have sweeteners in your diet. And why not associate with such a sweet noble cause to stay fit,” says Gangulee.