How Well Do You Know Your Sweeteners?

The sweet taste is our most natural, harmonious taste. In previous entries, I’ve talked about healthy sweets and unhealthy sweets. Today, however, I’d like to talk about sweeteners. Sweeteners in beverages are absorbed into the blood more quickly and tend to be more harmful. Compare the difference in feeling a sweetened beverage with a homemade apple pie.

There are different types of sugars that come from foods. There are complex sugars called polysaccharides, and simple sugars known as mono/disaccharides. The main sources of polysaccharides are grains, beans, and sweet-tasting vegetables. These sugars are broken down slowly in the digestive system and create more alkaline blood. There are two main types of simple sugars: disaccharides and monosaccharides. The major disaccharides are sucrose (i.e., white sugar), lactose (i.e., milk-sugar), and maltose (i.e., grain sugar). The major monosaccharides are glucose and fructose. Simple sugars are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and create a more acidic condition in our blood. Glucose can be metabolized by every cell in the body, whereas fructose can only be metabolized in the liver. The following lists help with determining healthy sweeteners and offer some suggestions for readjusting cravings and habits for more healthy sweets.

</div style=”text-indent: 30px;”>