by David Marcheschi
We all enjoy our beverages on daily basis whether its a soda, energy drink or some new functional beverage. While most of us do not check the ingredient list to see what sweeteners are used in our favorite drink, maybe we should. Do all natural drinks only use pure cane sugar? Is high fructose corn syrup really that bad? While the debate between the type of sweeteners has increased as to their safety we should start by understanding their differences and/or similarities?
Unrefined Cane Sugar
Among sweeteners, pure cane sugar is perhaps the most health wise choice for consumers. This is due to the unprocessed and unrefined nature of pure sugar, as well as a lack of certain chemicals used in other sweeteners that have been linked to dangerous side effects. It is generally brown in color and more course in nature than refined sugars, and can often be found in health food stores or on the health food aisle of national supermarkets.
What is High Fructose Corn Syrup?
The use of high fructose syrup, also known as HFCS, has skyrocketed in recent years because of its wide availability and cost efficiency. It is comprised primarily of corn syrup that has been stripped down and heavily processed to increase the fructose content. This leaves it with a taste that is far sweeter than that of regular cane sugar, thereby allowing much smaller quantities to be used. It also has a longer shelf life than sugar, especially all natural cane sugar which contains no preservatives to extend its use. This makes high fructose syrup very attractive to manufacturers of nearly all food products, especially beverage companies.
When reading labels, youll find High Fructose Corn Syrup in many different products from things like soft drinks that you expect to contain sweeteners, to other products like iced tea and juices where its presence might surprise you. And, if you look closely at the labels, youll also notice that sometimes, products that claim to be All Natural have HFCS hidden in the ingredient list, which makes them not really all that Natural after all.
Heated debates regarding the safety of high fructose corn syrup have been waged by many health organizations, primarily because it is believed HFCS may be a huge contributor in the current obesity epidemic. This is because high fructose corn syrup is processed differently by the body than sugar, and due to its unnatural composition, causes the brain to fail to recognize a feeling of fullness. This results in overeating when consuming products which contain HFCS, and because so many products have this sweetener in them, its hard to know which foods are safe. It is also theorized that HFCS may cause the body to produce more fat than usual, resulting in weight gain.
Other conclusions have been drawn that say that HFCS is no less healthy for the body than sugar, and that all sweeteners should be in used in moderation. Even natrual sugar, they say, when consumed in excess of 10% of daily calories can lead to weight gain and obesity. This translates to a mere 50 grams of sugar each day within a diet of 2,000 calories. Of course, even less is better.
Ace K
Ace-K, also known as acesulfame potassium, is an calorie free sweetener that is often found in diet soft drinks and other beverages. Ace-K fits into the same category as other non-calorie sweeteners such as sucralose and aspartame. They all contain no calories and no fat, making them appealing for dieters and diabetics.
Ace-K is commonly used in combination with other artificial sweeteners to heighten the effects. Using more than one sweetener in the same product enhances the overall flavor and allows the diet version of a product to taste as appealing as possible.
Ace-K and similar products are especially beneficial to diabetics because they do not raise blood sugar the way sugar does. They also do not contribute to tooth decay. However, despite these benefits, all artificial sweeteners should be used in moderation.
In the end, while one sweetener may seem to have less negative effects than another, any sweetener is best when consumed sparingly. Most importantly though, read the labels on the products that you buy, so that regardless of the sweetener in the beverage you choose, you can monitor how much sweetener of any kind youre putting in your system.
About the Author:
Imbibe is an industry leader in developing great tasting
private label energy drinks, energy shots, teas and sodas. Please visit http://www.imbibeinc.com to learn more about who Imbibes.