Glycemic index, or how to outsmart carbohydrates. Calorie content and GI of sucralose

- part of the diet necessary for the body. They are used primarily as a source of energy. 1 g carbohydrates when broken down into water and carbon dioxide gives 4 kilocalories.

It is customary to divide carbohydrates into well-digestible and poorly digestible.

Well-digested carbohydrates

Well-digestible carbohydrates are utilized by the body by 95-100%. Easily and quickly absorbed mono- and. Among them are hexoses (glucose, fructose, galactose) and pentoses (ribose, deoxyribose).

Glucose and fructose are present in honey, sweet fruits, and berries. Ribose is formed in the body from nucleoproteins found in meat and fish.

Disaccharides are most represented in the form of sucrose, which is broken down in the body into glucose and fructose.

Other disaccharides include lactose (milk sugar) and maltose (malt sugar).

Some polysaccharides - starch and glycogen - are well absorbed. Glycogen comes in small quantities from meat and fish products. In the body, glycogen is deposited in the liver and skeletal muscles, serving as a carbohydrate depot.

Starch makes up the bulk of carbohydrates coming from plant foods. In the body, starch is broken down into simple sugars and completely absorbed. The main sources of starch are bread, cereals, potatoes, and corn.

Many authors studying the role of carbohydrates in the development of type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent) associate the development of this disease with high consumption of foods rich in carbohydrates. Modern approach Diet therapy for tissue insulin resistance involves the use of foods with a low glycemic index.

The glycemic index of a product is a percentage indicator that reflects the difference in the change in the concentration of glucose in the blood serum within 2 hours after consuming a product compared to the same result after consuming a test product. Glucose (50 g) or wheat bread (a serving containing 50 g of starch) is usually used as a test product.

Glycemic index of some foods:

Complex carbohydrates can have a glycemic index that approaches the level of simple carbohydrates and even exceeds it for some mono- and disaccharides.

The level of glycemia after eating starch-containing products depends, among other things, on the ratio of amylose and amylopectin in starch: the rate of digestion and assimilation of amylopectin is less than that of amylose.

Information about the GI value of a product is important not only for patients with diabetes, but is also useful for any consumer from the standpoint of preventing excessive nutritional glycemia. This information It is advisable to include it on the label of products containing carbohydrates.

Poorly digestible carbohydrates

The group of poorly digestible carbohydrates includes polysaccharides, the breakdown of which requires the enzyme phytase. Phytase is produced in large quantities in the stomach of ruminants, but is not produced in the human body.

These polysaccharides are called dietary or plant fibers. These include cellulose (fiber), hemicellulose, microcellulose, inulin, pectins, protopectins, lignins.

Despite the absence nutritional value, dietary fiber must be present in the daily diet in an amount of at least 25 grams.

Plant fibers are involved in the formation of feces and their evacuation, stimulating intestinal motility. Many of them, especially pectins, have the ability to adsorb toxic and carcinogenic substances, heavy metals and prevent their absorption in the intestines.

To obtain a sufficient amount of dietary fiber, you must include at least 450-500 grams of vegetables and fruits per day in your daily diet.

The introduction of dietary fiber into the diet is the prevention of colon cancer, diverticula, hemorrhoids and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

For elderly people, as well as people with reduced enzyme activity, for whom the consumption of plant fibers can cause discomfort, it is advisable to use fruits and vegetables in boiled, baked and stewed form. It is useful to include berries containing more delicate fibers in the menu. The source of plant fibers are varieties of bread made from wholemeal flour, bread with bran, and grain bread consisting of several types of grains.

According to the 2008 Nutrition Standards, the physiological need for carbohydrates for an adult is 50-60% of the calorie content of the daily diet (257-586 g/day).

High consumption of well-digestible carbohydrates leads to increased formation of lipids in the body, irritation of the insulin apparatus, and hyperglycemia. Excessive intake of plant fibers can lead to excessively strong intestinal motility, excretion minerals and vitamins, which is also not advisable.

Sweeteners (sweeteners)

In a number of diseases, especially diabetes and obesity, there is a need to replace sugar with substances that do not require duodenal and pancreatic enzymes for absorption. These are so-called sweeteners. Some of them are many times sweeter than sugar (150-300 times) and do not provide calories.

The following sweeteners are widely used: sorbitol, xylitol, saccharin, cyclomates and their combinations. Low toxicity, non-mutagenic and non-carcinogenic sweeteners are sucralose (trichlorodigalactose) and acesulfame, the safe daily dose of which is 15 mg/kg body weight. Most preferred is aspartame. Aspartame in the intestine breaks down into several substances, including the formation of two amino acids asparagine and phenylalanine, methyl alcohol, and diketopiperazine. The safe daily dose of aspartame is 40 mg/kg, which is many times more than its possible use in food.

At the same time, when using aspartame and neo-aspartame in the food industry (confectionery, chewing gum, drinks), it is necessary to indicate in the labeling that they are contraindicated for patients with phenylketonuria. For Food Industry(production of soft drinks, confectionery, dairy products, jams, chewing gum) a super-intensive sweetener has been created - neo-aspartame, the sweetness of which is 7000-13000 times greater than sucrose.

Natural sources are also used as sweeteners. These include stevia, which contains 8 sweet diterpene glycosides, each of which is 250-350 times sweeter than sucrose. Stevia has an anti-caries effect, suppressing the activity of microorganisms in the oral cavity.

The sweetener erythrin is produced from corn and wheat starch. Erythrin is found in melon, peaches, grapes, grape wines and some other foods.

Below is a large and boring table of glycemic indices of foods in alphabetical order (there is no need to run around checking each product before eating, but it will be useful to read), as well as an article that explains the concept of the glycemic index and talks about the correct use of carbohydrates.

We know that in terms of consumption, carbohydrates take 2nd place after water. They really play a special role in human nutrition. It is a vital source of energy for muscles and all cellular elements. Glucose, the simplest carbohydrate, is the most powerful source of nutrition for the brain, hemoglobin in the blood, a growing embryo, the main source of energy for muscles during physical exercise, it is fuel for the functioning of the whole organism.

What is a carbohydrate? This is an important component that gives food sweet taste: Sugar in fruit or honey, this is a starchy component in foods such as rice, potatoes, bread or pasta. The simplest carbohydrate consists of one sugar molecule called a monosaccharide. Glucose, fructose, galactose are monosaccharides that are found in foods as glucose itself and as a component of starch. A carbohydrate that consists of two molecules is called a disaccharide. Sucrose is a disaccharide. Lactose contained in milk is also a disaccharide. Polysaccharides are long chains molecules linked to each other like pearls in a necklace, and completely unsweetened to the taste. These include starches.

Dietary fiber is a carbohydrate consisting of large quantity monosaccharide molecules. It differs from starch and sugars in that it is not absorbed during digestion. Different types fibers have different physical and Chemical properties. Soluble fiber is fiber that dissolves in water. Some types of soluble fiber have a very thick consistency, so they are absorbed very slowly. On the other hand, many types of fiber, including cellulose, are insoluble in water and therefore do not affect the speed of digestion.

Products rich in carbohydrates are grains and everything that can be prepared from them: bread, pasta, noodles, flour, cereals. Fruits, vegetables, and legumes are rich in carbohydrates. Dairy products such as yogurt and ice cream are high in carbohydrates.

It’s surprising but true that scientists around the world did not study how food affects blood glucose levels until the late 80s. Beginning in 1981, researchers began studying the effects of different foods, alone and in combination with other foods, on healthy people and for patients with diabetes. For the first time, American scientists were the first to propose the term “glycemic index” to refer to how certain carbohydrates affect blood glucose levels.

The glycemic index is a scientifically based way to describe how carbohydrates in various foods affect blood glucose levels. The glycemic index characterizes the type of carbohydrates in a product. High glycemic index foods have a huge effect on blood glucose levels. While carbohydrates with a low glycemic index gently and slowly change blood sugar levels. These studies upended the widely held understanding of carbohydrates and therefore, naturally, caused a lot of controversy. The first thing that was surprising was that the starches in foods such as bread, potatoes, and some types of rice are absorbed quickly, and not slowly, as previously thought. Secondly, scientists have found that sugar in foods such as fruit and ice cream confectionery does not cause extreme and long-lasting increases in blood glucose levels, as has always been thought. The truth was that most sugars in foods, regardless of source, produce an average effect on blood glucose levels, which is in any case less than the effect produced by starches.

Why is the glycemic index so important? The slow digestion of food and the gentle fluctuations in blood glucose levels caused by low glycemic index foods make life easier not only for people with diabetes, but also for all people who care about their health, since it will help reduce the secretion of insulin during the day. And the minimal release of the hormone insulin by the pancreas during the day helps to activate the process of fat breakdown and normalize weight. Usually, when we eat any carbohydrates, we pay attention to the calorie content of the product.

The difference in caloric content between white and black bread can be only 5 kcal. But it turns out that white bread, which has a high glycemic index, immediately causes an increase in blood glucose, in response, a lot of insulin is produced, and the process of fat breakdown stops.

Insulin normalizes blood sugar levels, but at the same time promotes the production of special enzymes that protect fat cells from destruction and help increase their number. As a result, we stop losing weight and risk gaining a few more kilograms. Thus, foods with a high glycemic index, if they remain in our diet, then our weight is maintained.

Previously, it was believed that sucrose or refined sugar had the highest glycemic index. The glycemic index of sucrose was taken to be 100 units. And now we have found out that white bread and its derivatives (products made from premium wheat flour) have the greatest ability to increase blood sugar. It is the gluten contained in this flour that contributes to a rapid increase in blood glucose.

In second place after white bread is corn, which means corn flakes, popcorn, corn in tin cans and other corn-based products. These products should be taken with caution.

Potatoes, beloved by us all. And, oddly enough, baked potatoes have the highest glycemic index. Therefore, if we strive for ideal weight And good health, it would be better to replace white bread with whole grain bread, the glycemic index of which is 38-40 units. We will replace potatoes with pasta, the glycemic index of which is above 50 units. doesn't rise. And in the evening, we prefer dark chocolate (index 47 units) to honey (index 130 units). It can be noted that the glycemic index of foods in different sources has different sizes. This is true, especially since the glycemic index changes in different conditions preparing and eating food. And there are so many types of different product groups, which makes it possible to at different speeds be absorbed by these products and enter the blood.

There are many factors that change the glycemic index of a product. One of the factors is the gelatinization process of starch. In raw food, starch is contained in small granules that complicate the digestion process, for example, raw potatoes and raw cereals are not digested and can only cause stomach pain. During cooking, the water and high temperature cause the starch granules to swell, explode and release individual starch molecules. Swollen starch granules are quickly digested because they have large area effects of intestinal enzymes. The rapid action of enzymes causes an immediate jump in blood glucose levels after taking the product. Therefore, well-cooked, swollen, hot porridges have a high glycemic index. It is better to give preference to cereals brewed with boiling water and infused. When cooled, they are slowly digested, hard, and retain greatest number B vitamins and have a low glycemic index. Dried coarse bread, in the form of croutons, has a lower glycemic index compared to grain bread - fresh, soft and warm.

Boiled carrots have a high glycemic index (about 80 units). But in its raw form, carrots (index 28 units) provide good intestinal motility, have a sufficient amount of fiber, empty the intestines well and thereby lead to an improved figure.

Acidity in foods slows down the process of stomach emptying and thus reduces the rate of starch digestion. Therefore, you can add lemon juice or balsamic vinegar to pasta. This will help slow down the rate of absorption.

Fats also slow down the process of stomach emptying, so it is better to take sweet yogurt with fat. It will be healthier than low-fat. So when we think about proper nutrition, we must understand that food should contain everything - carbohydrates, fats, proteins. It is important for us to eat foods with a low glycemic index, i.e. carbohydrates should be slowly digestible, and fats should be unsaturated.

You can eat delicious food. If you want ice cream, add fiber to it, for example, a handful of flax seeds. Sucrose will be absorbed more slowly and there will be no bold release of insulin from the pancreas, because. Blood glucose will rise slowly and not as high as it does with just ice cream.

Or do you still want potatoes? Then prepare yourself a good portion of a juicy, fresh, green salad, and choose potatoes that are young and crumbly with less gluten. It is better to eat potatoes slightly cooled, after the salad, then they will go unnoticed by the body and the sugar level will not rise so quickly. And further. Consider the time of day. From 11 to 16 our pancreas works very actively. She provides good process digestion, and we will be sure that we will not get such an active release of insulin in response to potatoes. Blood sugar levels rise more slowly during these hours, and during these hours we have the least risk of gaining weight.

This unique synthetic substance does not occur in nature and is 600 times sweeter than sugar. Research shows that the calorie content of sucralose is only 0.5k-0.7k. About 85 sucralose is not absorbed by the body and is immediately excreted by the intestines. The remaining 15 substances enter the body, but within 24 hours are excreted in the urine in an unchanged state.

This sugar substitute was introduced in 1976. Moreover, it was released by accident. Scientists subjected chemical reactions sugar. One of them misunderstood his colleague during the experiment and, instead of “testing” the resulting substance, he tasted it. It turned out to be unusually sweet and did not have a synthetic smell.

Scientists continued testing this sweet substance: experiments were carried out on animals (rats), and their reaction to the drug was monitored for a long time. In 1991, scuralose was officially patented, recognized as safe and began to be actively used in Canada, the USA, and later in other countries of the world.

The debate among scientists about the dangers and benefits of sucralose does not stop. Not much time has passed since its discovery to assess all the potential risks when using E955. But it would still be reckless to talk about beneficial effects on the human body if we take into account some facts about this supplement.

Harm

Sucralose: harm

When deciding to replace sugar with sucralose, a person should be aware of the possible dangers of consuming this substance.

The harm of sucralose is not excluded and can manifest itself in the following effects on the body:

• Sucralose should not be exposed to high heat. Although sucralose can be used in baked goods. However, when high temperatures(about 125 °C) in a dry state, sucralose melts and is released toxic substances chloropropanols, which cause cancerous tumors and endocrine disorders. At a temperature of 180 °C, the substance sucralose is completely destroyed. Although the decomposition temperature of sucralose can be slightly increased by diluting it with a carrier, there is no meltable composition with sucralose (allowing it to be used in the production of caramel and microwave products) that would melt reversibly at high temperatures without decomposition.
• According to unofficial data, when long-term use Sucralose “kills” the beneficial intestinal microflora, which leads to digestive disorders and decreased immunity. Up to 50% of the beneficial intestinal microflora may die, as evidenced by recent experiments with this sweetener.
• After consuming this substitute, allergic reactions may occur.
• Sucralose does not contain glucose, unlike regular sugar. It's good for losing weight. However, a prolonged absence of glucose in the body can be fraught with deterioration in brain function, decreased visual function, memory, and dulled sense of smell.

The negative effect of sucralose on the intestinal microflora leads to an inevitable decrease in immunity in the human body, which provokes further appearance diseases - from persistent colds to cancer.

It is extremely dangerous to heat sucralose from stainless steel - in this case, in addition to dioxins, very toxic compounds, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, are also formed.

Dioxins accumulated in humans provoke endocrine disorders and cancer.

Although sucralose has almost no calories, it is no longer a secret for many that the use of sweeteners aggravates weight gain. excess weight, because provoke carbohydrate hunger, stimulating appetite, and ultimately forcing you to consume more food. Accordingly, this is fraught with the accumulation of fat.

Benefit

Sucralose: benefits

World health organizations consider sucralose harmless to the body if its dosage is observed. It is allowed to be used even by pregnant women, since it does not penetrate the placenta, brain and milk of a nursing woman.

Among the advantages of the substitute, the following benefits of sucralose stand out:

• The sugar substitute does not destroy tooth enamel and is resistant to bacteria present in oral cavity. Does not cause caries.
• The substance is almost completely eliminated from the body. It is impossible to get poisoned by them.
• When consumed, there is absolutely no specific taste or smell, since the substance is based on regular sugar.
• The substance has a low glycemic index and does not increase blood glucose. Due to these properties, sucralose tablets are actively used by diabetics.

However, recent numerous experiments on animals and human volunteers have shown that such a sweetener as sucralose does not in the best possible way affects blood glucose levels. Therefore, people with diabetes should not get too carried away with this sweetener.

One miniature tablet is equivalent to a standard piece of refined sugar. The drug is low cost, convenient to dose, and is available in combination with other additives (for example, inulin).

Applications of sucralose

The excellent taste benefits of sucralose have been appreciated by many countries. This additive is quite stable at heat treatment, quickly dissolves in water.

Substance E955 is used in the food industry and medicine, namely:

• In the production of confectionery products - jellies, desserts, milk creams, and carbonated drinks.
• Sucralose can be found in baked goods, chewing gum, preserves, sauces, marinades, seasonings, and processed foods.
• In medicine, the substance is used as an alternative to glucose in medications.
• Sucralose is found in medicinal syrups and tablets.

Despite the arguments and negative statements of experts, the harm of sucralose has not been officially confirmed in any country. Official sources assure consumers that there is no harm from sucralose. Although according to alternative sources– safety from the use of E 955 is in question.

Modern nutritionists consider sucralose one of the safest sugar substitutes. More than 80 countries approve its use as a sweetener. In these countries, sucralose packaging is not labeled with warning signs, because it is the only sweetener that has avoided accusations of “carcinogenicity” and also does not provoke dangerous consequences for pregnancy.

However, this may be a commercial ploy, since Lately demand for this food supplement increased from 3% to 20%. Doctors say that sucralose in minimal quantities is not harmful to the body. It was revealed that daily norm of this substance should be 1.1 mg per 1 kg of human weight. The average recommended dosage per day should not exceed 4...5 mg per 1 kg of adult weight. In order not to provoke side effects, the dosage of this substance should not exceed 16 mg per kilogram of weight.

If you rely on reviews, sucralose can definitely cause damage to the body in case of an overdose. Must be observed permissible norm its consumption, tracking which food products it is present in and in what quantity. And if you buy sucralose, then experts advise that it is better to choose it in the form of tablets, they provide an absolutely accurate accounting of milligrams of this substance.

Additive E955 in small dosages can be used as a taste and aroma enhancer.

Hypersensitivity to sucralose

It is worth knowing that in addition to the side effects of this sweetener, there are people who suffer from hypersensitivity to this artificial additive.

To determine this, it is worth monitoring the presence of some symptoms after consuming this sweetener.

If you are hypersensitive to this sweetener, remove any products with sucralose from your diet completely - the main negative symptoms will disappear in a few days.

In a positive case, you can repeat this experiment to fully (control) clarify whether you have hypersensitivity to sucralose.

Conclusions - this supplement does not bring tangible benefits to the body and does not enrich the body with useful substances. Therefore, people, especially those who follow healthy image Life is worth figuring out for yourself whether to use it or not and whether it is as harmless as scientists claim. This will be an individual decision for everyone.

Glycemic reactions and issues of tolerance to sugar and sweeteners

The choice of types and amounts of sugars and sweeteners can affect human health. Their health effects through the glycemic response are food-related and should be considered in relation to the total diet.

The post-meal glycemic response is an increase in blood glucose levels in response to the intake of any food, especially one rich in carbohydrates. Glycemia is the blood sugar level, which is normally 3.3 - 3.5 mmol/l on an empty stomach.

To control and present the glycemic response (potential), two indicators are used: the glycemic index (GI) and the glycemic load (GL).

Glycemic index GI is an indicator that reflects the speed at which a particular product is broken down in the body and converted into glucose, the main source of energy. The faster a product breaks down, the higher its GI. Glucose, whose GI is 100, is taken as the standard. All other indicators are compared with the GI of glucose.

The glycemic index is widely known - there are many centers that determine it, but at the same time it is rightly criticized, because... It does not meet various criteria for inclusion in nutrition tables or for communication to consumers.

Examples of glycemic and insulin responses are given in table. 1.1.

Table 1.1. Glycemic and insulin response for bulk sweeteners and sweeteners

1 Glycemic g-equiv of glucose/100 g

2 Insulin g-equiv of glucose/100 g

GGE - Glycemic g-equiv of glucose/100 g

The numerical value of GI or GL does not in itself indicate whether it is high or low in the range of all foods consumed or within the diet associated with health in the long term. For predictive applications of glycemic response information food products it is ranked by degree (high, medium, low, or very low (Table 1.2).

Table 1.2. Ranking degrees of GI and GN

2 According to measurements 25-50 g carbohydrates

3 According to prognostic epidemiology

4 Based on measurements of 10 gram servings (or complementary factors) given in international tables.

This ranking assumes that the consumer is choosing a food that has a low glycemic response (i.e., “very low” or “low”). In this case, if a high-glycemic food is consumed for any reason (eg, "for pleasure"), any other carbohydrate source consumed at the same time must be low-glycemic.

It is known that the GL indicator is more convenient than the GI indicator. In particular, the GL indicator is often used as a “virtual nutrient” and is considered along with other nutrients when assessing the relationship between health and nutrition.

The fact that the GL should be below 120 g/day (see Table 1.2) indicates that about 40-60% of the population are at risk of diseases associated with metabolic disorders, as evidenced by the high prevalence of coronary heart disease, obesity and diabetes

Acute glycemic response to sugar and sweeteners

Intense sweeteners are used in such small quantities that they do not have their own glycemic response; In addition, it is believed that the metabolism of such sweeteners does not produce glucose. No intense sweeteners have a pharmacological effect on improving glycemic control (the only exception is stevioside).

The use of intense sweeteners instead of glycemic carbohydrates in cases where volume is required for technological or organoleptic reasons requires analysis of the glycemic response to the excipients. Compared to glucose, the lower glycemia of sucrose is mainly due to the dilution of the molecule by some of the fructose. Fructose itself is characterized by low glycemia due to the low rate of absorption, and even before it appears in the blood in the form of glucose, it must be converted into the latter in the liver, and this carbohydrate can be partially stored in the form of glycogen, and not converted into circulatory system. Next, fructose enters the circulatory system for oxidation, partly in the form of lactate (as opposed to glucose).

For example, if we consider isomalt and lactitol, then they are not yet absorbed most of, which gives these polyols the lowest glycemic response of all sweeteners. In this sense, erythritol is unique - despite the fact that it is almost completely absorbed, it is characterized by low glycemia, since it is poorly metabolized in tissues and excreted in the urine. Mannitol behaves similarly, although most of it (75%) is not absorbed.

Reducing glycemia by using high-glycemic starch to replace sucrose is considered beneficial. An even greater reduction in glycemia is achieved by replacing maltodextrin, maltose, glucose and sucrose with other sweeteners (either partially or completely depending on the serving size of the product or dish).

Polyols, slow-digesting sugars and fillers, in addition to their own low glycemic response, can reduce the glycemic response to other carbohydrates. Although this effect is relatively small, it is quite significant and amounts to about 10-15%.

A further decrease in the acute glycemic response after a meal is due to the presence of fat in the latter. This is true for both digestible and non-digestible carbohydrates (whether they are used as sweeteners or not). This phenomenon is accompanied by increased insulinemia due to greater insulin secretion in response to oral glucose. It is generally believed that fats lower glycemia by emptying the stomach, but this does not explain the increase in insulin response. Mixtures of sugars and fats (more generally, mixtures of high-glycemic carbohydrates and fats) are not considered healthy, and too high an insulin-like response to them can contribute to obesity and the development of coronary heart disease.

Thus, it may be particularly important to reduce the glycemic response to fatty foods (and the fat content of high-glycemic foods). In this regard, it should be noted that there is evidence of the benefits of low-glycemic foods for long-term glycemic control, which appears to be more pronounced in people consuming moderately fatty foods (35-40%) than in people consuming low fat (25%).

Non-communicable diseases pose a huge burden on government and family budget, so there is an obvious urgent need for preventive methods to maintain public health. One of these methods is to change the diet and reduce the glycemic response by selecting certain foods, their variations and ingredients. The development of such food products and ingredients deserves great attention. Clinical data objectively confirm great opportunities in reducing the severity of disease manifestations, and the results of epidemiological studies confirm the possibility of reducing the incidence of non-communicable diseases. The use of a “low-glycemic approach” in dietetics will remain very important in the coming years. The most effective strategies seem to be those that combine reducing the glycemic load with reducing the consumption of high-energy foods with saturated fats.

Sugar, as almost everyone who is interested today knows healthy eating, has many harmful properties. Firstly, sugar carries “empty” calories, which is especially unpleasant for those who are losing weight, who have difficulty fitting all the essential substances into the allotted calorie limits. Secondly, sugar is instantly absorbed, i.e. has a very high glycemic index (GI), which is very harmful for diabetics, as well as people with reduced insulin sensitivity or metabolic syndrome. It is also known that.

That's why people have been using it for a long time various substances, which have a sweet taste but do not have all or any of the harmful properties of sugar. The assumption that . Today we will tell you what types of sweeteners there are and list the most common modern sweeteners, noting their features.

Let's start with the terms and main types of substances related to sweeteners. There are two categories of substances that replace sugar.

The first is substances, more often called sweeteners. Usually these are carbohydrates or structurally similar substances, often found in nature, which have a sweet taste and noticeable calorie content, but are absorbed much more slowly. Thus, they are much safer than sugar, and many of them can even be used by diabetics. But still, they are not much different from sugar in terms of sweetness and calorie content.

The second group is substances that are significantly different in structure from sugar, have a negligible calorie content, and actually carry only a taste. They are tens, hundreds or thousands of times sweeter than sugar; they are often called sweeteners.

Let us briefly explain what “N times sweeter” means. This means that in blind experiments, people compare different dilutions of sugar solutions and the test substance to determine at what concentration the sweetness of the test substance is equivalent, to their taste, to the sweetness of the sugar solution. Based on the concentration ratio, a conclusion is drawn about sweetness. In fact, this is not always an exact number; the sensations can be influenced, for example, by temperature or the degree of dilution. And some sweeteners in a mixture provide greater sweetness than individually, and therefore several different sweeteners are often used in drinks.

Let's start with sweeteners.

Fructose.

The most famous of the substitutes, of natural origin. Formally, it has the same calorie content as sugar, but a much lower GI (~20). However, fructose is approximately 1.7 times sweeter than sugar, which means it can reduce calories by 1.7 times. Normally absorbed. Absolutely safe: just mention that we all eat tens of grams of fructose every day along with apples or other fruits. Let us also recall that ordinary sugar inside us first breaks down into glucose and fructose, i.e., when we eat 20 g of sugar, we seem to eat 10 g of glucose and 10 g of fructose.

Maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol

Polyhydric alcohols, similar in structure to sugars and having a sweet taste. All of them, with the exception of erythritol, are partially digestible, and therefore have lower calorie content than sugar. Most of them have such a low GI that they can be used by diabetics without problems. However, their “indigestibility” has an unpleasant side: undigested substances serve as food for some intestinal bacteria, so large doses (>30-100 g) can lead to bloating, diarrhea and other troubles. Erythritol is almost completely absorbed, but is excreted unchanged by the kidneys. Here they are in comparison:

All sweeteners are also good because they do not feed bacteria that live in the oral cavity, and therefore are used in “tooth-safe” chewing gum. But all of them do not solve the calorie problem, unlike sweeteners.

Sweeteners

Sweeteners are so much sweeter than sugar that whether the substance is digestible like aspartame or not digestible like sucralose, its caloric content is negligible when used in normal amounts.

We have listed the most commonly used sweeteners in the table below, indicating some features. We did not list some sweeteners there (cyclamate E952, acesulfame E950), since they are usually used in mixtures added to ready-made drinks, and, accordingly, we do not have a choice how much and where to add them.

Saccharin.

One of the oldest sweeteners. Open at late XIX century. At one time it was under suspicion of carcinogenicity (80s), but all suspicions were removed, and it is still sold all over the world. Can be used in baked goods and hot drinks. Its disadvantage is a noticeable “metallic” taste at large doses, as well as an aftertaste. The addition of cyclamate or acesulfame to saccharin significantly reduces these disadvantages.

Due to its long-standing popularity and low cost, it is still one of the most popular sweeteners in our country. Don’t worry if you read another “study” on the Internet about the “terrible consequences” of its use: so far, not a single experiment that has revealed the danger of adequate doses of saccharin for those losing weight has been confirmed (very large doses can affect the intestinal microflora), but the cheapest a competitor is an obvious target for attack on the marketing front.

Stevia and steviosides

• 5-10% stevioside (sugar sweetness: 250–300)
• 2–4% rebaudioside A – sweetest (350–450) and least bitter
• 1–2% rebaudioside C
• ½–1% dulcoside A.

At one time, stevia was under suspicion of being mutagenic, but several years ago, bans on it in Europe and most countries were lifted. However, stevia is still not entirely permitted in the United States as a food additive, and only purified rebaudiosides or stevioside are allowed for use as an additive (E960).

Therefore, stevia can now be bought without problems, although its cost is much more expensive than saccharin. Can be used in hot drinks and baked goods.

Aspartame

Officially used since 1981, it is characterized by the fact that, unlike most modern sweeteners, which are substances foreign to the body, aspartame is completely metabolized (included in metabolism). In the body, it breaks down into phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol - all three of these substances are present in large quantities both in our daily food and in our body.

In particular, compared to aspartame soda, orange juice contains more methanol, and milk contains more phenylalanine and aspartic acid. Therefore, if someone proves that aspartame is harmful, he will also have to prove that either freshly squeezed orange juice is twice as harmful, or natural yogurt is three times more harmful. Despite this, marketing wars have not bypassed him, and from time to time another nonsense falls on the head of a potential consumer. It should be noted, however, that the maximum permissible dose for aspartame is relatively small, although it covers reasonable needs many times over (about a hundred tablets per day).

In terms of taste, aspartame is noticeably superior to both stevia and saccharin - it has almost no aftertaste, and the aftertaste is very slight. However, aspartame has a serious disadvantage compared to them - it does not allow heating.

Aspartame is currently available in Russia both in price and in prevalence.

Sucralose

A newer product for us, although it was discovered in 1976 and officially approved in different countries since 1991. 600 times sweeter than sugar. It has many advantages over the sweeteners described above:

• best taste (virtually indistinguishable from sugar, no aftertaste)
• allows heating, suitable for baking
• biologically inert (does not react in living organisms, is excreted unchanged)
• a huge margin of safety (with working doses of tens of milligrams, theoretically calculated safe amounts from animal experiments are not even grams, but somewhere in the region of half a glass of pure sucralose)

There is only one drawback so far - the price. In part, this, apparently, can explain the fact that while in all countries sucralose is actively replacing other types of sweeteners, here, if you are not in Moscow, there is a problem with finding it on the counter at all. And since we are moving on to more and more new products, let us finally mention one more of them, which appeared relatively recently:

Neotame

A new sweetener, 10,000(!) times sweeter than sugar (for understanding: in such doses potassium cyanide- a completely safe substance). It is similar in structure to aspartame, metabolized into the same components, only the dose is 50 times less. Allows heating. Since it actually combines the benefits of all other sweeteners, it may one day take their place. At the moment, although it is allowed in various countries, including Russia, no one has seen it here.

Well, what’s better, how to understand?

The most important thing is to understand that

• All legal sweeteners are safe in adequate quantities
• all sweeteners (and especially cheap ones) are objects of marketing wars (including with sugar manufacturers), and the number of lies about them significantly exceeds the limits that can be understood by an ordinary consumer
• choose what you like best, this will be the best option.

We will just summarize the above with comments about popular myths:

• Saccharin is the cheapest, longest known, and very common sweetener. It's easy to get everywhere, and if you like its taste, then it's the most affordable sugar replacement in every sense.
• If you are willing to sacrifice other qualities of the product for the sake of confidence that it is “natural,” choose stevia. But still understand that naturalness and safety are not related things.
• If you want the most researched and most certainly safe sweetener, choose aspartame. All the substances into which it breaks down in the body are both in food and in the body itself, even if you haven’t eaten any aspartame at all. But aspartame is not suitable for baking.
• If the main quality of a sweetener is important to you - matching the taste of sugar, and the maximum theoretical margin of safety is important - choose sucralose. It's more expensive, but it might be worth the money for you. Try it.

Here's everything you need to know about sweeteners. Well, the main thing is knowledge - and if you cannot refuse the sweet taste, then sweeteners are your choice.