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Sucrose, fructose and Splenda -- demystified


As America's sweet tooth grows, and with it our consumption of high-calorie desserts, snacks, and "sugar-added" products, it simultaneously bites us with a rising rate of obesity and the greater risk for diabetes and heart disease that accompany it.

Sugar itself isn't to blame. Nor is high-fructose corn syrup. But they do add calories, lack nutritional value, and contribute to tooth decay. Learning a few key facts about what sweetens our foods can help us continue to have our cake, eat it in moderation, and stay healthy.

What is sugar?

Although, with a nod to Shakespeare, a sugar by any other name may taste as sweet, the U.S. Sugar Association defines sugar as sucrose derived from sugarcane or sugar beets. Both sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup (made from corn starch treated with enzymes, and which we can find in products ranging from soft drinks to spaghetti sauce) contain glucose (blood sugar) and fructose (fruit sugar), says Marion Nestle, professor at New York University's Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, and author of "What to Eat: An Aisle-by-Aisle Guide to Savvy Food Choices and Good Eating". We digest both in nearly identical ways.

Aim for 40 grams of sugar or less a day.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) advises people on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet to consume no more than 40 grams (10 teaspoons) of added sugars a day. That's half the average consumption rate, according to USDA surveys. To put it in context, take two typical breakfast cereals. A one-cup serving of toasted-rice cereal contains about 120 calories and 4 grams of sugars, and a cup of low-fat granola has more than twice the calories, and, 21 grams of sugar. A six-ounce "juice drink"? 23 grams of sugar. Before you even finish breakfast you may have consumed half the sugars you should eat in an entire day.

Try it: (Oatmeal has zero grams of sugar.) Overnight Oatmeal.

Read the label for hidden sugars.

Look beyond the "heart healthy" labels that many grocers and manufacturers add to their products. The real nutritional lowdown is on the label. Take the average store-bought low-sodium pasta sauce. Sure, the salt content is down, but a three-ounce serving packs almost 12 grams of sugars. Sports drinks have the same issue, with some containing 33 grams of sugars per bottle. Consult the USDA Database for the Added Sugar Content of Selected Foods for more specifics.

Try it: Turkey Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

Know the sugar substitutes.

Sugar alcohols, such as sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, and erythritol, are used in cake mixes and candies, among other foods, and are derived from a range of fruits and vegetables (including corn starch). Xylitol can also be made from sugar cane stalks or birch wood waste. Sweetness ranges from 60 to 90 percent of table sugar and have about half the calories. They require little to no insulin to be metabolized, so are often favored by those with diabetes. Here's the catch: A product can be labeled "sugar free" but still contain sugar alcohols, so read a product label closely for the sugar alcohol content, especially if you're trying to watch your sugar and carbohydrate intake because of a medical condition such as diabetes or hypoglycemia. Sugar alcohols may also have a laxative effect.

Artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin (sold as Sweet 'n' Low and Sweet Twin), aspartame (Sugar Twin, Equal, NutraSweet), and neotame have few to no calories, can be up to 700 times sweeter than natural sugars, and are chemical products. Sucralose (Splenda) is derived from sugar but is chemically altered. All are made so that they are not broken down in the body to be used as energy (calories), all are mixed with bulking agents such as dextrose (derived from corn starch), and all have been approved by the FDA and are considered safe.

Stevia is a no-calorie natural sweetener derived from the leaves of the plant stevia rebaudiana (native to Paraguay and Brazil). It's about 10 to 15 times sweeter than regular sugar.

Can I cook and bake with sugar substitutes?

Only sucralose (Splenda) is heat stable enough to be used in cooking and baking.

Try it: Oatmeal-Apple Muffins

Is honey healthier than other sweeteners?

There is no solid evidence that honey tops sugar in the health category. However, it is less processed than refined sugar. It also has 22 calories per teaspoon, compared with table sugar's 16. Honey tastes of the plant the nectar came from (clover, buckwheat, eucalyptus, and hundreds of others), so it's worth experimenting with its rich flavors.

Try it: Honeyed Couscous Pudding

Sugar and diabetes

Sugars are carbohydrates, and carbohydrates (which are broken down into simple sugars by the digestive system), raise blood glucose and need to be monitored by those with diabetes. Sugar itself isn't forbidden, but every gram consumed needs to be accounted for. Visit our Health Center for more information, as well as diet plans and recipes.

Test your sugar smarts and pick up some surprising diet tips by taking our quiz.