Susan Sorensen

Thank you to all of my loyal readers who have encouraged me during the past six months of my leave of absence. I am back! During the upcoming articles, I will strive to keep you informed but I welcome suggestions from you if there is a topic relating to diabetes that you would like me to address.

 

I frequently am asked about the safety of sugar substitutes, so I was pleased to see an article addressing the topic in the August 2010 issue of “Weill Cornell Medical College Food and Fitness Advisor.” According to the article, “all sugar substitutes are testing safely, but there are concerns about their long-term health effects.” Let’s talk about the pros and cons of using them.

 

You can find sugar substitute packets colored blue, pink and yellow along with packets of sugar on any restaurant table. Some examples of chemical sugar substitutes are aspartame, saccharine, sucralose or sugar alcohols. Products that are labeled as sugar-free will contain a sugar substitute and it must be listed in the ingredients, so be a savvy shopper. Since Stevia (marketed as Truvia) is extracted from the stevia plant, it is considered natural but it is still an artificial sweetener. It does have a very strong sweet taste but it also can have a medicinal aftertaste, so some people do not like it.

 

Sugar substitutes do have some benefits over sugar; they are lower in calories and do not promote tooth decay. But what are the drawbacks? As noted in the article, because most substitutes are fairly new on the market, there is no idea of the long-term effects of their use. Another factor is that eating large amounts of artificial sweetener can alter your taste buds to expect a sweeter flavor from natural foods, such as fruit, so you add more sugar. If you bake with sugar substitutes, the end product likely will have a different texture from what you would get using sugar so be prepared. One caution with sugar alcohol is that excess consumption can have a laxative effect, so do be careful!

 

What is the bottom line with artificial sweeteners? Sugar is a natural product that has been around for many years. At 4 grams of carbohydrate for a teaspoon of sugar, small amounts of sugar can be incorporated into a healthy diet for someone with diabetes. In conjunction with proper portion size and consuming foods that are not processed, you can control your diabetes and enjoy life.

 

Since February is American Heart Month, I am pleased to announce that Judy Tordini, RN, will be the guest speaker at the Sequim Diabetes Support Group on Feb. 2. Her passion for heart health matches my passion for diabetes education, so you will be treated to an informative and energetic presentation.

 

This free support group meets from 10-11 a.m. the first Wednesday of the month at the Sequim Senior Activity Center, 921 E. Hammond St., Sequim. Hope to see you there!

 

Susan Sorensen is a registered nurse who does diabetes education in the community and can be reached at www.starladydiabetes.com.