I always wondered what the difference was in all of these things..
Four Sweet Alternatives
Artificial sweeteners have long been considered "free foods" because they are calorie-free and do not lead to an increase in blood sugar levels. While some people dislike their chemical aftertaste, they're a common way to satisfy a sweet tooth without spiking blood sugar. Here's a look at the sugar substitutes you can use on the South Beach Diet:
Saccharin: Frequently found in baked goods and diet soda, saccharin is the most common sugar substitute.. While there's been some concern over a possible link between saccharin and stomach cancer, there has been no clear evidence that saccharin causes any health problems.
Aspartame: Aspartame isn't as sweet as saccharin, but it is the most extensively researched sugar substitute on the market. It is frequently found in chewing gum, beverages, and desserts. People with phenylketonuria, pregnant women, and those with advanced liver disease, however, are urged to avoid it.
Acesulfame K: Acesulfame K, also known as acesulfame potassium, was approved by the FDA in 1988, and is often used in combination with aspartame in candies, baked goods, beverages, and frozen desserts.
Sucralose: At 600 times sweeter than table sugar, sucralose is the sweetest of all artificial sweeteners. It is used to produce low- or no-calorie frozen and gelatin desserts, beverages, and gum.
There's another on the market now called Tagatose. I read about it in this months issue of Wired Magazine. It is a partially digestible sugar made from whey. It just hit the shelves last month is Diet Pepsi Slurpees from 7-11 stores, but it is supposed to be already used as a sweetener in milk and yogurt.
I got this from Rick Mendosa's site...looks like we'll be hearing more of it in the future:
The newest approved sweetener is Tagatose. On April 11 Arla Foods of Denmark and Biospherics Inc. of Beltsville, Maryland, jointly announced that an independent panel of scientists hired by ARLA to go over the data from the studies declared Tagatose to be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS), thereby permitting its sale in the United States. The FDA permits this process on naturally occurring substances. After a GRAS declaration, the substance that has been so declared may be sold in the USA without any further input from the FDA. Most prudent companies, however submit their data (make application to) the FDA which is more like getting their blessing.
Almost No Calories
Biospherics, which is changing its name to Spherix, doesn't claim that Tagatose is noncaloric, only that it has "almost no calories." It is 92 percent as sweet as sugar, and technically is a sugar.
Scientifically known as D-tagatose, Tagatose occurs naturally in some dairy products and other foods. The patented production process starts from whey, a dairy by-product.
Arla Foods, which was created in April 2000 by the merger of Arla of Sweden and MD Foods of Denmark, is Europe's biggest dairy company. In 1997 Arla bought the global license to produce and market Tagatose from Biospherics.
The announcement by Biospherics and Arla last month that Tagatose could be sold in the United States because an expert panel found it to be GRAS caught my attention. The press release said in part, "Arla Foods announced that it is proceeding to notify the FDA of the findings of the expert panel. Arla's plan for the commercialization of Tagatose can now proceed." Doesn't the FDA as a whole have to decide?
It does go to the FDA for a 90-day review process, says Biospherics spokesperson Terry Nelson. "But that [a change] rarely occurs with something that has been GRASed. It can go on the market today now that the GRAS status has been given."
When will it be available? "That's in the licensee's [Arla Foods'] court," Nelson replies. "They are building the plants."
Helps Treat Diabetes
What does all this mean for people with diabetes? Biospherics says that two clinical studies found Tagatose useful as an adjunct in treating the disease. In addition, the company says that the studies demonstrated that people with type 2 diabetes using Tagatose are protected against glucose spikes from other sugar products.
Even the American Diabetes Association now says that people with diabetes can eat some sugar. But sugar is empty calories and can drive out nutrient-rich foods from a calorie-restricted diet. Sugar is also rather high on the glycemic index. This makes the development of these new sweeteners a boon for anyone with diabetes.
Arla Foods and Biospherics are promoting Tagatose as a prebiotic, a nondigestible food ingredient that affects the host by selectively targeting the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon. It thus has the potential to improve health. Tagatose can be considered a prebiotic based on an increase in the generation of short chain fatty acids, specifically an increased level of butyrate, and the promotion of beneficial bacteria.
Four Sweet Alternatives....from the Daily Dish
