There Are Healthy Ways to Sweeten
By Tom Herrin
For many years, people who could not have sugar had pretty limited options. Until the time in which insulin was supplied for diabetics, their lives were a lot different from those of others. The availability of insulin was obviously the real life-changer. After that, the development of artificial sweeteners was big. The first successful one, saccharin, was introduced more than 140 years ago. Since that time, several others have been added to the list. Many of the more recent ones taste much more like real sugar. They have had a major impact for those who either must watch their sugar intake or those who simply feel they need to.
Diabetics Have More Choices
When they were limited, diabetics had to either consume real sugar, and risk health problems, or avoid it as much as possible. Once sugar substitutes became widely available, a world of choices opened up for diabetics. They are now found in countless drinks and many snacks or other foods. Some people even use them for baking. This makes adhering to a regimen of eating and drinking that can be a great tool for effectively managing diabetes.
Sugar Substitutes for the Rest of Us
While there is little doubt about the benefits of artificial sweeteners for diabetics, it may be somewhat more questionable for others. I have known lots of obese people who begin each day with a sugar-free drink. They continue this throughout the day, but many of them appear to never have any noticeable change in their weight. Some studies have indicated that some of these sweeteners may actually increase appetite. Some even experienced weight gain rather than loss. The sweeteners may, or may not, help with the results they seek.
You May Still Be Able to Still Have Sugar
Sugar itself is not really so high in calories. A teaspoonful does not have a lot. The problem comes in when we take in too much. It is the constant snacking that can cause us to pack on weight. Having an occasional sweet treat is not that bad. We simply have to exercise a little self-control. The other drawback of sugar is that it can be pretty hard on teeth. Most of the bacteria that cause tooth decay use sugar as a food source, so it is also important to have a easy of cleaning teeth after eating sugar.
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