How Do You Sweeten?
By Tom Herrin
Most of us have something we use to sweeten our foods or drinks. For much of history, this was sugar. We all recognize its taste, and no one needs to describe it. It is frequently used for beverages such as coffee and tea as well as in many foods. Lots of people would never consider eating any kind of cereal without adding sugar. Those of us who were born in the past 50 years or so may not even remember cereal that was not sweetened. As a matter of fact, the only one I recall as a child was the one that was represented by a mascot named "Tony the Tiger." Once we learned more about some health conditions that seemed to be affected by sugar, effort was made to find something that could make things better.
Diabetes was once a problem that was virtually not treatable. As a result, there was a great need for a sugar substitute. Saccharine was pretty much the one that filled that need.
More Recent Sugar Substitutes Are Better-Tasting
When I was young, I remember my grandmother using saccharine. I tried it and didn't care much for the taste. In the last few years, great progress has been made with these sweeteners. Some of the newer may still have some issues for some people, but their flavor is a lot closer to that of sugar. As a result, we see them used in all kinds of foods and drinks.
Who Needs Them?
It may be best for us to decide whether or not we really need to use artificial sweeteners. For diabetics, the answer is simple. Sugar can pose some serious problems that can hardly afford to risk. Substitutes can allow them to enjoy many foods and drinks that were once considered off of the list for them. This is surely the best use of any kind of artificial sweetener. With the current variety of these products available, anyone is able to choose the one that fits them best and avoid any they may have problems with.
Real Sugar Is Not All Bad
Sugar is not necessarily as bad as it is accused of being. The problem that occurs, for those of us who are otherwise healthy, when we simply eat too much. This obviously leads to all kinds of problems. If we want to enjoy sugar, we just need to exercise a little restraint. Sugar itself is not as bad as our personal habits. That is what gets us in trouble most often.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Parker, Colo.