Chew on This: Not Your Everyday Sweetener
Raise your hand if you have a sweet tooth? Oh c'mon, I know you
do. My hand definitely shoots right up. I love sugar in its
fullest, from cereals to candy and chewing gum, I pass my
daily dosage of sugar early in the morning. Why is it we love
sugar so much? Our taste buds are so accustomed to the sweet
tastes that we drop on them all the time that regular food is
downright boring to the palate. We owe much of this to our
excessive sugar intake, but we can do something to curb and,
maybe even, replace the extra intake of sugar. There are plenty
of sugar substitutes that can help bring us a healthier
and more balanced diet.
Sweeteners can be used to "liven" up our food and give us the
sugar fix we're looking for without actually having sugar. In
the past, artificial sweeteners
have been the main source to use as sugar substitutes but many
have not been able to mimic the taste of sugar. These artificial
sweeteners cannot be used for baking and do not have the same
feel or texture as sugar. For that and many other reasons, we
quickly give into our sugar cravings and go back to the real
thing. The most commonly used sweeteners are saccharin and
aspartame. These have been "sufficient" for many people, but we
continue to seek for better alternatives that taste just like
our sugar friend.
Xylitol is a naturally occurring substitute that many people do
not know about. It looks and tastes just like sugar but doesn't
carry the unhealthy side effects such as tooth decay and
cavities that come from excessive amounts of sugar. It's
healthier for us and is an easier way for us to cut back on
calories and will help satiate the sugar cravings we all get.
Xylitol can be used to bake all your favorite foods and is in
crystalline form just how we are used to sugar.
Sugar is a huge part of many of our lives, but causes problems
when eaten too much. Diabetes in kids is a growing problem and
is partly due to eating too many sugary foods and a lack of
exercise. Weight gain among children and adults can be
attributed to sugary and fatty foods. Sugar poses a problem for
all, but if consumed in proper doses, then it is not bad for us
at all.
Other than Xylitol, there are many other natural sweeteners we
can turn to that will give us the sugar we need. Honey, fruit
juices, maple syrup, and fructose are other alternatives that
many use to substitute for regular sugar. Natural
sweeteners are a healthy alternative to regular sugar.
Remember that consumption is the key. Any food, including sugar,
consumed in moderate amounts is not harmful.
So it's up to each person to take care of their body and watch
the amounts of sugar eaten. Sugar is in most foods and that's
why we like to eat so much. We can be responsible in the amount
of sugar that we consume and have artificial or natural
sweeteners if desired.