Let’s Talk About Substitutes! 215Manuka honey is another story altogether. It seems to have powerful
anti-microbial qualities. But don’t let tht blind you to the fact it has a very
high glycemic index.
Bee pollen, “Royal Jelly” and propolis are very different, even
though they have a related taste and come from the same source.
Watch out for added sugar in commercial cheat brands. That rather
defeats the purpose.
Stevia and the rest
A number of plant sweeteners, such as Stevia, from a South American shrub,
have come onto the market and enjoy a certain popularity. I’m sure there
will be others in time. Though Stevia can impart a sweet taste to foods, it
cannot be sold as a sweetener because the FDA considers it an unapproved
food additive. The subject of searches and seizures, trade complaints and
embargoes on importation, Stevia has been handled at times by the FDA
as if it were an illegal drug. Under provisions of 1994 legislation, however,
Stevia can be sold as a “dietary supplement,” though it cannot be promoted
as a sweetener.
Whereas one might suppose these herbal sources are “natural” and
therefore healthy, I have a problem:
Stevia is some 300 times sweeter than sugar; Talin, a protein found
in berries grown in West Africa, is 2,000-3,000 times sweeter. That’s seems
very unnatural to me! All these foods do is create a palate raving for extra
sweetness. Use them if you must. But surely, I have always taught patients,
it is better to accustom your palate to less sweetness. After a time, the natural
sweetness inherent in foods will emerge and you’ll find you don’t need
sugar-substitutes nearly as much.
Sugar alcohols
Though not technically considered artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols are
slightly lower in calories than sugar and do not promote tooth decay or
cause a sudden increase in blood glucose. They include sorbitol, xylitol,
lactitol, mannitol, and maltitol and are used mainly to sweeten sugar-free
candies, cookies, and chewing gums.
FDA classifies some of these sweeteners as “generally recognized
as safe” and others as approved food additives.