STEVIA ~ The Best Sweetness Comes From Nature
The silkiness of chocolate milkshake melting on your tongue, the creaminess of ice-cream tricking down your parched throat, the fresh strawberry jam stimulating your taste buds – all these sugary may satiate your cravings….
But wait, will too much of these sweetness hazards your health in long term?
The prevalence of diabetes mellitus among Malaysians has increased by more than twofold over a 20-year period. In year 2010 the prevalence of diabetes was found to be approximately 15%, which mean out of 20 Malaysians standing on the street, three could be diabetic! Increasingly urbanized lifestyle coupled with less exercise and higher intake of dietary sugar would have high impact on population health. In general, diabetes can lead to complications such as kidney failure, vision damage and amputation of feet.
Overall, Malaysians are said to consume an average of 26 teaspoons of sugar per day, this may includes hidden sugars in commercially-produced food and beverages. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that women should not consume more than six teaspoons (24g) of sugar per day. For men, the daily limit is about nine teaspoons (36g) of sugar. There is no surprise consuming too much sugar promotes inappropriate caloric balance. Excessive calories which is not required for energy production can easily be converted into triglycerides, a type of fat which then stored around waist and thighs. Besides, sugar also promotes the bacterial adherence to teeth and cause dental caries problem. Elevation of sugar in bloodstream also increases the risk of type II diabetes.
FRUCTOSE
FRUCTOSE is then introduced in favour of the substitution of sugar by justifying its stance on the basis that fructose has lower glycemic index than sugar. It has roughly 1.2 times the sweetness of dietary sugar. Nonetheless, emerging evidences reveals high-fructose diet can cause dyslipidemia and impair hepatic insulin sensitivity in healthy human. High dietary fructose intake has been known for years to increase fasting plasma triacglycerols and worsen lipid profile. Unlike glucose , which can be used by virtually every cell in the body, fructose must undergone metabolism by liver and too high amount of fructose can damage liver cells.
ASPARTAME
Until recently, artificial sweeteners were the only possible solution to the problem of reducing sugar from a number of products without loss of sweetness. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame (eg: Equal®, Nutrasweet®) are present in many products in the market. It is about 200 times as sweet as sugar and with zero glycemic index. Aspartame contains 4 calories per gram. However, it is so sweet that only a tiny amount is needed and any typical serving will contain approximately zero calories. Aspartame has been studied by various researchers and the safety of long term use of aspartame is great concern nowadays. The negative effects of aspartame were seen in changes in neurological function, amino acid metabolism and endocrine balance. Besides, a number of reports indicated possible link with epilepsy, brain tumours and cognitive changes in relation to aspartame use.
STEVIA
STEVIA is a zero caloric natural sweetener giving out opportunity to reduce dietary sugar intake that is beneficial to individuals with diabetes. Stevia is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar and therefore, only a small quantity is needed to obtain similar sweetness compared to sugar. Besides, numerous studies have shown stevia is non-cariogenic, which indicates stevia use has been associated with dental caries prevention. The safety of stevia has been confirmed repeatedly. Genetic toxicology database has shown stevia does not pose a risk on following consumption. The components of stevia leaves were found to be non-toxic and non-carcinogenic, where there were also no adverse effects have been reported.
Worldwide, stevia is now being used for having its various magnitudes. Besides being used extensively as a sweetener in coffees and teas, other applications of stevia can be seen in food processing industry and pharmaceutical industry. Meanwhile it continues gains popularity where it can be found in dietary supplements like protein drinks, energy bars and nutritional beverages. Stevia is an ideal option for diabetic people who have to restrict sugar intake in daily diet and yet to enjoy sweetness with minimal calories. It can also be a useful tool in weight management plan that include low-calories balance diet and regular exercise program. However, public should be aware of food and beverages containing stevia could be mixed with other additional sweeteners. It would be wise for the consumers to check product label carefully before they purchase any product that contribute to a healthy diet.
