SUGAR –FREE SWEETS
Sugar-free sweets has been the mantra for Deepavali over
past few years, with a lot more sweet shops in the city adding a counter for
these special sweets made with artificial sweeteners for the diabetic and diet
conscious clientele. But, before you buy the exorbitantly priced ‘zero calorie
mithai’, make sure you read the fine print on the cover.“Artificial sweeteners
such as Aspartame are a no-no for people with genetic disorders like PKU
(Phenylketonuria). The declaration on the sweet package should indicate the
name of the sweetener used in the preparation. Also, there is a cap on the
permissible amount of artificial sweetener that can be used to prepare sweets,”
says Sudarshan Rao, scientist, Food and Drug Toxicology Research Centre,
National Institute of Nutrition, Tarnaka.“The permissible limit of taking
artificial sweeteners is 40 mg per kilo body weight. Plus, artificial
sweeteners such as Aspartame are heat sensitive and cannot be used in making
sweets,” says Rajiv Medanki, physician at a corporate hospital. Aspartame,
Saccharin, Acesulfame potassium or Acesulfame K and Sucralose are a few common
artificial sweeteners available in the market under various trade names.
“A combination of sweeteners such as Saccharin and
Cyclamate are used to reduce the bitter and metallic taste. Cyclamate, a first
generation artificial sweetener, is known to cause cancer of the brain and
bladder. It has been banned by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There has
been a lot of controversy around the sweeteners, as to whether they are healthy
or lead to mutations that result in cancer,” says Suneetha Sapur, clinical
nutritionist and director of city-based Akshaya Foundation.Experts say that
while there is no supportive evidence to prove the toxicity for most sweeteners,
the questions on their safety remain. “Can these be given to children? To what
extent can we use them? A person consuming four-five cups of tea with
artificial sweeteners may be at risk,” says Ms. Sapur.Binge eating arising out
of craving for calories is commonly noticed among people on diet and opting for
artificial sweeteners. “Alternately one can use honey, a safe natural
sweetener. Stevia also can be used. Using artificial sweeteners for making
sweets even at home is not the correct way to reduce calorie intake. It is
better to take artificial sweeteners in moderation and not as a substitute for
sugar,” she adds.
Prof.
John Kurakar
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