By now you likely got the message that processed food and in particular, processed sugar is a big issue in terms of lowering insulin. Even “natural sugar” without the fiber like in fruit juice is a problem. For those of us with a sweet tooth, which if we were honest is most of us, the natural response is often to switch to non-caloric, non-sugar sweeteners.

There are options that range from highly artificial like saccharin and aspartame to those that are more natural like stevia and monk fruit. So, what is the deal? Is there a hierarchy to this? Are some sweeteners better than others? What is the impact of these sweeteners on the body? All good questions but like many nutritional questions, the answer isn’t always simple. And often the answer is, it depends. Let’s break it down. 

The artificial sweeteners are processed by chemical synthesis. There are a few of these, the most common ones are saccharine (Sweet n’ Low), aspartame (Equal), and sucralose (Splenda). Others are Acesulfame Potassium (Sweet one) and Neotame (Newtame). Artificial sweeteners are usually far sweeter than regular sugar so you often need less to get the same level of sweetness. They are also relatively inexpensive.

Natural non sugar sweeteners are found in plants and are minimally processed without the heavy use of chemical synthesis. These are sweeteners like Stevia, derived from the stevia leaf, and Monk Fruit, derived from the Lo Han Gou fruit. 

Also considered natural alternatives are sugar alcohols, which include erythritol, xylitol, maltitol, sorbitol, and mannitol. Sugar alcohols are derivatives of sugar produced through the fermentation process. This changes the chemical structure to one that includes an alcohol component, making it hard for our bodies to digest and absorb. However, our gut bacteria can digest these and some people experience digestive issues (e.g. gas, bloating, loose stools), so proceed with caution until you know how these affect you. 

Then there is Allulose. An exotic sugar that occurs naturally in certain fruits and is about 70% as sweet as sugar, doesn’t have the bitter taste of stevia and isn’t digested by the body. This is a relatively new option that has hit the market. It is less commonly found because it is more expensive. 

Now that you are familiar with these sweeteners, how do you know if they are good, bad or benign? As usual, this is a personal choice based on the net benefit vs net harm to you as an individual. 

First thing to consider is how does it affect your behavior and choices? Does knowing that a sweet treat has an alternative sweetener just make you consume more of it since you know there is no added sugar? This is something to really consider when you think through how you personally respond to sweet foods. Does consuming sweets lead you to a tendency to eat beyond satiety? 

The second thing to consider is the role these foods have on cravings. Has making the swap from sugar sweetened soda to sugar free soda lead you to crave less of it? Or has it led to a decrease in cravings in general? Many find they can have a little and then move on. Others find that if they have just a little, they end up wanting more. Many find that their cravings for sugar continue or even worsen. 

The third thing is that while these sweeteners don’t tend to raise blood sugar, we still don’t fully understand their impact on insulin. Consider for a minute that our pancreas will produce insulin merely in anticipation of food. Taking that a step further, your tastebuds taste something sweet, sending a signal to the hypothalamus that sugar is “on the way.” The hypothalamus then sends a signal to the pancreas to start producing insulin for the sugar that never comes. So what happens to the insulin? Right now this is still being investigated but it stands to reason that if your goal is to lower fasting insulin, perhaps all sweeteners need to be consumed sparingly. 

Our best advice is to consider your starting place. For many who have a pretty strong sweet tooth, perhaps the first step is replacing ultra processed sugar laden foods with less processed foods sweetened with a natural alternative sweetener as listed above.  It’s about taking small, manageable steps in the right direction!

From there, take steps to de-sweeten your every-day diet one step at a time. One strategy might be to consider moving to berries for dessert. These are a whole food that contain little natural sugar bound in a fiber matrix that protects the liver (since the blood sugar rise is small) and feeds your good gut bacteria prebiotic fibers. Remember, it is what you eat MOST of the time that matters. If we can move all sweetened foods, sugar and sugar alternatives included, to foods you eat once in a while rather than every day, you’ll have a nutrition plan with room for indulgences that doesn’t derail your health or goals!