Effects on sugar levels & insulin: 7 most common sweeteners
Aspartame: The oldest and most studied sweetener, aspartame has zero grams of sugar and won’t spike insulin levels after it’s consumed. However, studies in mice have shown that aspartame affects gut bacteria in ways that could lead to insulin resistance, especially with frequent and repeated use. Aspartame is found in diet coke, as well as the brand name sweetener Equal.
Saccharin: Found in Sweet N Low, saccharin may affect gut bacteria in ways that could lead to insulin resistance, based on mice studies. If this is an issue in humans, it will likely only occur with frequent and repeated use. In the past, saccharin has been associated with bladder cancer, based on mice studies, but that was based on extreme levels humans would never consume, so that fear is not based on reality.
Sucralose: A recent human study found that sucralose, which is found in Splenda, may lead to increased insulin spikes when sugar is consumed. It’s also been shown to alter gut bacteria in mice.
Stevia: A relatively new sugar substitute, Stevia is considered one of the safer sugar substitutes. However, little research has been done on it.
Erythritol: This is a sweetener that’s only been approved on the market since 2001, and becoming more popular in recent years. It isn’t recognized as sugar in the body hasn’t been shown to raise insulin levels and is well tolerated, compared to its cousin malitol. That said, it hasn’t been well studied.
Xylitol: Xylitol is a sugar alcohol with about 40% of the calories of regular sugar, so it can contribute to insulin resistance and Type II diabetes if consumed in high amounts.
Maltitol: Maltitol is a sugar alcohol with fewer grams of sugar than pure sugar. But at around half the calories of sugars, it’s not a good option for avoiding insulin resistance and Type II diabetes. It can also lead to significant diarrhea and bloating issues.
source: imaware
