Using artificial sweeteners is considered a safe way to help control blood sugar levels — and today, there are more choices than ever.


 
If you have diabetes and are trying to control your weight and blood sugar levels, sugar substitutes can help satisfy your sweet tooth, without potentially harmful sugar or carbohydrates.
Sugar substitutes can sweeten without adding calories because they offer a concentrated dose of sweetness and are generally calorie-free. Plus, the body does not fully absorb artificial sweeteners, so the few calories they may contain do not affect blood sugar levels. These factors make artificial sweeteners ideal for use in a diabetes management plan.

Sugar Substitutes in the Diabetes Diet

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved six sugar substitutes for use: sucralose, saccharin, stevia, aspartame, neotame, and acesulfame potassium. Out of these six, three are widespread — saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose — while the newest sweetener, stevia, is rapidly gaining in popularity.
Here's a look at popular sweeteners and what they mean for your diet.
    • Saccharin. This is the granddaddy of artificial sweeteners, first developed in 1879. It’s sold under the brand name Sweet’N Low and is 200 to 700 times sweeter than sugar. Many diet colas and other diet foods contain saccharin. It also is sold in packets for sweetening individual meals and in bulk for use in cooking. Safety: A 1970 study associated saccharin with bladder tumor growth in rats, so an eat-at-your-own-risk warning was added to its packaging. But the National Cancer Institute and FDA have since concluded that saccharin does not pose a risk for bladder cancer in humans, so it is considered a safe sugar substitute for type 1 and type 2 diabetes diets. Experts still recommend that pregnant women avoid saccharin.
    • Aspartame.This sweetener is sold under the brand names Equal and NutraSweet and is 180 to 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is sold in packet and bulk form, but is not considered as useful in cooking because high heat reduces its sweetness. 
Safety: Although many anecdotal reports have linked aspartame to health conditions ranging from depression and headache to cancer, researchers have not found that the sweetener poses any health risk to people. The American Medical Association, American Diabetes Association, and the FDA have all come down in support of aspartame’s safety, and it can be used by people with any of the three types of diabetes. However, people with a disorder called phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid it.
  • Sucralose. Sold under the brand name Splenda, this artificial sweetener is 600 times sweeter than sugar and is very useful in baking because granulated Splenda can be directly substituted for sugar in recipes. Safety: Because sucralose is newer, there are fewer long-range studies available regarding its safety. That said, it has FDA approval and is accepted by the American Diabetes Association for use by all three types of diabetics.
  • Acesulfame K (Sunett, Sweet One). This sweetener, which can be used for baking, can be found in many packaged goods and is 200 times sweeter than sugar. Safety: More than 90 studies showed acesulfame to be safe.
  • Neotame: This recently approved sweetener is about 8,000 times sweeter than sugar. It’s closely related to aspartame, but not yet widely used in the United States. Safety: Although derived from aspartame, a chemical change makes this sweetener safe for those with PKU.
  • Stevia: Sold as Truvia, PureVia, SweetLeaf, and Stevia in the Raw, the stevia plant is the basis of this all-natural sweetener, which is 250 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. Safety: In 2008, the FDA approved the purified part of the stevia leaf, known as rebaudioside A, for use as an additive in American food products. This form of stevia also is reported to have less of an aftertaste.
Sugar alcohols, which are reduced-calorie sweeteners that have fewer calories than sugar and less of an effect on blood sugar, can also be used to sweeten sugar-free or “no sugar added” foods. The ADA approves the use of products sweetened with sugar alcohols for people with diabetes, but recommends that they be consumed in moderation.
Natural sweeteners, such as agave nectar and honey, are still as calorie-dense as sugar, but can be safe for diabetics in moderation.

Sugar Substitute Alternatives

If you don’t want to use sugar but are worried about the safety of artificial sweeteners, there are ways to get by without them:
  • Skip diet sodas in favor of flavored seltzer water.
  • Use naturally sweet substitutes, such as blueberries instead of brown sugar on your morning oatmeal.
  • Read the nutrition facts and ingredient labels on foods so that you can select the lowest-sugar alternative and avoid products with sugar substitutes.
If you’re following a diabetic diet, it’s smart to familiarize yourself with all of the sweetener options and choose the ones that best suit your taste and lifestyle.
For more diabetes news and condition information, follow @diabetesfacts on Twitter from the editors of @EverydayHealth. 

http://www.everydayhealth.com/diabetes/diabetes-and-sugar-substitutes.aspx