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Nutrition Can Be Confusing

By Johanna Hicks, Hopkins County Agri-Life Agent

Foods that are okay to consume by some are not recommended for others, depending on medical conditions and the body’s ability to digest them. For example, let’s consider artificial sweeteners. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, states that sugar substitutes are safe to consume in the amounts people typically eat or drink. But how much is acceptable and safe for human consumption?

Regulatory agencies set Acceptable Daily Intake, or ADI, levels for each sugar substitute. The ADI is the maximum amount of a food additive that can be safely consumed daily over a person’s lifetime without any adverse effects. The amount will vary depending on a person’s weight and the artificial sweetener. To get an idea of how much of a sugar substitute you may consume without adverse effects, consider the following. A 132-pound person would need to consume these amounts to reach the ADI:

  • 23 packets of sweetener containing sucralose (Splenda – the “yellow packet”).
  • 45 packets of sweetener containing saccharin (Sweet-n-Low – the “pink packet”).
  • 75 packets of sweetener containing aspartame (Nutra-sweet – the “blue packet”).

Another sugar substitute that is gaining popularity is Stevia, a plant-based, calorie-free alternative to sugar. They extract it from the leaves of the Stevia Rebaudiana plant. Stevia is 200-300 times sweeter than sugar; you can find it in concentrated powdered or liquid forms. Stevia has only one gram of carbohydrate per teaspoon, and because it has no calories and is low carb, it doesn’t cause a spike in blood sugar levels. They market Stevia under the trade names Truvia, PureVia, and SweetLeaf.

They are conducting more research to determine the effects of Stevia, but they tag it “Generally Regard as Safe” (GRAS). Overdose of Stevia is not harmful to health but can cause a particularly bitter taste.

Sugar substitutes are widely consumed and present in various products ranging from grains and dairy products, such as in some bread and yogurts, to soft drinks and condiments. Surveys conducted in the United States have indicated that as many as 25 percent of children (aged two years and older) and more than 40 percent of adults interviewed consume sugar substitutes, according to a study published in 2017. Moreover, the majority included them daily – showing how common sugar substitutes are in the American diet.

Sugar substitutes are one way to reduce calories from added sugars, and FDA guidelines and current research support their safety when consumed at levels within the Acceptable Daily Intake. The bottom line is to select foods that don’t have added sugars and reduce the amount of sugar (natural or substitute) you use daily. Many foods have naturally occurring sugar, so it is the added sugars we want to limit.

Cooking Well with Diabetes

This popular four-session series is on the calendar for September 26, 29, October 3, and 6 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office, 1200 W. Houston Street. We’ll discuss Carbohydrate foods; Making Recipes with Fat Better for You; Double-Pleasure Side Dishes: Reducing Sodium and Increasing Fiber, and Celebrating Sensibly with Diabetes. A fee of $20, payable at the first session, will help defray the cost of materials and demonstration ingredients. Please call 903-885-3443 to sign up.

Closing Thought

Life is about trying new things, having fun, making mistakes, and learning from them is – unknown

Johanna Hicks, B.S., M.Ed.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

Family & Community Health Agent

Hopkins County

P.O. Box 518

1200-B W. Houston

Sulphur Springs, TX 75483

903-885-3443

jshicks@ag.tamu.edu