Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes
Use this handout as a guide when deciding to try a sweetener or sugar substitute.
Name: ______
Dietitian/Dietetic Assistant: ______
Telephone: ______Ext. ______
© Hamilton Health Sciences, 2003 PD 4848 – 03/2017 dpc/pted/SweetenersandSugarSub-trh.doc ______dt/March 6, 2017
2 7 Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes
What are sweeteners and sugar substitutes? Dietitian's suggestions Sweeteners, also called sugar substitutes, can be used in place 1. ______of sugar. There are 2 kinds of sweeteners: • Carbohydrate containing sweeteners (also called 2. ______Nutritive sweeteners) 3. ______• Non-Carbohydrate containing sweeteners (also called Non-nutritive sweeteners)
Notes: What are carbohydrate containing sweeteners? ______• Carbohydrate containing sweeteners include sugar alcohols ______(xylitol, maltitol, mannitol, lactitol, isomalt and sorbitol), aspartame and agave syrup. ______• Sugar alcohols may have a slower effect on your blood sugar. Talk to your dietitian about using products that have sugar ______alcohols. ______• Aspartame is used in very small amounts because it is very sweet. It does not raise your blood sugar. People with ______diabetes do not need to count it in their meal plans. ______• Agave syrup is sweeter than honey. It has 5 grams carbohydrate per teaspoon. People with diabetes may need to ______count it in their meal plans. It has a low glycemic index, ______but contains high amounts of fuctose. ______
______6 3 Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes
Should children use sweeteners? Some common carbohydrate containing sweeteners • Sweeteners are safe to use in small amounts. However, children Sweetener Will it affect Where is it How is it used? need a lot of calories to help them grow and give them energy. It is my blood found? not normally suggested to limit a child’s intake of calories. Talk to sugar? your dietitian or doctor about using these products. Aspartame No. People Many foods Add to drinks and foods that • Children with diabetes may find that use of sweeteners adds with diabetes and drinks, need little or no cooking. variety to their meals. Brand names: do not need to also sold in count these liquid and It does not “bulk up” or brown Equal, sweeteners in powder form during baking like sugar. Nutrasweet, meal plans. If overheated it may Sugar Twin become bitter. Links to recipes … (blue box) Sugar alcohols: Raises blood Gum, dietetic Only found in commercially Sweetener Website or Consumer mannitol, sugars only candies, made foods. Phone Number maltitol, xylitol, minimally cough syrup, Agave Nectar www.dominosugar.com sorbitol, lactitol, fruit spreads, Having more than 10 grams isomalt table syrup, a day can cause diarrhea. Aspartame www.nutrasweet.com chocolate, and ice cream Equal Consumer Information 1-800-323-5316 Centre Agave nectar Yes Liquid form, Substitute for honey or Cyclamate www.sweetnlow.com baked goods sugars in recipes.
Saccharin www.hermestas.com Stevia www.steviacanada.com/receipes Sucralose www.splenda.ca What are non-carbohydrate containing sweeteners? Splenda Low Calorie Sweetener 1-800-561-0070 Non-carbohydrate containing sweeteners do not add any calories. Information Centre They do not affect blood sugar levels. People with diabetes do not Websites and phone numbers are correct at time of printing. need to count them in meal plans. Some examples are:
• acesulfame potassium (ace-K),
• sucralose, If you have any questions please call your dietitian. • cyclamate, • saccharin and • stevia.
______4 5 Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes
Some common non-carbohydrate containing sweeteners Are carbohydrate and non-carbohydrate containing
Sweetner Will it affect Where is it How is it used? sweeteners safe to use? my blood found? All sweeteners are tested for safety before the government approves sugar? their use in Canada. Acesulfame K No. Diet drinks, ice Often combined with other (Ace-K) cream, yogurt, sweeteners. Can be used as a Sweetener What happens to it in my body? and baked table top sweetener or in Acesulfame K Not used by your body. It passes through unchanged in goods. baking. your urine. It does not build up in your body. Cyclamate No. Powder and Not added to products in Agave Broken down in your liver. liquid forms. Canada. Aspartame Broken down and digested like the protein in meat Brand names: Available as or cheese. It does not build up in your body. white or brown. Used as a table top sweetener. Sugar Twin, Can be used in cooking Cyclamate, Not used by your body. It passes through unchanged in (yellow box), and baking. Saccharin, your urine or stool. It does not build up in your body. Sweet’n Low, Sucralose Sucaryl Sugar Alcohols Absorbed and used very slowly. It is changed into sugars Saccharin No. Tablets sold in Not added to products in by your liver. pharmacies Canada. Stevia Poorly absorbed. It mostly passes through in your urine, only. but some passes through your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Used as a table top sweetener. Sucralose No. Found in wide Can be used in cooking and Can pregnant or breastfeeding women use variety of foods baking. Brand name: including baked sugar substitutes? Splenda goods, gum, beverages, These sweeteners are approved for use during pregnancy condiments, and breastfeeding: etc. • Agave • Acesulfame K • Aspartame (as long as the • Stevia Powder and mother does not have PKU) • granulated Sucralose form. Stevia No. Breakfast Can be used in cooking, baking Pregnant and breastfeeding women have high caloric and protein cereal, powder and as table top sweetener. needs. Limiting calories is not usually advised. Talk to your dietitian or Brand name: form and liquid. doctor about using these products. Truvia Rebiana
Cyclamate and saccharin are not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
______4 5 Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes
Some common non-carbohydrate containing sweeteners Are carbohydrate and non-carbohydrate containing
Sweetner Will it affect Where is it How is it used? sweeteners safe to use? my blood found? All sweeteners are tested for safety before the government approves sugar? their use in Canada. Acesulfame K No. Diet drinks, ice Often combined with other (Ace-K) cream, yogurt, sweeteners. Can be used as a Sweetener What happens to it in my body? and baked table top sweetener or in Acesulfame K Not used by your body. It passes through unchanged in goods. baking. your urine. It does not build up in your body. Cyclamate No. Powder and Not added to products in Agave Broken down in your liver. liquid forms. Canada. Aspartame Broken down and digested like the protein in meat Brand names: Available as or cheese. It does not build up in your body. white or brown. Used as a table top sweetener. Sugar Twin, Can be used in cooking Cyclamate, Not used by your body. It passes through unchanged in (yellow box), and baking. Saccharin, your urine or stool. It does not build up in your body. Sweet’n Low, Sucralose Sucaryl Sugar Alcohols Absorbed and used very slowly. It is changed into sugars Saccharin No. Tablets sold in Not added to products in by your liver. pharmacies Canada. Stevia Poorly absorbed. It mostly passes through in your urine, only. but some passes through your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Used as a table top sweetener. Sucralose No. Found in wide Can be used in cooking and Can pregnant or breastfeeding women use variety of foods baking. Brand name: including baked sugar substitutes? Splenda goods, gum, beverages, These sweeteners are approved for use during pregnancy condiments, and breastfeeding: etc. • Agave • Acesulfame K • Aspartame (as long as the • Stevia Powder and mother does not have PKU) • granulated Sucralose form. Stevia No. Breakfast Can be used in cooking, baking Pregnant and breastfeeding women have high caloric and protein cereal, powder and as table top sweetener. needs. Limiting calories is not usually advised. Talk to your dietitian or Brand name: form and liquid. doctor about using these products. Truvia Rebiana
Cyclamate and saccharin are not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
______6 3 Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes
Should children use sweeteners? Some common carbohydrate containing sweeteners • Sweeteners are safe to use in small amounts. However, children Sweetener Will it affect Where is it How is it used? need a lot of calories to help them grow and give them energy. It is my blood found? not normally suggested to limit a child’s intake of calories. Talk to sugar? your dietitian or doctor about using these products. Aspartame No. People Many foods Add to drinks and foods that • Children with diabetes may find that use of sweeteners adds with diabetes and drinks, need little or no cooking. variety to their meals. Brand names: do not need to also sold in count these liquid and It does not “bulk up” or brown Equal, sweeteners in powder form during baking like sugar. Nutrasweet, meal plans. If overheated it may Sugar Twin become bitter. Links to recipes … (blue box) Sugar alcohols: Raises blood Gum, dietetic Only found in commercially Sweetener Website or Consumer mannitol, sugars only candies, made foods. Phone Number maltitol, xylitol, minimally cough syrup, Agave Nectar www.dominosugar.com sorbitol, lactitol, fruit spreads, Having more than 10 grams isomalt table syrup, a day can cause diarrhea. Aspartame www.nutrasweet.com chocolate, and ice cream Equal Consumer Information 1-800-323-5316 Centre Agave nectar Yes Liquid form, Substitute for honey or Cyclamate www.sweetnlow.com baked goods sugars in recipes.
Saccharin www.hermestas.com Stevia www.steviacanada.com/receipes Sucralose www.splenda.ca What are non-carbohydrate containing sweeteners? Splenda Low Calorie Sweetener 1-800-561-0070 Non-carbohydrate containing sweeteners do not add any calories. Information Centre They do not affect blood sugar levels. People with diabetes do not Websites and phone numbers are correct at time of printing. need to count them in meal plans. Some examples are:
• acesulfame potassium (ace-K),
• sucralose, If you have any questions please call your dietitian. • cyclamate, • saccharin and • stevia.
______2 7 Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes
What are sweeteners and sugar substitutes? Dietitian's suggestions Sweeteners, also called sugar substitutes, can be used in place 1. ______of sugar. There are 2 kinds of sweeteners: • Carbohydrate containing sweeteners (also called 2. ______Nutritive sweeteners) 3. ______• Non-Carbohydrate containing sweeteners (also called Non-nutritive sweeteners)
Notes: What are carbohydrate containing sweeteners? ______• Carbohydrate containing sweeteners include sugar alcohols ______(xylitol, maltitol, mannitol, lactitol, isomalt and sorbitol), aspartame and agave syrup. ______• Sugar alcohols may have a slower effect on your blood sugar. Talk to your dietitian about using products that have sugar ______alcohols. ______• Aspartame is used in very small amounts because it is very sweet. It does not raise your blood sugar. People with ______diabetes do not need to count it in their meal plans. ______• Agave syrup is sweeter than honey. It has 5 grams carbohydrate per teaspoon. People with diabetes may need to ______count it in their meal plans. It has a low glycemic index, ______but contains high amounts of fuctose. ______
______
Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes
Use this handout as a guide when deciding to try a sweetener or sugar substitute.
Name: ______
Dietitian/Dietetic Assistant: ______
Telephone: ______Ext. ______
© Hamilton Health Sciences, 2003 PD 4848 – 03/2017 dpc/pted/SweetenersandSugarSub-trh.doc ______dt/March 6, 2017