Aspartame, Stevia, saccharin, sucralose, maltitol or xylitol are natural or not sweeteners that give a sweet taste to our culinary preparations but which bring almost no calories. The consumption of sugars without gaining weight is an illusion that we are given and that makes a large part of the population dream. In fact, consuming sweeteners is not a positive option for your health.

Each sweetener has its own properties: high sweetness, very low glycemic index, no calories, heat resistance, but whether they are natural or synthetic, the dangers are very different.

However, we should note that the use of sweeteners is very harmful to our health because by ingesting this type of product, we cause disturbances in our brain. In fact, when we consume sugar that is not sugar, our whole body goes into overdrive, ready to receive this sugar and assimilate it. But nothing happens: the body remains on hold, the brain reactivates a demand and the desire for consumption increases. In short, by consuming sweeteners, we make ourselves want to consume even more sugar.

Sugar calls for sugar and this loop is endless.

Focus on sweeteners

• Aspartame - a synthetic sweetener - is now known to have harmful effects on the brain. However, many people continue to consume it, not respecting the daily doses allowed. It is the only alternative sugar found near coffee machines in companies or in restaurants, bars or cafes.
• Xylitol - a naturally occurring sweetener - derived from birch bark has a calorific value of 2.4kcal/g - almost half that of white sugar - and a very low glycemic index. Non-cariogenic, it is recommended if it is not confused with the synthetic xylitol found in most chewing gums.
• Tagadose - a natural sweetener - is the ideal sugar for diabetics and overweight or obese people because it has no calories, a very high sweetening power and the advantage of having a significant prebiotic effect. Its glycemic index close to zero and its anti-caries action makes this fake sugar almost perfect.
• Coconut blossom sugar - a naturally occurring sweetener - sweetens with half the calories of white sugar. It has the advantage of being composed of B vitamins and minerals such as potassium, iron or even zinc. Its glycemic index of 35 is therefore perfectly suitable for diabetics.

Whether you have diabetes or want to lose weight, the means are to be studied differently. A diabetic person will have no other choice than to integrate these sweeteners into his diet, while a woman or a man on a diet will be able to do without this type of replacement, by simply integrating and dosing natural sugars and by suppressing synthetic sugars, chemically transformed.

How to reduce your added sugar intake

• First, reduce the amount of sugar added to your hot drinks and to your culinary preparations: cakes, pies, homemade yoghurts, etc.
• Gradually, after several weeks, try not to sweeten your hot drinks at all. This will happen naturally because by decreasing your intake, you are unaccustoming your palate to this taste.
• Replace your usual sweet snacks with oilseeds: walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc. In addition, they have significant nutritional benefits. Fruit is of course welcome.
• Remove sweets, chocolate bars, spreads, overly sweetened jams and candies from your cupboards. Avoid temptation.
• For younger children, don't get them used to drinking drinks with added grenadine or other fruit syrups that aren't really made of fruit. These drinks keep them craving sugar, so teach them to hydrate naturally with pure water.
• Learn to read labels and ban all suspect ingredients: glucose or fructose syrups, etc. The mention "without sugar" does not mean that the product does not contain any sugar but simply that the producer has not chosen to add any added sugar such as sucrose.

Diets that require the total elimination of carbohydrates, including fruit and cereals, are not recommended. If you want to reduce your sugar intake, it is possible to adapt your diet while maintaining a consistent balance.