Sugar substitutes are not all bad

Although artificial sweeteners are used quite regularly by diabetics and dieters, there is still controversy regarding their long-term effects. Many researchers have claimed after conducting various studies that the artificial, non-saccharide sweetener aspartame causes many negative side effects ranging from minor twitches and convulsions to depression and cancer. Dr
Rajeshwari Janakiraman, endocrinologist and diabetologist from Columbia Asia hospital, dismisses these ideas.

Is consuming aspartame safe?
Aspartame has been studied extensively for many years and so far there have been no alarming indications for humans. The studies have been done on rodents and guinea pigs, which are given large doses. Humans are much bigger and we have far lower doses. Even the American Diabetes Association maintains that it is safe.

What about other kinds of sweeteners?
Aspartame is the main sweetener used for diabetic patients — it is a non-calorie artificial sweetener (such as Equal). One of the other main sweeteners is sucralose (like Splenda), which has calories, even though they are minimal. These sweeteners are not so good for diabetic patients because they still have calories. Most diabetic patients also have high cholesterol or are at risk of it, and to keep both of these in check, diabetic patients need to watch their calories.

But aren’t natural sugars better for the body?
Most natural sugars are direct forms of sugar, which should be avoided by diabetic patients because it will increase blood sugar. Honey and natural fruit juices without added sugar are ok to have to some extent. Having fruits directly is a better option because they are high in fibre content. Fruits such as mango and grapes should be avoided because they are high in sugar with no fibre.

What about diet foods and drinks? Are they better for diabetics?
Most foods and drinks like the diet versions of colas use the sucralose kind of sweetener. These are good if you are trying to lose weight or want to cut down calorie consumption. Studies have shown that having diet colas is better than having the regular version. Having said this, you should still have a limited amount of sweet whether you are diabetic or not. To lose weight it’s not only decreasing sugar but also watching calories and other factors such as exercise, etc.

What would the ideal set of meals be for diabetic patients?
In the morning they can have coffee, tea or milk without sugar or with artificial sweeteners. Then some breakfast – cereal, oats, or any Indian breakfast with less oil. For lunch they can have rotis or a half-cup rice with vegetables, dal and curd or yogurt. The vegetables and dal ideally should fill half your plate. If your source of protein is meat then you should have lean meats. Dinner can be similar, but should be taken at least one and a half hours before going to bed. If you are hungry you can have some snacks in between meals — some fruit, salads or oat biscuits, so that you also have less during the meal. Something small and sweet is ok — maybe one piece once in a while. Aspartame can be used for sweets; it is far sweeter and tastes better. However, in most Indian sweets it is not the sugar that’s a problem but the oil — you can’t avoid oil, cream and ghee for those sweets.