Although sugar substitutes are good, don’t be greedy
"Here's a pack of xylitol chewing gum!" "Here's a cup of milk tea, the sugar substitute!"
Now, in some convenience stores, milk tea shops or online shopping platforms, sugar substitute products are sought after by more and more "sugar control people", which reflects people's pursuit of health.
Indeed, the emergence of sugar substitutes seems to have eased the entanglement of some "sugar control people" - both to be healthy and not to let go of the idea of sweets.
So, is sugar substitute really the gospel of "sugar control people"?
How to choose sugar substitutes reasonably?
The reporter interviewed Ma Guansheng, a professor at Peking University School of Public Health who has been engaged in nutrition and health research for a long time.
Can sugar substitutes reduce energy intake?
Desserts, snacks, milk tea and ice cream are all the favorites of post-90s Li Mei.
What she struggles with every day is - to eat or not to eat?
Eat less or take another bite?
Carbohydrates, also known as sugars, are the most abundant energy sources in nature.
In people's diet, sweetness is one of the sources of human happiness.
It has always been Li Mei's wish to eat sweets without gaining weight.
In fact, sugar substitutes have been widely used in candy, desserts, beverages and other foods, including some well-known brands.
Whether the dazzling sugar substitute ingredients are healthy enough has become a concern for "Lee Meis".
Sugar substitute is not sugar, why does it taste sweet?
"Sweetness is perceived because the sugar substitute has a sugar-like spatial structure that binds to the sweet taste receptors on the tongue's taste buds, signaling to the brain that we perceive sweetness." Ma Guansheng explained that the binding ability of sugar substitutes to sweet receptors is stronger than that of sugar, so the sweetness can reach tens, hundreds, or even thousands of times that of sugar.
To achieve the same sweetness as white sugar, you only need to add a very small amount of sugar substitute to the food, but it can greatly reduce the energy of sugar in the food.
"Sugar substitutes, also known as sweeteners, are a class of substances that can add sweetness to food and belong to food additives. There are three main types of sugar substitutes currently on the market: synthetic sugar substitutes, natural sugar substitutes and sugar alcohols. Ma Guansheng introduced that from the cost point of view, synthetic sweeteners are cost-effective, so most sugar substitutes are mainly composed of synthetic sweeteners, such as aspartame, acesulfame, saccharin, three Sucralose (sucralose), etc. Of course, the state has clear standards for the use range and dosage of food additives.
In the family of natural sugar substitutes, there are stevia, mogroside, glycyrrhizin, etc. Most of them are extracted from plants. Although the sweetness is high, the calories are almost negligible.
"Sugar alcohol substitutes include erythritol, sorbitol, maltitol, xylitol, etc., which can not only prevent dental caries, but also contribute to the regulation of intestinal microorganisms." Ma Guansheng said.
Sugar substitutes may 'trick' your brain
Eating sweets makes people feel better and increases their sense of happiness, which is one of the reasons why consumers like sweets.
Wang Fu, who is in his 30s, is a sweet tooth lover, but was diagnosed with diabetes during his physical examination last year.
Wang Fu also "activated" his sweet tooth "moderation" mode.
But when he heard that some sweets have replaced sucrose with sugar substitutes, Wang Fu started to get excited about sweets again.
He has been controlling sugar and ordered himself a cup of milk tea. According to his description, the taste is the same as that of sugar-sweetened milk tea, and there is no difference.
Can sugar substitutes for sweets really be eaten arbitrarily?
In the human body, most of the breakdown products of non-nutritive sugar substitutes do not contain glucose and do not directly participate in the secretion of insulin, so theoretically, non-nutritive sweeteners will not cause blood sugar to rise.
"It seems to control the intake of sugar, but it will make us feel that we can eat more other things at will after eating sugar substitutes. Instead, we eat more food and increase the risk of being overweight." Ma Guansheng explained road.
In the opinion of experts, although sugar substitute itself does not produce energy, its impact on the human body is multi-faceted. If you eat too much sugar substitute, it may affect the secretion of hormones in the body.
For example, when the human body ingests sugar substitutes, the brain will mistakenly think that the body has ingested sugar and secrete insulin, but it does not wait for the "encounter" with glucose.
Over time, the body's signal to secrete insulin gradually becomes sluggish, and the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes increases.
Some studies have also found that some sugar substitutes may also lead to intestinal flora disturbance.
If such sugar substitutes are used to replace glucose, the bacteria that originally need glucose to maintain their own growth will be replaced by miscellaneous bacteria.
In the long run, the flora environment in the intestinal tract will be destroyed, and problems such as constipation, diarrhea, and indigestion may occur.
Marvin, a post-00s girl, likes to drink sweet drinks. Especially in summer, iced drinks of various brands are almost standard.
Not long ago, a research report caught her attention - a cross-country study of more than 450,000 people published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that the daily intake of soft drinks (non-alcoholic beverages, editor's note) Those who consumed more than 500 milliliters had a 17% higher overall mortality rate compared with those who consumed less than 250 milliliters per month.
In this regard, Ma Guansheng specifically pointed out that sugar substitutes do not mean sugar-free and cannot be eaten without restraint.
Eating in moderation is not enough
Although there are currently qualified sugar substitutes on the market, the added sugar substitutes meet food safety standards.
"But it doesn't mean that it can be eaten in large quantities for a long time. We must have a scientific and rational attitude towards sugar substitutes. Moderate consumption is too much." Ma Guansheng said.
In the opinion of many experts, sugar substitutes are a good choice for people with diabetes and other people.
Moderate sugar substitutes can satisfy cravings and enhance people's sense of happiness.
"You can choose some natural non-nutritive sugar substitutes, such as stevia, mogroside, etc., which are relatively safe." Ma Guansheng introduced, "Pregnant women and children have poor resistance and need to supplement enough nutrients to maintain immunity. These two Humanoids should use as little or no sugar substitutes as possible.”
Over the years, "the temptation on the tip of the tongue" has made many people pay a "sweet price".
In response to the sugar content in the diet of the domestic people, Ma Guansheng’s team pointed out: At present, the per capita daily intake of added sugar in my country is about 30 grams, and children aged 3-17 who often drink beverages only consume energy from added sugar in beverages. more than 5% of the total energy.
WHO recommends that the energy provided by added sugar per capita should be controlled below 5% of the total energy, or the amount of sugar should not exceed 25 grams.
So, 25 grams of sugar is equivalent to how much in kind?
"It's about half a can of Coke, or half a cup of milk tea, or a cup of yogurt." Ma Guansheng said.
In recent years, the number of "little fat piers" in my country has been increasing day by day.
Several studies have shown that childhood obesity increases the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes in adulthood.
Many women also realize that sugar may be the "culprit" that causes dull skin and collagen loss.
In order to truly control sugar, the most important thing is to develop healthy eating habits and lifestyles. Ma Guansheng gave advice: "Drink less or no sugar-sweetened beverages, let alone replace drinking water with beverages; eat less cakes and desserts. , cold drinks and other sweets, because they add a lot of sugar and oil; cooking and cooking less sugar; buying pre-packaged food, also look at the nutrition list, choose products with low carbohydrate or sugar content; It’s even more important to control your sugar intake when dining or going out.”
(Our reporter Jin Zhenya)
Guangming Daily