With 2012 settling in, the health food companies are hyping up their advertising campaigns and taking advantage of this time when so many people make New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier and lose weight.
Trying to stay healthy is one way students can improve their overall college experiences. Some argue alternative sweeteners, can help students stay healthier.
Truvia is a calorie-free, natural sugar substitute. According to the product’s official website, the essence of the sweetness comes from a sweet crystal called rebiana, harvested from the leaves of the Stevia plant through a process similar to brewing tea. Its only ingredient other than the rebiana is erythritol, a naturally fermented sugar alcohol found in grapes and pears, and a few natural flavorings.
The company says its product is gluten-free, a great alternative for diabetics and “provides the same sweetness as two teaspoons of sugar.”
This product has not been FDA approved, but has been issued a “no-objection letter affirming and supporting the safety of rebiana,” according to the Truvia website.
There are other sugar substitutes as well. There are numerous brands, but many use the same naturally sweet ingredients. “Currently, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame K), aspartame, neotame, rebaudioside A [stevia], saccharin and sucralose are the only available low-calorie sweeteners (sugar substitutes) in the United States,” according to an article on caloriecontrol.org. Alitame and cyclamate are similar ingredients that are used in other countries outside the U.S. Most are low-calorie or calorie-free, compared to the 15 calories per teaspoon that sugar has. They do not promote tooth decay like sugar and do not affect glucose or triglyceride levels.
However, the aspartame controversy has led many to be cautious of sugar substitutes. Aspartame accounts for more than 75 percent of the side effect complaints of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. There are 90 different symptoms listed in the reports as reactions to aspartame including seizures, nausea, muscle spasms, rashes, depression, insomnia, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech and memory loss.
Recent research on Truvia, such as a 2006 World Health Organization analysis, found no evidence of negative health impact.
A trip to the grocery store reveals all sugar substitutes’ major flaw: they cost slightly more for a significantly lower amount of product. But with all the benefits, it’s understandable why many students shell out the extra money.
