Safe sweetners for Type II Diabetics
This week in the HSI Forum
“How in the world does one go about sorting out what is true about health issues?”
That’s how HSI member Reney starts off a Forum thread titled “Question for Jenny Thompson.” One way to begin sorting out health issues is to do some research, and then ask specific questions, as Reney does here:
“I’ve tried to research Acesulfame K (as in DiabetiSweet). On the net, one says it’s great stuff and safe to use. The next one says it could cause problems and should not have been OK’d, not enough tests etc. I am diabetic type 2 and am looking for a safe sweetner. I’ve tried Stevia and it is so bitter I don’t know how it can be called ‘sweet.'”
Personally, I would be cautious with acesulfame K. As you point out, Reney, some sources indicate that it’s safe, while others say it’s not. Often, it seems to me that the ones that believe in its safety have something to gain by promoting it. Meanwhile, independent sources (such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest) caution that acesulfame K needs more reliable testing to ensure that it’s not carcinogenic with long-term use.
Stevia, however, is a natural sweetener that’s very safe and is well-tolerated by those with type 2 diabetes. Many people do find the taste bitter, but as a member named Kathy pointed out in a recent e-Alert (“The Sweet Life” 3/10/03), not all brands of stevia are created equal. She recommends a brand called Kal’s, which she says has no unpleasant aftertaste.
The most interesting thing about this Forum thread is the series of comments about type 2 diabetes that follows Reney’s initial posting. Members Zark, Jim, and Lance join Reney to discuss the pros and cons of various foods (including cereal, potatoes and orange juice), and then Lance puts things in perspective with this:
“I am a type two diabetic, also. I try to limit sugar, but I don’t consider it a ‘poison.’ I’m always fascinated and frustrated by diabetics that that avoid sugar at all cost yet think nothing about gobbling down foods with an even higher glycemic index number. Or, they think it’s all right to drink gallons of soft drinks sweetened with artificial, toxic sweeteners. No, sugar is not a good food. It’s pretty much ’empty calories’ that also depress the immune system. But, there are many, many foods which are much more dangerous (for diabetics or otherwise). It’s always about balance, control, and moderation.”
Well put, Lance.
Other topics being discussed on the Forum this week include three different threads that address SARS and how to protect yourself from it by strengthening your immune system, rosacea, 7 keto, a question about reliable vitamin and mineral sources, additional comments about acesulfame K on a thread titled “DiabetiSweet,” and a thread about Xylitol, another good alternative to sugar. To add your input to any of these or other health topics, just log onto our web site at www.hsionline.com, click on “FORUM” and join the conversations.
