The truth about HFCS, Splenda, Agave, and Truvia.
Sit down at any restaurant these days. To sweeten your tea (or coffee) you can choose from the white, blue, pink, yellow, or maybe even green ”stuff.” While we know that white sugar has been associated with over 60 health ailments, what about the rest?
For starters, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is probably the most insidious of all sugar substitutes, as it alone accounts for more than 40% of caloric sweeteners added to foods and drinks in the US—with consumption growth matching the escalating rise in obesity. It doesn’t come in packets because it doesn’t have to. It’s already in a myriad of foods including sodas, juices, candies, pasta sauces, salad dressings, breakfast cereals, yogurt, ketchup, frozen foods, and even baby formulas.
HFCS is such a concentrated sweetener that your brain doesn’t even recognize it as sugar. It overrides your body’s natural ability to feel full, so you eat more.
Here’s a brief consumer alert about the sugar substitutes most commonly used by health minded individuals:
Sucralose (aka Splenda)
Discovered in 1976, it is made by chlorinating sugar! It was discovered by accident. Two Tate & Lyle scientists were looking for a way to test chlorinated sugars as chemical intermediates when there was a gross misunderstanding. Leslie Hough asked his young Indian colleague Shashikant Phadnis to test the powder. Phadnis thought Hough said “taste,” and he did—it was very sweet! A final sweetener formula was developed within a year.
In 1998 it was approved by the FDA. In 2000 concerns over safety surfaced, including a lack of long-term studies. Reported symptoms of sensitivity to this compound include headaches, dizziness/balance problems, mood swings, vomiting and nausea, abdominal pain and cramps, seizures and convulsions, and changes in vision. Concerns have also been raised regarding its effect on the thymus gland—crucial to proper immune system functioning.
Agave Nectar
Although initially thought to be related to cacti, agave is not. The latest rage in health food stores, agave nectar—depending upon how extensive the heating and refining process—results in a high fructose syrup. It contains complex forms of fructose called fructosans. In order for it to obtain its sweetness the agave sap must be heated, breaking the fructosans into fructose units. This is then filtered, resulting in the final product that ranges in color and consistency. Despite having a low ranking on the glycemic index, its fructose content is usually higher than even high fructose corn syrup, and it can take a toll on your health—from blood sugar spikes and insulin resistance to extra fat storage.
Truvia.
Comprised of rebiana, erythritol, and natural flavor, Truvia is the latest “hot” sweetener. Rebiana comes from the leaves of the stevia plant—a natural herb that ranks zero on the glycemic index and has been used for hundreds of years as a sweetener in South America. However, erythritol is a sugar alcohol that in excess is not tolerated well, resulting in digestive problems like bloating, constipation, and/or diarrhea. Another downside of erythritol is that’s it’s made from corn, one of the top 5 allergens.
So, how do we get the sugar out?
• Spice up your life with coriander, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamon (my favorite). These are all delicious spices that can help satisfy your sweet tooth without adding any sugar.
• Get creative with vanilla, almond, mint, coconut, or lemon extracts. See how once boring foods are suddenly transformed into new taste sensations.
• Finish up your meal with Bengal Spice Herbal Tea that serves up a cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and vanilla flavor.
In no-heat foods, use a probiotic sweetener like Flora-Key—which provides 10 billion beneficial bacteria per serving. This powerful formula has been recently updated and improved, now containing L. Plantarum and L. Reuteri in addition to Acidophilus, Bifidus, and FOS. Besides serving as a natural sweetener, it also helps target antibiotic-induced yeast and Candida infections, reduce acid reflux and heartburn, aid weight control and digestive disorders, improve acne, psoriasis and eczema, promote healthy teeth and gums, reduce soy and lactose allergies, prevent UTI’s and other infections, and increase beneficial bacteria’s survival against antibiotics. You can enjoy one to two scoops each day.
When it comes to sweeteners, there are mixed messages all around us, but alternatives do exist that are truly natural, safe—and sweet.
Visionary, health guru, diet/detox expert, author, spokesperson, role model, and natural foods icon, Ann Louise Gittleman has always been a trendsetter. 
Very informative, could you please elaborate on what are safe alternatives to sweeteners. I understood that Stevia was Dr. Ann Louise’s choice for sweeteners, isn’t that what Truvia is? I am so confused now! I have been buying and using Pure Via from Costco because of the great price. Thinking this was just another name brand for Stevia, am I wrong? Please help.
Thank you
Thanks for your comment. Stevia Plus and Flora Key are the two sweeteners mentioned in Fat Flush. Truvia contains plain stevia as well as a sugar alcohol which may be problematic for some individuals with regard to digestive difficultires. Less is more – so if you do continue using Truvia or Costco’s brand – remember that less is more and enjoy!
I’ve been using clear Stevia extract for years. Two drops is enough to sweeten a cup of coffee or tea. I just put a drop in my yogurt. And there’s no additives, just pure stevia extract. What could be less harmful to you (if you choose to use sweetener – and sometimes we just have to!)?
Thanks for your comment, Carole, and we would agree with you. Problem is that many people do not like the taste or aftertaste of pure Stevia. That has been the primary objection we have heard over the years.
In my readings on using just pure stevia it is supposed to be good for blood sugar and I use the pure stevia, not truvia so what is wrong with the pure stevia? The article does not directly address this issue and suggests something else Flora-Key that I had never heard of previously with a hefty price. What gives?
Thanks for the comment, Spirit7free. Please see answer to Carole above. Flora Key is the suggested sweetener in Dr. ALG’s Fat Flush and Fat Flush for LIfe because it provides probiotics that also target weight loss.
Keep in mind, Flora-key contains “Fructo-oligosaccharides” which can cause intestinal gas (flatulence), intestinal noises, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. These effects are usually mild if the dose is less than 10 grams per day. http://www.rxlist.com/fructo-oligosaccharides-page2/supplements.htm
Thanks for the info on Truvia. I knew instinctively the first time I heard that they were using an extract of stevia that I was concerned. Stevia works because it is stevia, as it appears in nature. Truvia is not a natural product, it is only the sweet, what happens when we don’t have the rest of it? Plus, I’m not a big fan of the sugar alcohols. Just a little bit gives me the bloating, gassy feeling.
I’ve been using Organic Erythritol by Wholesome Sweeteners Co. (GMO free) and this brand of erythritol is NOT made from corn. Haven’t had any digestive problems with it. I also use RAW wildflower honey as a natural sweetener occasionally. Stevia powder & liquid has that after taste, so when I make tea (loose tea) I add a tsp. of stevia leaves (from local herb shop) and it sweetens the tea well without any after taste. Another favorite: I blend Deglet Noor dates with water in my blender to make a sweet date syrup as a natural sweetener.
Okay, so it is safe to at least use pure stevia. I have been using agave for my coffee but after reading this, will definitely change that. Thanks for the information:)
Thanks,
Janet
Thanks for all the information it truly helps. What about Honey as a sweetener ? Is it ok to use ?
Oh boy. I have just finished one bottle of agave and have two more in my pantry. I don’t like stevia. What about xylitol? Ann can you please expound on this? I do love the taste of xylitol and feel it tastes better then regular table sugar. But is it safe?
In moderation, xylitol is AOK.\
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Most importantly, remember that the body only needs two teaspoons of sugar per day – easily met with fruits and sweet veggies!
Dr Gittleman:
I like your protein powder but cannot stand the Stevia in it. Can you produce one without the Stevia? PLEASE?
Thanks for all of your great information and work to bring it to us.
Dee
We will check into this and pass along the message to Dr. ALG!
Thanks for pointing all of this out. Most of the stuff pretending to be Stevia on the grocery shelves, don’t list stevia as the first ingredient.
I use Stevia Plus, agave syrup for some things — but for other things I buy the ground up stevia leaves and heat it on low in a crock pot about two teaspoons in a crock pot full of water and slowly let the steviocides sweeten and turn the water dark green. Then I put the dark green water into a bottle and put in the refrigerator. I use the green water to make tea, long cooking oatmeal, buckwheat, quinoa, etc… and while it turns every thing dark green it is sweet without calories and being unprocessed stevia – there is some research that says it has some nice health benefits – that is if the heating doesn’t destroy them.
Since most sweetners plus caffeine plus alcohol give me bladder infections I just hope these things that don’t result in bladder issues can be tolerated of course in moderation. Karen
I agree with Dee, “Thanks for all of your great information and work”!
Also, Tami, so glad for that great info on Organic Erythritol!! Erythritol is the ONLY sweetener I can use (any form of stevia gives me severe hypoglycemia), so that is so very helpful. Anyone informed about Erythritol knows it is the only sugar alcohol that does not cause intestinal distress, & in fact is the sweetener recommended by Dr. Perricone & other holistic health pros. I wish more folks manufactured with it. I always have to find my own alternatives to any plan using protein powders that have stevia.
Adam is right too, FOS causes gas if one has yeasts of a certain variety.
LOVE how smart ALG is, then how much in addition I learn from her readers, too! Great community.
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Last year we planted a Stevia plant in our garden here in Virginia and it produced a huge amount of stevia leaves. I’d often go out and just pick and chew on them. When a frost was coming, we picked and washed all the remaining leaves and put them in our dehydrator and ground up dried leaves into a fine powder. I then used it in my tea during the winter. Note that the leaves are supposed to be the sweetest just before the flowers form, so I might recommend doing a harvest when that happens, and then let the plant regrow for a second fall crop. We found the Stevia plant at one of the “high-end” nurseries in the area.
What about the sugar made from the sap from coconut trees? It is supposed to be low glycemic and good for diabetics. It is becoming more available these days. I like it becasue it has a rich flavor. Do you have an opinion on that?
As usual, your comments are insightful and thoughtful.
Thnx for the info. I have tried stevia and cannot tolerate it. I get dizzy from it probaby because it can lower blood sugar and blood pressure. Recently I started using a bit of raw coconut nectar and crystals. The nectar has only 1.5% fructose and 82% inulin.
Is fructose a good choice for a sweetner. I believe it is from fruits and NOT the same as high fructose corn syrup, is this correct?
I thought perhaps I should mention here that sucralose is not 50% phenylalanine, 40% asparctic acid, and 10% methanol–aspartame is. Sucralose, as mentioned, is basically chorinated sugar. Truvia is over 99% erythritol, and yes, pure stevia is good for you. If it really is pure, it has 0 calories, 0 carbs, and a 0 GI. If it really is pure, then in whole -leaf form or in pure concentrate it should also retain the many nutrients from the stevia leaf. There are over 100 different nutrients in a good quality stevia leaf. Truly pure stevia will help curb sweet cravings and the concentrate will help nourish the pancreas and regulate blood sugar. When I was a child I had severe hypoglycemia coupled with PKU variant. I would pass out and have seizures about everyday. My passing out only ended after my dad put stevia concentrate in my liquid nutritional supplement I had to ingest for my PKU. So, for me, the pure stevia concentrate saved me from my severe hypoglycemia. I’m sure to it was due to its pancreatic nourishing quality. It’s this form of stevia concentrate that has been used to treat diabetes in South America. It can even be used as a mouthwash diluted with water or added to toothpaste as it also has anti-cavity properties. There are more benefits, but I’ll end here.
(I am employed by Wisdom Natural Brands, the makers of SweetLeaf Stevia).
Patricia, I think that as far as fructose is concerned, your body breaks it down and uses it much the same way as high fructose corn syrup, agave, white sugar, etc
Oops — “Sucralose is composed of 50 percent phenylalanine, 40 percent aspartic acid, and 10 percent methyl alcohol” refers to aspartame not suralose. We were originally going to tackle aspartame and this sentence inadvertently got left in the blog. Sorry for the confusion and thanks for the clarification! We have edited the blog to omit this sentence.
There is a great tasting stevia out there called NuNaturals Alcohol Free Stevia. I have searched high and low for a good substitute for sugar to sweeten with and finally I have found it. There is no aftertaste or bitterness, just pure sweetness.
I order mine from I-herb. They have several varieties so make sure you get the alcohol free one to avoid bitterness and aftertaste.
I read in one of ALG’s articles that 4% of the population cannot digest inulin or FOS. Any help for those of us in that 4%? I think all your protein powders plus the Flora-Key contain one or both. I can’t do your smoothies without a terrible gassy reaction. Would love your suggestions for alternatives! Thanks so much!
Amazon herb company has a GREAT stevia product. It comes in a liquid , 1 oz. bottle (for $13) and has NO aftertaste. I love it because I can carry it in my purse. I mix it with water amd lemon when dining out and in place of tea or soft drinks. i love it. (i have even successfully used it in a “skinny margarita”,) It is my understanding that it is in a base of grapefruit seed extract (another fabulous nutritional addition). I have a friend who is a diabetic and she too now carries a bottle of Amazon Herb Stevis it in her purse, and has totally replaced the pink, yellow and blue packets and hasn’t looked back. I have tried almost ever kind of stevia (and spent a lot of money,too) and have never found anything like this. It is a great value and a little goes a LONG way.