Natural Sweeteners on the Rise (Sweets for the Sweet)

Sugar alcohols, such as xylitol, erythritol and maltitol, are a hydrogenated form of carbohydrates. They do not contribute to tooth decay nor brown or caramelize when heated. “Xlear sells xylitol, which is a natural sweetener that is derived from fruits, vegetables and other natural sources,” Craig said.

Sugar alcohols are not as sweet as sugar, but they are less caloric and are incompletely absorbed into the blood stream from the small intestines, resulting in a smaller change in blood glucose than does sugar.

A study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association showed the use of chewing gum containing dental-protective substances, particularly xylitol, in caries-prevention programs could reduce the tooth decay epidemic.(6)

Craig added: “Xylitol has demonstrated its ability to help the body’s natural cleansing process to get rid of harmful bacteria in the mouth and upper respiratory system. Studies have shown that when bacteria in the upper respiratory tract and mouth are exposed to xylitol, they lose their ability to adhere to the tissue, allowing the body’s natural cleansing process to wash them away.”

A study at the Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan, found erythritol affects glucose metabolism and reduces lipid peroxidation, which improved the damage caused by oxidative stress involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes.(7) Similarly, a single-dose study found erythritol did not exert significant effects on the metabolism of diabetic patients and a daily intake for two weeks had no adverse effect on blood glucose control.(8)

Merisant offers Sweet Simplicity, a sweetener made with erythritol. “It’s an all-natural, zero-calorie sweetener made from a blend of ingredients. It’s perfect for a healthy style of life; whether you’re watching your weight or you just want an alternative sweetener,” Truong said.

 “Xylitol, erythritol and the other sugar alcohols have their benefits and disadvantages,” Sablosky said. “While they will not raise blood sugar levels, xylitol does have about 10 calories and 6 g of carbohydrates per serving, and it may have laxative effects when 15 g (about the equivalency of 4 tsp of sugar in terms of sweetness) or more are consumed per day. Erythritol does not have the laxative effects or calories, but it does contain about 4 g of carbohydrates per serving. The other sugar alcohols such as maltitol do have laxative effects.”

Despite some downsides of sugar alcohols, Craig noted the market for xylitol is continuously growing, and Xlear has seen a large growth in the demand for xylitol over the past eight years, both abroad and domestically. “When they realize the benefits of using the natural sweetener, they are hooked and begin to take that interest to local stores, their family physicians, dentists and online.”

Organic sweeteners are also on the rise. Wholesome Sweeteners produces Fair Trade organic and natural sweeteners. Mckee said Wholesome uses traditional methods to produce its sweeteners. “Conventionally refined sugars are made from cane cultivated with the aid of synthetic or chemical fertilizers, pesticides or, as will soon be the case, genetically modified herbicide-tolerant sugar beets. The refining process is an energy-intensive cycle of liquification and crystallization that strips the molasses from the sucrose and then uses chemicals, bleaches or bone char to decolorize the sugar.”

“We are into organic foods because our belief is it’s healthier for people, even if it just makes people read labels,” said Jim Mitchell, innovations and development, Ciranda. “But reading labels is a very healthy thing to do.”

Mitchell said many organic companies are socially responsible and interested in the environment. “When you buy organic, a lot of times, you’re not just sending your money to the manufacturer, but it’s going all the way down to the people that are working for a good society and a good environment.”

McKee also noted fields are being converted from conventional agriculture to organic cultivation, which reduces exposure to pesticides, herbicides and fungicides.

Honey may be the most prominent natural sweetener. It has been used for centuries; it is viscous and produced by honey bees from the nectar of flowers.

“Honey is almost universally accepted; it was there from the beginning. Honey will always be at the top of everyone’s list as accepted as natural,” said Jim Morano, Ph.D., business and product development for Suzanne Specialties.

Honey also boasts nutrition benefits. A study done at the University of Illinois, Urbana, found honey contains antioxidant components, mainly in the water-soluble fraction, including protein, gluconic acid, ascorbic acid and hydroxymethylfuraldehyde; and its phenolic compounds contribute significantly to its antioxidant capacity.(9)

Unlike hypoallergenic sweeteners like brown rice syrup, honey can cause complications for those who have allergies. It is also difficult to work with due to its viscous consistency. “The health food industry isn’t all that attracted to honey because of the problems that come along with it (allergies, hard to work with, non-vegan); but, if the mass market wants to send a message that they use natural products, they will use honey, but not so much in the natural industry,” Morano said, noting another downside to honey is its high glycemic index.

Mitchell also added there is a large demand for honey, although it is very expensive right now due to a shortage, which is driving down demand.

Agave is a succulent plant, mainly found in Mexico, but it also occurs in the Southern and Western United States. It is also known as the tequila plant—blue agave is used to make tequila, while other agaves are used for mezcal. Agave nectar is sweeter than honey, but not as thick. It has minimal impact on blood sugar and it doesn’t raise triglycerides.

“Agave syrup is extracted from the agave plant. Its composition is interesting because its sweetness is based off inulin, derived from the inulin versus the starch in rice. Fructose in its unrefined form is attractive to the health food industry because it has a lower glycemic index,” Morano said.

A recent Mexican study fed male mice a standard (STD) diet or a diet supplemented with Raftilose P95 (RAF), fructans from Agave tequilana Gto. (TEQ) or fructans from Dasylirion spp. (DAS) for five weeks.(10) The body weight gain and food intake in mice fed fructans-containing diets were significantly lower than the ones of mice fed the STD diet, TEQ leading to the lowest value. Serum glucose and cholesterol were similarly lower in all fructans-fed groups than in the STD group and correlated to body weight gain. Only RAF led to a significant decrease in serum triacylglycerol (TAG). Supplementation with agave fructans (TEQ and DAS) induced a higher concentration of GLP-1 and its precursor, proglucagon mRNA, in the different colonic segments, suggesting that fermentable fructans from different botanical origin and chemical structure offer promising effects on glucose metabolism, body weight and fat mass development.

Mitchell said agave has about 70 percent fructose, but it does have a low glycemic index. “In that aspect, especially for diabetics, it’s not a bad sugar, because it doesn’t turn into glucose in your body,” he said. “If you’re seeking to avoid sugar, it has some benefits because fructose is one-and-a-half times sweeter than sugar, so you can achieve the same sweetness at a lower calorie content.”

Morano added each natural sweetener takes the place of another sweetener in formulation, and agave replaces HFCS.