A Series of Sweeteners - CulinArt Group

Eat Well Blog

A Series of Sweeteners

 

What is the difference between the various sweeteners out there? What does it mean when sugars are “naturally occurring” or “added”? See below for our sweet review of sweeteners.

Starting with the basics – naturally occurring sugars are the ones that are found naturally in foods. For example – sugars found in fruits and dairy products. Added sugars include the sweet taste that is added to foods or drinks during processing or preparation of the product. For example – granulated sugar in coffee, brown sugar in cookies, honey in tea, maple syrup on pancakes, etc.  The big difference between naturally occurring and added sugars is that the sugars found naturally in fruits, veggies, and dairy contain additional health benefits including vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.

Is there a difference between the variety of added sweeteners? Or is sugar just sugar? Sugar has many different names that can appear on a food label: dextrose, brown sugar, powdered sugar, corn syrup, fructose, granulated sugar, nectars, and more – there are more than 50 names that notify customer that there is sugar in a product. From agave to maltodextrin, our body metabolizes sugar pretty much the same way. Overdoing your intake of any and all forms of sugar can increase your risk for diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. The newly updated nutrition facts panel now separates the grams of added sugars to help us identify the natural vs added sugars in our labeled food products.

Too much sugar could cause a spike in energy and then steep decline leaving you feeling sluggish, craving more sweets, headaches, and other signs of the “sugar blues.” Looking for a way to rid yourself of the blues? Try these tips:

  • Read the Label: now that added sugars are called out, check out the product’s nutrition label and list of ingredients to see what you are consuming before you purchase it. Items like cereals, sauces, dressings, and yogurt can be a sneaky source of lots of added sugars.
  • Go Whole: choose foods with less ingredients and jump on the whole food bandwagon. Try making your own granola bars or sauces at home, so you know exactly how much and what goes into them!
  • Train your Tongue: don’t give up so quickly! Try unsweetened, or less sweetened items a few times before ruling them out.
  • Focus on other Flavors: citrus, vanilla, cinnamon, and cocoa can add a subtle sweet taste without the added sugar.

We can’t forget to mention artificial sweeteners. There are six sugar substitutes that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – acesulfame potassium, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, and stevia. Artificial sweeteners are chemicals that have been developed to be used in place of sucrose (table sugar) to sweeten foods and beverages. These artificial products are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, so only small quantities are needed, and contribute little energy intake. Regulatory agencies, like the FDA, set a level of Acceptable Daily Intake levels for each sweetener. This would be the highest amount of the sugar substitute that can be consumed safely over a person’s life without any negative effects. This amount will ultimately depend on each individual person and their medical information. The FDA also regulates these sweeteners and reviews them to declare them as “generally recognized as safe.” There are some health concerns when it comes to sugar substitutes, but research is being conducted.

All in all – yes, sugar is sugar. There are some better alternatives when it comes to sweetening your foods. Even though these sweeteners will metabolize the same way, try these options to add some sweetness with whole and natural ingredients:

  • Very ripe fruits
  • Applesauce
  • Date sugar
  • Dried fruits
  • Raw honey
  • Pure maple syrup

What is your preferred sweetener?

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  • April 8, 2020

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What our clients are saying

“What a wonderful dinner we had tonight for our international families. The food was delicious and well presented as well.”

“Thank you for including me today in the food waste demonstration/[chef competition] and flattering me with the role of “judge.” I will proudly don the [Stop Food Waste Day] apron the next time I plan an “event” in our own kitchen. I think this is a very worthwhile cause and the statistics you read off are staggering. They, alone, can intimidate a home chef, let alone be the “driver’ for a professional one.”

“Thank you and your staff for all the care and thought you give CSW adults and students. You approach events with such care and elegance- I don’t know how you do it! Especially day after day. Please thank all your staff for their wonderful work and kind manner with all of us. Here is to a great year!”

“Many, and I do mean many, thanks for a great Parents Weekend.  I heard from so many happy parents and you all work very hard to make it happen.  In gratitude and kindness…”

“We are so thankful and so impressed by your immediate attention to our power outage. It was such a relief to see all the equipment and workers coming in within a few hours of the outage. Thank you for serving dinner to all [the] students in a very difficult circumstance. Please extend our thanks to your workers who braved cold weather to grill hamburgers and hotdogs.”

“With all the prep work from Winterim ramping up and classes continuing as usual, it's a busy time to be a Forman teacher. Imagine my delight, tired as I was, when I delved into the upscale-restaurant-quality chicken parmesan our dining hall served last night. Forman is all about support, and providing our students with a dinner of that quality is just as important a measure of support as anything that happens in a classroom.”

“I can’t thank your entire team enough for the outstanding service, food, displays, everything!  You are a master at detail, and because of that Adam and I were able to focus on the parents.  I know what a sacrifice pulling off a weekend like this means, we are so appreciative and grateful to you all for your talent and generosity.”

“I ALWAYS feel spoiled by the meal offerings at CSW (The Cambridge School of Weston) and am entirely grateful for it. As I eat today's delicious and lavish lunch (and think about yesterday's as well), I can't tell you how much I feel so well cared for here, both with the food and by the dining hall staff. CSW cares for us in so many ways, both big and small.”

“Thank You! Chef Budd [and team], you overcame a new online ordering system (and hundreds of labels daily!), provided creative and healthy menus, continued to connect with local farmers to incorporate locally sourced ingredients, and worked tirelessly to serve the school community on three campuses.  While it feels like you are all a little like the Wizard of Oz right now, working behind a curtain in a kitchen far away, we sense your smiles and your passion to deliver the best possible service during these trying times. We are all so grateful!”

“I will say that CulinArt has always been a very collaborative partner to T. Rowe Price, listening to our current needs and future goals and suggesting realistic and achievable strategies to meet those goals.  2020 was obviously no exception.  CulinArt also altered other areas of our OCS and pantry programs to create safer environments for all our associates. We can only thank you for your continued flexibility and innovative ideas through these difficult times.”

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