Stevia, Xylitol,Yacon, Aspartame, High Fructose Corn Syrup. Which Sugar Is The Best?

People have many choices to consider when they buy foods that contain sugar and sugar substitutes at the supermarket.  Which sugar additive is the best though?.  People might like to know whether stevia, yacon, xylotol, agave or high fructose corn syrup are good for them, and some people might not know about any of these choices because until recently, because nobody ever mentioned them in great detail.  

All parts of the Yacon plant are good for you and it has been used as a natural treatment for diabetes and liver problems, and has been effective on lowering blood pressure.  The yacon leaves are used for treating hypertension and are full of antioxidants, more than green tea.  These herbs possess a natural sweetness that intensifies when it is left in the sun.  Versatile plants that can be eaten as fruit, but people often consume yacon in cakes, pickles, and drinks.  The health conscious benefits of yacon are that it is an oligofructose, which cannot be absorbed by the body.  This makes it naturally low in calories and this natural sugar will not raise blood glucose levels which makes it the perfect choice for diabetics.  People have said that yacon is a diabetic food and a diet food. 

Stevia is a controversial diet supplement that is said to be sweeter than sugar.  Stevia is an herb that is native to Paraguay, but is sold in the United States as a diet supplement only.  Manufacturers use stevia to sweeten drinks, teas, and a variety of other products, but due to legislation, all of these products must be labeled with stevia being used as a diet supplement and not a sweetener.  Stevia is 200 times more sweeter than natural sugar.  Refined stevia extracts are used as tabletop sugar substitutes primarily in Japan.  The Japanese use this sweetener in candies, ice cream, seafood, vegetables and soft drinks.  This natural diet supplement is perfect for use by diabetics because it does not raise the blood sugar. 

Xylitol is a natural sugar found in fruits and vegetables.  The body itself has the ability to produce small amounts of xylotol each day.  When xylitol is manufactured it is derived from birch trees, cane bagasse, and corn cobs.  Not only is xylotol sweeter than sugar, but it offers people many health benefits.  It helps fight and reduce plaque, fights cavities, and reduces the secretion of plaque acids.  Xylotol facilitates the re-mineralization of tooth enamel, and has the capacity to increase bone mass and density but only in animal studies.   

Xylitol also has the ability to fight the occurrence of inner ear infections, and has been used to fight bad breath.  Medicinally, it has been given to expectant mothers to ensure that they do not pass strep bacteria on to their unborn infants.  Xylotol is a recommended sweetener for diabetics and for people that suffer from hypoglycemia.  Xylotol has little effect on blood sugar levels. 

Agave has earned the endorsement of the American Diabetes Association and Dr. Oz who is a medical doctor that is used as a consultant on the Oprah Winfrey Show.  Agave is a natural sugar that is certified to be both organic and kosher.  Agave is four times sweeter than natural sugar.  The Food and Drug Administration has certified blue agave to be diabetic friendly because of its low glycemic qualities.   

High fructose corn syrup is a great preservative because manufacturers use it to prevent freezer burn.  HFCS has the same number of calories as sugar, and is nutritionally the same as sugar.  High fructose corn syrup is not a natural sugar though, and is treated differently by body parts.  The liver does not metabolize high fructose corn syrup the way that it processes natural sugar.  The pancreas does not produce insulin the way it is supposed to when HFCS are present in the body.  High fructose corn syrups are not diabetic friendly because this sweetener raises blood pressures and blood sugar levels.  The Corn Refiners Association has done a remarkable job in their present campaign to set the record straight about how healthy high fructose corn syrup are for families.  The record is broken and so broke that only natural sugar substances could help fix it and there are none really in HFCS.  There are only tripled processed blends of sugars that are filled with broken enzymes, but are low cost so manufacturers are real fond of them.