Sugar, Gud, artificial sweeteners: Which is healthier?

In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, doctors and health experts emphasise controlling sugar intake. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), eating too much-added sugars can contribute to health problems such as weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

As more and more people are aware of the harmful effects of refined white sugar, there is increasing adoption of alternative sweeteners like Gud (Jaggery), honey, artificial sweeteners, and natural sweeteners like Stevia. First, let’s understand the various types of alternative sweeteners.

Dr. Vivek Srivastava, Zeon Life Sciences told Financial Express.com that while both sugar and jaggery are derived from the juice of sugarcane, they are produced through different processes which result in distinct products.

“Jaggery, which is often viewed as a healthier alternative to sugar, is made by boiling sugarcane juice until it solidifies and then shaping it into blocks or cones. This traditional method preserves the natural mineral content and phytonutrients of sugarcane, resulting in a product that is richer in vitamins and minerals like iron, magnesium, and potassium compared to processed sugar. Therefore, despite their common origin, jaggery is often regarded as a healthier option due to its more natural production process and superior nutrient profile,” Dr. Srivastava said.

According to experts, there are three types of artificial sweeteners and they all have their own benefits, drawbacks, and uses.

Understanding artificial sweeteners

Sweeteners like Splenda, Sweet’N Low, Equal, Sweet One, and Newtame are some of the popular artificial sweeteners. Studies suggest that these sweeteners can be 200 to 700 times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose) and they have zero calories.

Another variety of sweeteners, Sugar Alcohols, is a type of naturally occurring carbohydrate and they can also be created in labs. Although they do contain some calories, but it’s quantity is still less than refined sugar. Some sugar alcohols you may have seen on food labels include sorbitol, erythritol, maltitol and xylitol.

This variety of sweeteners is pretty common in sugar-free gum, protein bars, low-calorie ice cream and other processed foods, especially diet foods.

There also some newer sugar alternatives like Stevia. It is a popular plant-based sweetener with almost zero calories. According to USFDA, all these sugar alternatives are “high-intensity sweeteners,” and they all come with several pros and cons.

Sweeteners in weight loss regime

According to Shalini Arvind, Chief Dietician, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore, it is a known fact that increased calorie consumption and decreased physical activity is the most important factor leading to unwanted weight gain and central obesity.

“…but is it the preconceived ideas or the influence of media that only “sugars” or “added sugars” are being thought as the single most culprit causing the bulge. While it is evident that sugars give empty calories and nothing else, it is also true that the total calorie consumed is not only from added sugars but also from the supersized savouries, fatty, fried foods, and overly consumed foods. For that matter even home-cooked food when taken in excess amounts (more than the requirement) in every meal of the day over years without sufficient physical activity makes one gain a lot of fat and weight. Thus in the efforts of cutting down the added sugar totally from the diet, sweeteners have been promoted in an exaggerated manner,” Arvind told Financial Express.com.

Arvind also emphasised that the long-term effect of sweeteners are controversial as they can lead to degenerative changes, gastrointestinal problems, cancer, obesity etc.

“Thus one may try to adapt and develop a taste for food without sugar if one wants to remove it totally from the diet or opt for a sweetener made form Stevia, which is made from the natural source. Only replacing the sugars with sweeteners will not help in any weight loss,” she added.

She also emphasised that there needs to be an overall lifestyle change where food is taken in a balanced manner emphasizing all the food groups in correct proportions along with physical activities rather than just concentrating on the small amount of added sugars or artificial sweeteners.

No clear winner’

According to Garima Dev Verman, Certified Nutritionist and Medical Content Analyst with The Healthy Indian Project (THIP), there is no clear winner when it comes to sugar, jaggery, or artificial sweeteners.

“While sugar and jaggery are natural options, they should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. Artificial sweeteners can provide a low-calorie alternative, but should also be used in moderation and according to the guidelines provided by health authorities. The best approach is to be mindful of the amount of sweeteners you consume and to choose a variety of options based on your individual needs and preferences. By doing so, you can enjoy the sweet taste you crave while maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle,” Verman told Financial Express.com.

‘People get carried away with terms like honey, jaggery, artificial sweetener’

According to Shabeba Nawal Shaikh, Dietician at Bhatia Hospital Mumbai, sugar brings with it a range of health problems such as compromised immunity, weight gain and risk of diabetes and heart ailments.

“Talking about sugar, people tend to limit their sugar intake but gets carried away with the term HONEY, JAGGERY, and ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS. Just for an eye opener, 1 teaspoon of sugar can give you around 15 to 20kcals, the same goes for honey or jagger. Pure honey is difficult to find. As there are some added vitamins and water in honey, it will give you around 17 to 18 kcals. But the calories are still the same. Coming to jaggery, it is sourced from sugarcane made in large iron vessels give adds in a little iron while the making process but the calories remain the same,” Shaikh told Financial Express.com.

Shaikh revealed that artificial sweeteners are highly popular as an alternative to sugar.

“They provide much more calories than sugar if taken in large amounts. Their use should be cautious in certain high-risk individuals like pregnant, lactating women, diabetics, and children. Especially children as their intake is higher per kg body weight. There has been research on the long-term daily use of artificial sweeteners which suggests a link to a higher risk of stroke, heart disease and certain types of cancers. In conclusion, Sugar is sugar in any form. So one should use it smartly and profusely,” she added.

‘All sweeteners should be consumed in moderation’

Dr Paparao Nadakuduru, Sr. Consultant Physician & HOD – Internal Medicine, Citizens Specialty Hospital, Hyderabad emphasised that it’s important to remember that all sweeteners should be consumed in moderation.

“Consuming too much sugar, jaggery, or artificial sweeteners can have negative health consequences. It’s best to limit your intake of sweet foods and drinks and opt for natural sweeteners like jaggery or stevia when possible,” Dr. Nadakuduru told Financial Express.com.

Dr Vineeta Taneja – Director – Internal Medicine, Fortis hospital, Shalimar Bagh pointed out that sugar is known to be rich in calories and Glycemic Index (GI).

“GI is the rise in blood sugar caused by a certain type of food. The higher the GI, the less healthful the food. If you continue to consume too much sugar on a regular basis, your body’s insulin response will become dysfunctional. Diabetes is increased as a result of this. Furthermore, elevated blood sugar is bad for your heart,” Dr. Taneja told Financial Express.com.

“When it comes to calorie density and GI, jaggery is very similar to sugar. If you want to lose weight or keep your blood sugar levels stable, selecting jaggery over sugar is not the ideal option,” she added.

She also maintained that stevia is regarded as a safe and natural substitute for processed sugar.

“It will sweeten your food without any of the bad health effects associated with sugar. It is derived from the leaves of the stevia plant, is sweeter than sugar, and contains no calories. If you’re only concerned with weight loss, stevia is unquestionably a better choice than refined sugar, honey, or jaggery,” she informed.

Here are some important tips:

• Reduce your intake of sugary beverages such as sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened teas, and others. Reducing your use of sugary drinks can aid in weight loss and overall health.
• Grain and dairy-based treats, such as cakes, pies, doughnuts, and ice cream, raise blood sugar levels, leaving you weary and hungry and craving more sugar.
• When you’re desiring something sweet, go for something healthier like fresh fruit or Greek yoghurt or 70 percent cocoa or higher dark chocolate
• Consume whole foods.
• Before consuming “Healthy snacks,” read the labels.
• Consider increasing your protein intake.