AssetID: 54560552
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Sugar replacements: The good and the bad
Caption: Sugar replacements: The good and the bad. Many people choose sugar substitutes as a healthier alternative, but they're not necessarily better. Expert nutritionist Elizabeth Houston (peppersmith.co.uk) gives the lowdown on sugar replacements and looks at what we can do to make life a little sweeter without compromising our health. ”Let's start with the one on everyone's lips, hopefully not literally, Aspartame. It's a sweetener that's being talked about a lot. So, what is it and why's it such a big deal?”. The expert explains that aspartame, commonly found in fizzy drinks and other sweet treats, has been used as a sugar alternative since the 1980s. “Used in replacement of sugar, it gives a taste said to be a mega 200 times sweeter than sugar - with the additional benefit of it being a lot less calorific than sugar too.” While aspartame is low in calories, the nutritionist points out that it is "totally artificial" and chemical-based. ”In fact, there's nothing natural about it whatsoever. And this means that often, our bodies have a tough time recognising it in our system and consequently a tough time working out how to digest it too.” In addition, aspartame consumption has been linked to cancer and was recently added to the World Health Organization's (WHO) list of potentially carcinogenic ingredients. ”Aspartame and other artificial, man-made sweeteners are everywhere - and often in seemingly 'healthy' looking products: from yoghurts to chewy vitamins, fruit juices to chewing gum…”, Elizabeth warns, before recommending Xylitol. ”A plant-based sweetener, Xylitol is the least scary kind of sweetener you can get. It is 100% natural, has 40% fewer calories than cane sugar, and the properties in it actively clean your teeth and your mouth, making it good for your smile too.” Other healthy and plant-based sugar alternatives include Stevia and Erythritol. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Sugar,Replacement,Alternative,Sugar replacement,Sweetener,Health,Fizzy drinks,Calories,Cancer,World Health Organization,aspartame,Xylitol
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