I planned to have this post follow the one on Monday where we discussed sweeteners in pop. But, as I moved things in my queue around, it turned out I needed to interrupt the flow to recognize the significance of the 4th of June.
But, as I’ve written before, we already know that using artificial sweeteners as a substitute for sugar in pop does not really improve one’s health. So, it won’t be surprising to know that Health Canada is promoting some new guidelines.
Their food and dietary guidelines stipulate that choosing low calorie- or even zero calorie- sugar substitutes is not a good idea. No, wait. The guidelines say that switch is not helpful. Instead, using unsweetened foods is the better choice.
Interestingly, the USA is not adopting rules like that. No, they actually say almost the opposite. That sugar substitutes are helpful by having folks consume fewer calories.
Why such a disparity? Perhaps because there are artificial sweeteners- products such as saccharin, sucralose, or aspartame, or natural sweeteners like stevia or monkfruit. And, the data indicates that natural sweeteners are safe for human consumption- but they may not contribute anything towards the loss of weight. The data for artificial sweeteners is less sanguine- they may contribute to heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease- and now they may interfere with our microbiomes.
Or, maybe it’s because of a difference in philosophy. Health Canada has adopted the approach that if a food (or beverage) lacks a demonstrated health benefit, there is no need to include same in one’s diet. (Health Canada also expects that a reduction in sweetened eats will modify our taste buds- so we won’t crave such sweet treats.)
The US FDA seems to be swayed by the real-life facts that telling folks to drop sugar-sweetened beverages for water is a great idea- but one that is rarely followed. And, there’s little reason to believe that future admonitions will alter our behaviors.
Or, the fact that the USA has a lively lobby industry. And, the sugar lobby is among the more effective ones.
Which will certainly be in play as the FDA promotes its 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines…
Thankfully, I’m not a soda drinker. But I do use Truvia in my coffee every morning!
I am funny in that way, Marcia. I flavor my water (and add synthetic sweeteners, to boot). But drink my coffee unadulterated!
I haven’t been able to totally disconnect from sugar substitutes, but they are a significantly smaller part of my diet. I never thought I’d be choosing water because it’s a better choice. In my younger days it was just the cheaper choice.
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Most of us can’t divorce ourselves from sugar or sugar substitutes. Glad to see you are choosing great alternatives.
It’s an interesting difference, all right. Of course, I’ve read that the urge for sweet foods is built into us, but in our original diets, sweet things tended to be good for us (fruit, as one example, when we didn’t have technology for massive juicing. Or chocolate, used as the Aztecs did, without sugar). So, our government encourages non sugar sweeteners while winking at the sugar industry, realizing that most people will stay with their sugared sodas? I’ve mentioned before that stevia has a bitterness to me and, as it happens, so does monkfruit. So what do I do? Maybe the Canadians are right. I do drink mostly plain seltzer or water, and an occasional beer or wine.
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Abstinence certainly can lead to weight loss- but wine has a fair amount of calories, too.
Sounds like you have a plan that works for you.
I guess I’m in the minority. I use to drink a giant cup of McD sweet tea everyday! Last July when I went on my healthy eating plan I realized I was drinking a gigantic cup of sugar! I stopped cold turkey and haven’t had any surgery drinks since then. I drink water and sometimes add frozen berries for a hint of sweetness. I’ve even cut out sugar on my oatmeal and switched to cinnamon or nutmeg. I guess an old dog can learn new tricks. 🤣
You are. I stopped drinking pop more than 2 decades ago. But, I do drink flavored waters that are artificially sweetened- not because I am worried about the calories (I should be), but because I don’t like the taste of sugar.
Maybe I’m lucky; I’ve always thought sugar substitutes tasted cloyingly sweet, with an unpleasantly weird aftertaste. And aspartame seems to give me headaches. I prefer unsweetened water, tea, and coffee.
It’s odd, too, that although I do enjoy hard candy if it’s sour, and love chocolate (dark, milk – I’m not all that picky!), most foods with added sugar taste too sweet to me.
If I avoid all sweeteners, I slowly stop craving them – and, more slowly – stop having the pendulum-seeing cravings between sweet smacks and salty ones.
My son gained a good bit of weight when he started drinking soda (he loved flavored, unsweetened sparkling water as a kid, but sugary soda quickly went from a novelty to an addiction). He dropped that weight, and then some, when he cut that out of his diet again.
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I prefer unsweetened hot coffee (and no lighteners, either). Unsweetened ice tea.
But, flavored water is what I crave. Maybe it’s an outgrowth from the 6 to 8 liters of diet pop I devoured daily for some 4 decades- until I gave up the practice cold turkey.
You are right about the cravings, too- based upon the data in the Health Canada report, Holly!
Of all the possible reasons for the U.S.’s stance, I think it’s probably the last one you mentioned. Big Sugar, so to speak.
I fear you are correct, Jeanine.
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