Diabetes mellitus is a serious health problem affecting millions of people worldwide. The World Health Organization projects that the number of diabetics will exceed 350 million by 2030. Diabetes is a disorder characterized by abnormally high blood sugar levels. Blood glucose levels are controlled by a complex metabolism involving many chemicals and hormones including insulin produced by the pancreas. Diabetes is classified as Type 1 or Type 2.
According to Wikipedia, Type 1 diabetes mellitus is characterized by a loss of the insulin producing beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas due to their destruction by the body’s immune system, whereas Type 2 diabetes mellitus is due to insulin resistance or reduced insulin sensitivity, along with relatively reduced insulin secretion. In any case it is in the best interests of the diabetic to modify his/her lifestyle and diet and drastically reduce the intake of excessive sugar.
Humans have had a long standing romance with all things sweet and it is very difficult to suppress the “sweet tooth.” Many natural sweeteners are available as alternatives but most of them have a high glycemic index, meaning that they are likely to increase the blood sugar level and cause hyperglycemia. Thus it is important to use sweeteners that are natural and safe at the same time.
The search for alternative sweeteners is very old with saccharin being one of the oldest synthetic sweeteners to hit the markets. Due to its obvious health hazards, it has not been in contention for a very long time. Then came aspartame, but recently its adverse effects on human health have come to light and it is rapidly losing popularity. People were looking for a natural, low-calorie and safe alternative. They have found two, in fact!
Xylitol to the Rescue!
Xylitol was first discovered in 1891 by a German chemist but was re-discovered by Finnish scientists from the bark of the Birch tree during their search for an alternative sweetener during the acute sugar shortage that Finland faced during Word War II. Scientists also discovered that it metabolizes in the body without the help of insulin. By the 1960s, xylitol was being used in many countries like Germany, Japan, Switzerland and the Soviet Union as a preferred sweetener in diabetic diets.
Xylitol is a naturally occuring 5-carbon sugar found in fibrous vegetables and fruits and various hardwood trees like birch. Xylitol is naturally produced in our bodies during normal glucose metabolism. Xylitol has 40% fewer calories than sugar (sucrose) and is slowly absorbed and metabolized without affecting insulin levels. Xylitol has a glycemic index of only 7 as compared to 100 for sugar! Xylitol was approved by the US Food and Drugs Administration in 1963 and has no known toxic levels.
Health Benefits of Xylitol
Apart from being a very low calorie natural sweetener, Xylitol also has exciting health benefits. It helps avoid and reverse dental problems like small cavities, plaque and tartar formation, enamel demineralization and other periodontal problems. It also inhibits the growth of bacteria that cause middle ear infections in young children. It maintains bone density and reverses bone loss. Thus Xylitol is the perfect sweetener for people with diabetes as well as those wanting to lose weight.
The Zero-Calorie Sweetener – Stevia
According to Wikipedia, Stevia is a genus of about 240 species of herbs and shrubs in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), native to subtropical and tropical South America and Central America.The species Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, commonly known as sweetleaf, sweet leaf, sugarleaf, or simply stevia, is widely grown for its sweet leaves. Many sweet fractions are obtained from the extraction process and they are collectively known as steviol glycosides.
Stevia was entangled in an ugly controversy which many experts believe was an attempt from the powerful “aspartame lobby” to stop it from getting an FDA approval as a sweetener. A 1985 study reported that two of the sweet steviol glycosides had a breakdown product which was found to be mutagenic (able to cause changes in the DNA sequence). But this study was criticized by experts because the data was grossly mishandled. Finally, in December 2008, the FDA approved a highly purified form of stevia known as rebaudioside A as a sweetener.
So, finally we have a natural sweetener which is non-calorific and is 300 times more sweet that sugar! Medical research has also shown possible benefits of stevia in treating obesity and high blood pressure. With the introduction of safe sweeteners like Xylitol and Stevia, which also have potential health benefits, diabetics can look forward to a “sweet life!”
References: Stevia.com
Jitendra Rathod - Jitendra holds a Master's Degree in Microbiology. He had been a Lecturer, teaching the subject to undergrads and postgrads for 8 years.
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