| The Other 26 Sweeteners |
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Where have all the "real" foods gone?There is a reason why organic, natural foods and unprocessed foods are making a comeback. People want to know what they're putting in their kids' bodies as well as their own. Many of the sweeteners used today are so much sweeter than real sugar that consumer palates may become accustomed to exaggerated sweet tastes. Sugar substitutes can be up to 1200 times as sweet as real sugar! Today, products that do not claim to have less-sugar that are in fact sweetened with sugar, may also contain artificial sweeteners. And since food manufacturers are not required to notify you on the front of the package when a product contains an artificial sweetener, consumers may need to check the ingredient list carefully. Here is an example of full calorie hot chocolate that contains the same artificial sweetener as its reduced calorie counterpart.
Numerous Reasons to Be ConfusedThirty years ago, sugar was the primary sweetener in America's kitchens and in the products that lined the pantry. Today, there is a surplus of sweeteners in America's marketplace in addition to real sugar. 26 Sweeteners, by Name and TypeHere's the list of current and pending (not yet approved by the FDA) sweeteners. There are three basic classifications. Caloric sweeteners (of which sugar is one), artificial sweeteners (not found in nature) and sugar alcohols/polyols.
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