GRAS: Generally Ridiculous and Sketchy

"Don't eat anything your great-great grandmother wouldn't recognize

as food" -Michael Pollen  

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         Not unlike my other posts recently, this blog rant is all about 'the other white sugar'. Sugar Alcohols & Artificial sweeteners. A lot of the reason I wanted to write this was because I have recently realized I do not tolerate either one! Since I gave up refined sugar I have been extremely aware of my body and how it reacts to what I put in it. For about a year now I have been convinced that my gut did not tolerate whey or milk protein. More specifically in the form of protein powders, protein bars etc. Well, more recently (like, the other day) I came to the realization that it may not be whey at all... more likely it was an additive that they put in the protein powders that I often overlooked or thought nothing of. Erythritol. So, obviously I began researching and was fascinated at what I found…

       First off, it is important to know and acknowledge the fact that there is a difference between artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols! I know... it’s exhausting. Unlike artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols occur naturally in plants, like fruits and vegetables and contain fewer calories than sugar. Sugar alcohols have part of their structure that resembles sugar and part that resembles alcohol. However, there is no ethanol in sugar alcohols, so it is not the same thing as alcoholic beverages. Sugar alcohols, like malitol, sorbitol, xylitol, and erythritol are often used as sugar substitutes because they provide a sweet taste that does not raise blood sugar to the degree that sucrose or artificial sweeteners do. This is because they convert to glucose more slowly in your body and (allegedly) do not require much insulin to metabolize

         However, many people (including myself!) report experiencing gas, bloating and general gut discomfort when eating sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners. It took me a while to compile this list, and it may be kinda boring for some of you but it's important to take a moment to look at all the different artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols! Mostly because, unfortunately, there are so many... so here we go. 

Side BY Side of Artificial Sweeteners & Sugar Alcohols

Be advised, this information was gathered from product websites, the FDA website, and other informational sites. So, the "facts" stated below are to be taken with a grain of salt. Most of what I found is what the Food and Drug Administration wants us to know, which unfortunately, is extremely one sided and borderline misleading.

The Artificial Sweeteners

Acesulfame Potassium (Sunett and Sweet One)

• Calories: 0

• History: was approved by the FDA as a general-purpose sweetener in 2002

• General Info: 200 times sweeter than regular sugar; the body can't break it down, so it's excreted from the body unchanged (It just goes in and comes out in the same form? Anyone else calling BS?)

• Pros: no evidence of its connection to an increase in cancer risk or affect to blood-sugar levels; approved for consumption by pregnant women in moderation (scary)

• Cons: has a bitter taste on its own; the consumer group Center for Science in the Public Interest believes that studies on this sweetener were poorly done and that they didn't test its potential cancer-causing risks (shocking right?.... no) 

• Used for baking? Yes 

Aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal)

• Calories: 4 calories per gram

• History: in 1996, the FDA approved its use in foods and beverages

• General Info: 80 to 200 times sweeter than regular sugar; 70 percent of all aspartame is used in diet sodas; The FDA has set the acceptable daily intake (ADI) at 50 mg per kilogram of body weight which translates to about four (12-oz.) cans of diet soda per day. (Is it just me, or is that way too much?)

• Pros: approved for consumption by pregnant women, as long as they follow the FDA's guidelines; FDA sees no connection between aspartame and cancer (yah, okay) 

• Cons: some people may have a sensitivity to aspartame and may experience headaches, dizziness, mood changes, or skin reactions after consuming it ( seems safe...) 

• Used for baking? No

Neotame

• Calories: 0

• History: approved by the FDA in 2002

• General Info: 8,000 times sweeter than regular sugar; it's a chemical derivative of aspartame

• Pros: approved for pregnant women; safe for diabetics since it doesn't affect insulin levels; no evidence of its connection to an increase cancer risk

• Cons: consumer groups contend that neotame may be as toxic (or more) as aspartame, since both sweeteners contain a compound that breaks down to methanol. (Real quick, just in case you didn't know, methanol is a toxic, colorless, volatile flammable liquid alcohol, originally made by distillation from wood.... K. moving on. ) 

• Used for baking? Yes (but would you?) 

Saccharin (Sweet'N Low)

• Calories: 0

• History: the FDA proposed a ban on it in 1977 when lab rats that were fed huge amounts contracted bladder cancer. The ban was never enacted though, and the warning label was dropped in 2000... (this deserves a super sarcastic LOL) 

• General Info: 300 times sweeter than regular sugar; it's a molecule made from petroleum (petroleum???) 

• Pros: since 1981 government reports had listed it as an "anticipated human carcinogen," but it was removed from the list in 2000 (I am not sure why they view this as a pro) 

• Cons: few studies have been done regarding its effects on infants and children, although its use in formula may cause irritability and muscle dysfunction, so they should consume it in small quantities or not at all; although the FDA has not imposed any limitations, studies show saccharin crosses the placenta and may remain in fetal tissue, so pregnant women are advised to use saccharin sparingly or not at all

• Used for baking? Yes

The Sugar Alcohols 

Sorbitol and Mannitol

• Calories: 2.6 calories per gram

• History: the FDA approved them in 1971 and designates them as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS)

• General Info: both are sugar alcohols that occur naturally in fruits but are usually derived from corn syrup

• Pros: absorbed by the body slowly; combines well with other ingredients; no evidence that it has adverse health effects on humans

• Cons: may cause digestive upset or have laxative effect when consumed in large quantities

• Used for baking? Yes

Stevia

• Calories: 0

• History: Stevia leaves are not yet approved by the FDA, but highly purified Rebaudioside A (derived from Stevia leaves) is considered GRAS

• General Info: Stevia extract is made from the Stevia plant, which is native to South America; has been used in South America for centuries and in Japan for the past 30 years

• Pros: it's naturally derived although some argue that it is an artificial sweetener since commercially made Stevia extract involves a refining process; some research shows it can lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels; safe for pregnant women

• Cons: since Stevia is sold as a dietary supplement, the FDA does not regulate it ( I believe this may has since changed) 

• Used for baking? Yes

Sucralose (Splenda)

• Calories: 0

• History: approved by the FDA in 1999

• General Info: contains maltodextrin to bulk it up, is 600 times sweeter than regular sugar

• Pros: after 110 studies and over 20 years of research, the FDA concluded that sucralose has no toxic or carcinogenic effects and poses no reproductive or neurological risks to people

• Cons: bulking agents add about 12 calories per tablespoon of Splenda (although the nutritional info doesn't list these calories)... misleading or nah?

• Used for baking? Yes, yet has an artificial taste

Xylitol

• Calories: 2.4 calories per gram

• History: approved by the FDA in 1963 as a food additive (1963??) 

• General Info: can be derived from various berries, oats, and mushrooms, as well as corn husks, but commercially is made from xylan, which is extracted from hardwoods or corncobs; used as a diabetic sweetener (derived from hardwoods? or corncobs?) 

• Pros: it can actually benefit the teeth; doesn't affect insulin levels; has been shown to reduce the incidence of acute middle ear infection

• Cons: may have a laxative effect; is a life-threatening toxin to dogs; consuming extremely high doses for long periods (over three years) may cause tumors, safety for pregnant and nursing moms is unknown (LIFE-THREATENING to dog..but the FDA deems it safe for humans????) 

• Used for baking? Yes

Here are some "fun facts" about Erythritol 

• Fermented – it is made by fermenting the natural sugar found in corn.

• Heat stable up to 160 degrees C.

• Non-caloric – While most sugar alcohols are low calorie, erythritol has zero calories.

• Non-glycemic - Does not raise blood sugar – erythritol is considered suitable for people with diabetes because it does not raise plasma glucose or insulin levels.

• The easiest sugar alcohol to digest – more than 90% of erythritol is absorbed in the small intestine, so minimal amounts reach the colon where other sugar alcohols end up causing diarrhea and other symptoms. Studies have shown that erythritol is even easier to digest than xylitol.

• Noncarcinogenic– studies have shown that erythritol, like xylitol, does not have carcinogenic properties.

• An antioxidant – erythritol helps to fight free radicals, responsible for the aging process. It is considered to be even more efficient than other sugar alcohols because it is so readily absorbed and yet not metabolized (it is excreted unchanged).

         Erythritol has the status of generally recognized as safe (GRAS) from the FDA and is widely used in many other countries like Japan, the European Union, Mexico and Canada. In my opinion, GRAS products terrify me. Even just the name is scary. Generally recognized as safe? Might as well be called Generally Ridiculous and Sketchy.

In my research on this substance, it was very difficult for me to find websites that were willing to discuss the negative effects. So much of the information I found was about all the benefits. The second half of my research was to mosey through Whole Foods. I wanted to know the magnitude of this issue. As soon as I arrived I started picking up random items and reading the ingredients list and you'll never guess what I found! Erythritol. EVERYWHERE! It was in a shocking number of foods from chips, protein bars, gums, supplements, protein powders etc. Then I thought, whyyy? It was frustrating for me to see that something that can be such an irritant to my stomach and intestinal tract is literally in everything. And so many things that I love! Not only was I upset that I was finding it everywhere, but I was also disturbed that the products I was holding in my hands were deemed, "organic", "all natural" and "healthy"... 

        A couple of things seriously bum me out about these GRAS substances that the FDA lets our society consume in abundance on a daily basis. 

One of the main problems I have is that they always say they do not have harmful effects unless consumed in excess. Well, guess what!? When these products are in almost everything we eat, boom, just like that we are eating it in excess without even knowing it. And all of a sudden we are having abdominal cramps, GI discomfort, dizziness, cloudy brain, food intolerances and so on and we wonder why. 

        Did anyone else notice that some of the artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols were approved by the FDA in like 1970?? It sure made me wonder if they ever even thought to reassess the safety of these products now that our technology has improved so much! I’d be willing to bet the answer is no.. 

And, besides the fact that the FDA just straight up lies to the general public, they even have the nerve to deem some of these substance “unsafe” and then never get around to banning them from our food labels.. so we continue to eat these substances and are blissfully unaware that they could be, quite literally, killing us. 

        Then, I have to address the GRAS acronym.. I hope I am not the only person who thinks that the word "generally" should not be used when we are talking about our health, the health of our children, the health of our unborn children, our elderly, and so on! It sounds like they are trying to cover their a$$es. Because so many of us no longer have the luxury of living on a farm, growing our own produce, raising our own cattle etc. we are putting our faith in the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture to keep the food we buy in the grocery store safe. If you want my personal opinion, I think they are doing our country a huge injustice. They betray us and lie to us on a daily basis and the majority of the people are completely in the dark. 

So why do we need to add these artificial, quite literally, poisonous substances to our food? You guessed it! We are addicted to sugar. As a society we are not only physically addicted to refined sugar, but we are actually addicted to the mere taste of "sweetness". So, what did the FDA do when all of a sudden people wanted the sugary taste but didn't want the associated calories? Abracadabra! Sugar Alcohols & Artificial Sweeteners! 

I am going to end my rant there, even though I could go on for another 10 pages! I hope that wasn't super overwhelming and depressing! It wasn't meant to be! It was meant to be eye opening! You have to know these substances exist and that they exist in foods that you love and that you probably thought were super healthy! You're probably wondering, well now what do I do? Moving forward, you owe it to yourself to just be aware! I recommend reading labels; know what is in your food, especially the foods you eat every day! This doesn't mean you have to stop eating these foods either, especially if you do not have any adverse effects! Just feel empowered knowing what is in your food and how it may effect your body. You only have one body, take care of it :)

Please let me know if you have any questions! Feel free to e-mail me at 

brianavittoriniRDN@gmail.com

Or DM on Instagram @eatfoodmostlyplants