‘It is most unfortunate that the trillion-dollar food supplement industry is not regulated, and all products not vetted, throwing the unsuspecting consumers into the lion’s den…’
ARTIFICIAL sugars or sweeteners are very popular. Questions about their safety with long-term use still float around. The claim that Saccharin caused cancer years ago was debunked.
From trusted scientific sources: “While sucralose itself and other non-nutritive sweeteners have not been shown to raise blood sugar, maltodextrin, which is found in Splenda and some Stevia blends, can cause spikes in blood sugar in some people. Any spike in blood sugar is particularly dangerous for those with diabetes.”
Studies in mice suggest an association between consuming high dose of sucralose and cancer. The recommendation is “never use Splenda for cooking or baking,” since cooking with sucralose may create potential carcinogens called chloropropanols.”
While there are no long-term studies on Stevia, there is no evidence that suggests it increases risk of diseases among consumers. The USDA considers highly purified Stevia as “generally safe.” Both Splenda and Stevia may interfere with the user’s healthy gut bacteria.
Zero-calorie sweeteners have been found to cause people who use it to eat more calories over time, leading to weight gain, and the suggestion that they may also interact with medications for diabetes T2 and high blood pressure, which have not been confirmed.
The consensus is that between Splenda and Stevia, Stevia has fewer potential adverse health effects so far, but long-term studies are needed for confirmation. It is prudent to use it in moderation anyway. And for those who use it only for one cup of coffee or tea a day, a teaspoon of brown or raw sugar might be a wiser option.
Fruits and veggies
Adults need 7-13 cups of produce to obtain the full benefits from vegetables and fruits.
Less than 25 percent consume five or more cups a day. One company, the vendor of Balance of Nature, is taking advantage of this. Its claim that six capsules a day would satisfy the minimum daily requirement is questionable.
There is no healthier and safer way (and a lot cheaper also) to enjoy fruits and vegetables of your choice than to eat them fresh and not in capsules, which are processed powder.
It is most unfortunate that the trillion-dollar food supplement industry is not regulated, and all products not vetted, throwing the unsuspecting consumers into the lion’s den, and enriching shrewd and merciless, some dishonest, entrepreneurs.
Caveat emptor, indeed!
Bad for babies
The American Academy of Pediatric strictly recommends no fruit juices for babies, absolutely no fruit juices at all, before age one, and very limited, if at all, for toddlers and older children, according to Farida I. Chua, MD, pediatrician based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas.
This is a major shift from the recommendation of the AAP a couple of decades ago. The academy today even recommends doing away with the beloved sippy cup for children, which is a contributing factor in childhood obesity and T2 diabetes. There is no evidence of any health benefit of fruit juices in infancy and the high sugar load in them is harmful, said Dr. Farida.
Dr. Steven Abrams, Chair of Pediatrics at Dell Medical school at the University of Texas, Austin, said, “offering babies juice could keep them from getting enough breast milk or formula — and the needed protein, fat and other nutrients they contain…. once babies start eating solid foods, they should have whole fruit that is mashed or pureed, rather than juice.”
It is best for children to develop the habit of eating fruits and vegetables, drinking water and milk at their early ages, instead of sugary fruit juice mixes.
Also, sippy cups (non-restricted sipping of sugary drinks also leads to high risk of tooth decay) are bad for children; drinking from a cup is what the Academy recommends. If sippy cup is used, it should only be filled with water and/or measured milk at a fixed schedule of feeding.
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Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a decorated recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com
