The purpose of artificial sweeteners which are many times sweeter than sucrose table sugar is to sweeten foods and beverages using smaller amounts. These sweeteners are an attractive alternative to sugar because they add no calories to the diet, don’t contribute to tooth decay and cavities, and don’t raise blood sugar levels in diabetics because they are not a carbohydrate.

Since I’ve never tried an artificial sweetener I was curious to research and write this post to see if there was a natural choice. I’ve worked hard to minimize my sugar consumption since my college days because of my hypoglycemia diagnosis also called low blood sugar so I rarely get cravings for sugar.  My blood sugar count stays balanced too because of my whole foods diet.

Most Common Artificial Sweeteners

Here’s the list of 6 sugar substitutes that are FDA approved for use:

Top 5 Healthy Foods series third article – Benefits of Berries. Check back for future posts to read more about my top 5 healthy foods.

Berries are super foods loaded with fiber which helps you feel full longer. Berries top the chart in antioxidant power, reduce inflammation and slow down the oxidation process that causes disease and rapid aging.

By incorporating berries into your diet you may reduce the risk of cancer, obesity, heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis as well as many other diseases. Most berries are tasty, naturally sweet and contain several nutrients.

Some of the total-body benefits from eating 1/2 to 1 cup of mixed berries each day includes; increased levels of good HDL cholesterol, lowered blood pressure, fiber for healthy digestive system, increased bone density and cancer-fighting antioxidants.   Read more →