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stevia vs fructose vs Pure (unrefined) cane sugar

Which one is the best alternative for you?

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Answer

This is 2nd-hand info based on health content I’ve picked up from Dr. Rhonda Patrick and Dr. Andrew Huberman.

No matter what you choose, it’s best to consume any sweetener in close moderation.

Stevia and erythritol (monk fruit sweetener) are okay, and would generally be my first choice as a sweetener. Some info suggests that artificial sweeteners might muck with microbiome, and that despite not being caloric they may still trigger an insulin response (note that sugars do this too so it’s like a lesser of two evils argument). Best to stay away from other sweeteners like aspartame.

My next preference would be regular sugar (sucrose) - I don’t think whether it’s cane sugar or not would make a world of difference. Not good for you (and there’s very real evidence to suggest refined sugar is properly toxic), but won’t kill you every now and then.

Lastly would be fructose. All the negatives of sucrose, less accessible and tasty, and I think it produces a far worse insulin response (but don’t quote me on that). There’s no world where I would ever choose fructose over just table sugar.

Answer

Sugar is the most tricky topic. If you can avoid it please do because there is no universal solution.

Science tells that nonnutritive sweeteners, such as aspartame, sucralose and sativoside, are widely consumed to decrease total calories intake and lose weight and risk of adverse cardiometabolic effects. However, in 2017, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies found that routine intake of nonnutritive sweeteners opposite may be associated with increased BMI and cardiometabolic risk.

https://www.cmaj.ca/content/189/28/E929

Answer

Thanks for asking this. I am currently half way through a fecal microbiota transplant. I’ve been surprised at the staff recommending stevia as I understood artificial sweeteners could alter microbiome. This post has given me some more search terms for my own literature review!

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