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April 3, 2018 By Ami Shah 1 Comment

Know your Artificial Sweetners

What comes to your mind when you talk about artificial sweeteners? Some say it has zero calories, some say it has lesser calories than table sugar. One day one gentleman came to me for his first consultation and while going through his diet recall, I realized he has been surviving on artificial sweeteners for almost 3 years and he had a complaint saying that despite cutting down on sugar, he is not losing weight!

Diabetic people also feel that their blood sugar levels would get under control if they stop eating normal sugar. People have a common misconception that if they stop consuming sugar, they would lose weight. But, as a nutritionist, I can guarantee that this is not possible. An individual’s lifestyle, BMR, daily activity, stress all of these factors contribute to the weight loss process.

If you ask me, I would say that sweeteners are not safe in the long run. Artificial sweetener is a substitute for refined sugar which has very few calories.

‘Food and Drug Administration’ regulations permit any food product that has 5 or fewer calories per serving to be labelled as containing “zero″ calories. Personally, being a nutritionist, I feel that anything which is artificial acts as a foreign substance which can have adverse effects on the body in the long run. In fact, there are many scientific studies which have proven that using sweeteners especially aspartame leads to neurological disorders like Alzheimer, dizziness, depression in the long term which can be fatal.

Sweeteners however should be used in moderation. If consumed on a daily basis it can get addictive. Today artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes are found in a variety of food and beverages marketed as “sugar-free” or “diet,” including soft drinks, chewing gum, jellies, baked goods, candy, fruit juice, and ice cream and yogurt misleading the consumers because even though the label on the pack would show zero calories, it would have good amount of carbohydrates and free saturated fats which is not good for the body.

Today, people easily get influenced by these gimmicks without knowing the pros and cons of the product. Just because a well-known celebrity is endorsing the product it does not mean you blindly go for it. It is in no way a ‘wow factor’ nor is it very healthy. There are many leading companies which promote their products as being the healthiest because it has no calories!! There are several types of artificial sweeteners:

  • Acesulfame- K
  • Aspartame
  • Sucralose
  • Saccharin
  • Stevia

 

Acesulfame K: Acesulfame K, also known as acesulfame potassium or ace K, is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is marketed under the brand name of Sunett, Sweet One, and Sweet & Safe. It is commercially used in hard and soft candies, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, chewing gums, baked goods.

Aspartame: Aspartame is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar. Aspartame is marketed under the NutraSweet, Equal and Sugar Twin brands. It is commercially used in baked goods and pre-dessert mixes.

Sucralose: Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar. It is marketed under the brand name of Splenda. It is also used in soft drinks, candies, baked goods, and ice creams

Saccharin: Saccharin is 200-700 times sweeter than sugar. It is marketed under the brand name of sweet n low, nectar sweet, sweet twin.

Stevia: Stevia is a new product gaining importance in today’s world. It is a natural-sourced sweetener. (it originates from Stevia leaves). It is 400 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia can be found in thousands of food and beverage products around the world, including teas, soft drinks, juices, waters, flavoured milk, yoghurts, baked goods, cereals, salad dressings, sauces, confectionaries, and as a tabletop sweetener.

To sum it up, use Artificial Sweeteners in moderation. As it is rightly said, moderation is the key. Rather choose for healthier ones like Honey, Jaggery watching out the portion size for each!!

April 7, 2016 By GOQii Editor 4 Comments

India becoming a ‘Sweet Nation’: Let’s beat Diabetes

diabetes
India is becoming a sweeter nation by the day. Wondering what I mean by a sweeter nation. Today , on this day of World Diabetes day we would like to take you through some facts about diabetes. According to the World Health Organisation, India has been declared as the Diabetic capital of the world.

The statistics are alarming. In 2000 there were 32 million diabetics in India, in 2013, the figure doubled to 63 million and by 2030 it has been projected to touch 101.2 million. India ranks second, between China with 90 million and the USA with 24 million diabetics. The factors largely driving this dramatic rise include overweight and obesity. The annual spend on diabetes is Rs 1.5 lakh crore, 4 times the central Government’s allocation of Rs 32000 crore.

The Prime Minster of India Narendra Modi on World health day said on twitter that a healthy lifestyle is a key to overcoming diabetes. “Our lifestyle is the biggest cause for diabetes. If every citizen of my country is healthy, then my country will be healthy. I call upon you to defeat diabetes, which plays host to so many diseases,” said Modi in his message to Indians on World health day.

Some Facts

  • 422 Million adults globally suffer from diabetes
  • 5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year
  • 1 in 3 adults aged over 18 years is overweight and 1 in 10 is obese

Source: WHO

Diabetes can be controlled however with exercise. Here are some excerpts from a blog written by one of the GOQii coaches Disti Shah. According to Disti, the facts and myths about diabetes are plenty especially on the kind of foods one should have or not have, whether one should exercise to control diabetes etc. But diet is not all that one needs to focus on. Exercise is equally important.

However, when diabetes exercises one should keep in mind the following at what sugar levels should we allow or not allow a diabetic person to exercise? What should be the intensity and frequency of exercise and What type of exercise should a Diabetic do?

Here are some information on about how regular exercise can control your Diabetes.

How does Exercise Help in Diabetes?

  1. Lowers blood sugar levels.
  2. Helps you feel better.
  3. Help maintain proper body weight.
  4. Help keep the heart rate and blood pressure lower.
  5. Helps keep blood fats levels normal.
  6. Improves insulin sensitivity.
  7. Help maintain normal blood circulation in the feet.

Now that we know seven of the many reasons why exercise is important for a person with diabetes, let’s know which exercise benefits diabetics.

Which kinds of Exercise are Best?

Expert agrees you need either

  1. 30 minutes of “moderate intensity” aerobic activity – 5 days a week.
  2. “Vigorous intense” aerobic activity 20 minutes or more a day – 3-5 days a week.

In addition, you should add flexibility and strength training to your routine.

  1. Flexibility activities 5-7 days a week.
  2. Strength training 8-10 exercise, 10-15 repetitions of each exercise, 2-3 days a week.

Calories Per hour and the types of moderate and vigorous exercises

Moderate physical activity for one hour Calorie burnt per hour
Hiking 370
Light gardening / Yard work 330
Dancing 330
Golf(walking and carrying clubs) 330
Bicycling (<10mph) 290
Walking   (3.5mph) 280
Weight lifting (light workout) 220
Stretching 180
Vigorous physical activity for one hour

 

Running / Jogging (5mph) 590
Bicycling (>10mph) 590
Swimming (Slow freestyle laps) 510
Aerobics 480
Walking (4-5 mph) 460
Heavy Yard work (chopping wood) 440
Weight lifting (vigorous effort) 440
Basket ball (vigorous) 440

Source – Dietary guidelines for Americans – 2005 *(These values are not specifically for Indians as they are taken from American journals)

Remember that Diabetes cannot take your hope, faith, attitude, courage, happiness, and happy life away from you. We are the author of our own health and disease. Let’s overcome it, no matter what type or what level of disease it is. Let’s help others and ourselves to be active most of the time. Exercise can permanently remove or reduce medication.

To read it at length go to http://goqii.com/blog/regular-exercise-can-control-diabetes/

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