Sugar, sugar, everywhere!
A few years ago my daughter shopped for and took in snacks for her high school homeroom: a bag of Cheetohs, a 2L Coca-Cola, cupcakes made from a mix, and 2 containers of store-bought frosting. Where, oh, where did I go wrong?!? My only consolation is that she said she was just thinking about what her friends would like. Hmmmm.
If you follow our Smile Studio Facebook page, you know I’m on a huge tirade against refined sugar. You see, I run across SOOO many patients (and it’s not just kids), who have tons of plaque and get white spots and cavities because they have a bad sugar habit (combined with less-than-stellar oral hygiene!). And this isn’t just associated with braces. I’ve seen it before braces are even applied, with clear aligners, and in retention.
I’m not a whole lot happier at the thought of using artificial sweeteners, especially chemicals such as saccharin (Sweet’N Low), aspartame (Equal), and sucralose (Splenda). Besides the long-standing concerns about the toxicity of these substances, lately, I’ve been reading how artificial sweeteners trick the brain and end up contributing to weight gain and not improving diabetes.
Other sweetener substitutes are sugar alcohols such as mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol. These are frequently used in sugar-free candies and gum but are rarely used for baking because they’re not as sweet as sugar, still have calories, and can cause bloating and diarrhea. These are the sugars that “don’t promote tooth decay” because they don’t feed the bacteria that cause cavities.
The one I want you to pay attention to, though, is XYLITOL, because there have been numerous studies demonstrating that it is antibacterial to the pesky bugs in the mouth that cause tooth decay, and even to the pesky bugs in the nasopharynx that contribute to ear infections, sinus infections, allergies, and even asthma. Some people use it as a nasal spray, and some even take it as a supplement. What I recommend is that you find a xylitol chewing gum that you like, and use it instead of any other gum you are accustomed to using. Now these can be expensive and hard to find (think Whole Foods). I have found that Mentos PURE has xylitol as its number one ingredient, though it also has sorbitol and mannitol. (Note that it must say PURE or it doesn’t have xylitol as the first ingredient.) It’s readily available on most candy aisles. You can also buy xylitol packets for sweetening your coffee or tea. Just be aware that xylitol is toxic to dogs.
Stevia is another good sugar substitute that’s also naturally occurring, but it’s generally sold as a refined product extracted from the stevia plant. You can buy it in many grocery stores, though it’s a lot more expensive than sugar and artificial sweeteners. It’s got zero calories and appears to have multiple health benefits in addition to not promoting tooth decay. I’ve never tried baking with it, but I do buy it in packets for sweetening tea and coffee.
Other sweeteners you might consider (though you should know that they aren’t calorie-free or necessarily useful in preventing tooth decay) are whole, natural sweeteners such as Medjool dates, molasses, honey, and maple syrup. I prefer to use these at home in place of sugar when possible because they are natural sugars that haven’t been refined. They’re far easier for our bodies to process and less addictive. You can find lots of recipes online but here’s my favorite “raw” brownie made with dates. A side benefit to honey is that it is naturally antimicrobial. I buy unsweetened yogurt and add berries or mix a dollop of honey into it to sweeten it to my taste.
So the long and short of it is that we Americans have insatiable sweet teeth, and sugar substitutes don’t seem to take away our desire for more. My personal rule of thumb is that if Mother Nature made it, it’s probably OK in moderation. If it’s been manufactured by humans, I try to avoid it. Of the refined or processed naturally occurring sweeteners I prefer Stevia and Xylitol, because of their proven health benefits.
My tips for managing your sweet tooth:
avoid sweet tasting drinks between meals—even zero-calorie drinks are not necessarily healthy
eat fresh, whole fruits, or drink juices or smoothies made from them
nibble on a small piece of dark chocolate, savoring the flavor with a warm beverage
chew xylitol gum (Mentos PURE will do just fine), especially after a meal, for up to 20 minutes
sweeten oatmeal and plain yogurt with honey
if you bake, try some recipes using whole, natural sweets such as Medjool dates, maple syrup, or honey
if you must sweeten your beverage, use xylitol or stevia packets instead of Equal, Splenda, or Sweet’NLow
-MBF