Almost everyone likes sweet foods, and the Little One is no exception. Some sweet foods require the content of artificial sweeteners to add a sweet taste to these foods.
Even though your little one likes it more and more, the addition of artificial sweeteners to these foods can also be dangerous, you know, Mother.
Excessive use of artificial sweeteners can have a negative impact on the health of your little one. Moreover, if the amount of sweet food consumed by the Little One is also in large quantities. There are impacts such as obesity, diabetes, and even influence on your little one’s behavior patterns.
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Therefore, it is important for Mother to know what risks your Little One experiences when consuming artificial sweeteners excessively. Mothers must be able to supervise and control their Little One in consuming sweet foods.
Not only understanding the risks, Mother can also educate her little one about this artificial sweetener. That way, your little one will no longer feel curious and will be better able to refrain from eating sweet foods.
So, what are the types of artificial sweeteners? How big is the danger to your little one? The following is an explanation of artificial sweeteners, quoted from the Healthline page and various sources. Come on, let’s read the full explanation, Mother.
A type of artificial sweetener in food
Here are some types of artificial sweeteners in food that you should know about. Come on, Mother.
1. Saccharin
Saccharin is a type of artificial sweetener that is commonly used in food. Usually, saccharin is used as a sugar substitute because it does not contain calories or carbohydrates.
The form of saccharin itself is a white crystalline powder. Food manufacturers often use saccharin as an artificial sweetener because saccharin has a long shelf life and is safe for consumption even if it has been stored for years.
However, behind its use as an additional sweetener, saccharin can also cause a bitter taste. Therefore, saccharin is often used in combination with other low-calorie sweeteners, such as a combination of saccharin and aspartame.
Examples of foods that use saccharin as an artificial sweetener are candy, jam, jelly and low-calorie cakes. Not only in food, saccharin can also be used in many types of medicine.
2. Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener in the form of a white powder and has no odor. Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than real sugar. Therefore, only a small amount of aspartame is needed in food to provide a sweet taste.
Aspartame is usually used in food or beverage products labeled as diet products, sugar-free products, low-calorie or sugar-free products, and so on. Examples of products that contain aspartame are sugar-free salad dressings, sugar-free sodas, low-calorie fruit juices, light yogurt, and so on.
3. Cyclamate
Cyclamate is a type of low-calorie artificial sweetener derived from cyclohexylsulfamic acid. The sweetness level of cyclamate is 30 times sweeter than real sugar. Apart from its sweet taste, cyclamate also leaves a bitter taste.
Cyclamate has one advantage over other artificial sweeteners, namely that it dissolves more easily in water. Usually cyclamate is used in foods such as candy, desserts, soft drinks, baked goods, and so on.
4. Sucralose
Sucralose is an artificial sweetener whose sweetness level is 600 times higher than ordinary sugar. Because of its high level of sweetness, sucralose is often mixed with other ingredients such as maltodextrin or dextrose.
Typically, maltodextrin or dextrose is made from corn or other plant starches. If these two ingredients are combined with sucralose, they contain up to 3.36 calories per gram. Foods containing sucralose include sugar-free gum, low-fat salad dressing, and so on.
5. Acesulfame potassium/acesulfame K
Acesulfame potassium/acesulfame K or commonly known as Ace-K is an artificial sweetener whose sweetness level is 200 times sweeter than granulated sugar. The form is a white crystalline powder that leaves a slightly bitter taste.
However, apart from having a sweet and bitter taste, Ace-K also has a sour taste. Therefore, Ace-K is often combined with other sweeteners such as sucralose or aspartame. Some foods that contain Ace-K are soft drinks, baked goods, book desserts, chewing gum, and so on.
6. Sorbitol
Sorbitol or also known as D-Sorbitol is an artificial sweetener that is similar to carbohydrates. Sorbitol itself is included in the category of sugar alcohols called polyols. Apart from being used as an artificial sweetener, Sorbitol is also useful for maintaining moisture, providing product texture, and can even support digestive and oral health.
Sorbitol used in food or drinks is made from corn syrup. Naturally, Sorbitol content is found in several types of fruit including apples, peaches, apricots, dates, and others.
7. Neotum
Neotam is a new artificial sweetener which is a derivative of aspartame. Neotam is a white to grayish white powder and has no odor. The sweet taste of Neotam is very strong and dissolves easily in alcohol.
The sweetness level of Neotame itself is 7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than real sugar. Apart from that, Neotam also has no calories. Some foods that contain Neotam include fried foods, baked foods, and so on.
Difference Between Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners
Sugar and artificial sweeteners are two ingredients that are often used to make food or drinks sweet. Even though they look the same, sugar and artificial sweeteners are very different, you know. Starting from its composition, use, and impact on the body.
In terms of composition, sugar is a natural sweetener which usually comes from plants such as sugar cane. Before being sold, sugar must go through extraction and refining stages. Meanwhile, artificial sweeteners are chemical compounds that are deliberately created to give a sweet taste.
In terms of use, sugar is used in various food and beverage products. Sugar provides a natural sweet taste and is often used in various dishes. On the other hand, artificial sweeteners are usually used in food or beverage products to reduce additional calories, such as in diet drinks, weight loss foods, and so on.
In terms of the impact it has on the body, sugar if consumed excessively can cause health problems such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and others. Meanwhile, artificial sweeteners are often used as low-calorie alternatives.
Dangers of artificial sweeteners for children
The dangers of artificial sweeteners for your little one is one thing that mothers should pay more attention to. Several types of artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, and many others are often found in foods and drinks that your little one likes.
Even though your little one really likes the sweet taste, the risks resulting from this artificial sweetener are also very dangerous, you know, Mother.
Your little one is at risk of obesity because these artificial sweeteners can trigger uncontrolled appetite. Apart from that, consuming artificial sweeteners can also disrupt intestinal bacteria which results in increasing the risk of disease in the digestive system. Therefore, it is important for mothers to limit their little one’s consumption of food or drinks with artificial sweeteners.
So, those are some types of artificial sweeteners that you can know about. Hopefully with this explanation, Mother can control and educate your Little One in eating sweet foods. Hope it is useful!
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