Choosing the right sweetener could help control your blood fats, your risk of gout, and your pants size.
The swap you should make? Kick fructose-sweetened prepackaged beverages and foods out of your diet. And when you need a little something sweet, try a smidge of stevia in your bowl or glass instead.
Fructose: The Full Story
Most sodas—as well as bunches of other prepackaged foods -- are sweetened with a form of fructose called high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). It's so ubiquitous in prepackaged foods that roughly 10 to 12 percent of people's daily calories come from this added fructose. But, unfortunately, a growing body of research is showing a relationship between excess fructose in the diet and a host of health ills, from gout and high triglycerides to increased appetite and weight gain.
Something Sweeter
So the next time you crave a sweetened ice tea or the like, see if a little stevia might fit the bill instead. Or you could try a touch of agave nectar. Stevia is made from the stevia plant, and agave is made from cactus. Both have a calorie count that is similar to sugar, but because they are loads sweeter, you need only a fraction. Like any no- or low-calorie sweetener, stevia and agave aren't perfect. But consuming them instead of fructose is a step in the right direction.
