Which Sweeteners Suppress Your Health?

How Sweet it is, or isn't.

Watch out for all those sweeteners.

I really wish people would take the negative association most have towards fat (get the fat facts) and apply it towards sugar.

Especially the sparkling white, highly refined stuff. It directly suppresses your immune system.

So if you're looking for healthy food tips, limit all those sugary foods.

I know, I know, not an easy feat...

Keep in mind that there are some sugars out there that are slightly better for you than the mass marketed table sugar found in most homes.

But no matter what sugar you use, the problem is that it actually steals nutrients from the body in order for it to be metabolized.

Foods are supposed to ADD nutrients to our systems, not take them away. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies result in a sluggish immune system and a frequently sick you.

For this reason, and the myriad of health problems that come from over-consumption, it really should be thrown out of our diets. But I am a realist, and honestly, how many of us would be happy with that? Not me, for one...(oh organic dark chocolate, how I love thee.)

You can certainly enjoy a little sugar and still lead a healthy life and have a robust immune system.

It helps a little when you choose the less refined (i.e. raw), organic sugars. But don't get carried away eating these either. Raw sugars do contain some nutrients, but still provide little actual nutrition. Very little.

So what about the artificial sweeteners? My advice is to stay well away from them.

These man-made chemicals have no food value and actually trick the body into thinking it is eating something sweet. Your body gets confused - when it is time to digest that sweetness, it can't find it (our bodies can't correctly process these chemicals). They also cause a whole host of nasty side-effects.

For information about the major contenders and how they can sap your good health, click on each below.

• sucralose
• aspartame
• saccharin
• neotame
• acesulfame potassium

The best way to fix your sweet tooth while curbing your sugar consumption is to use the herb stevia.

Not many people in the U.S. have heard of it, but it is the main alternative sweetener in Japan. It has a wide range of health benefits, and has been used safely by humans for centuries.