It is believed that one of the leading causes of illness and death at
present is diabetes. High blood sugar levels trigger one type of this
disease to slowly kill the body. So how can you protect yourself
against this dreaded ailment? Is there any way we can prevent it from
attacking us? The answer is yes. The best way is to know the Glycemic
Index or GI of a particular food you eat, just like the GI of Splenda,
a popular sweetener.

Sugar substitutes like Splenda are labeled as empty-calorie foods,
which are those kinds of food that have calories but do not provide
nutrients to the body. As it is a form of carbohydrate sugar, the GI of
Splenda is very high, which means that it can cause a rapid increase in
the blood sugar levels of the body.

On the other hand, the main ingredient of Splenda is sucralose
which is a sweetening ingredient produced by sugar or sucrose after
undergoing a patented process. In this process, three hydrogen atoms
found in the sugar molecule are substituted with three atoms of
chlorine. This way, the body fails to recognize it as sugar or a form
of carbohydrates. The molecule present in sucrose is stable and cannot
be broken down by the body. Studies have discovered that sucralose is
600 times sweeter than sugar and also contains safe food ingredients
like maltodextrin and dextrose. 

The high GI of Splenda does not prevent it from becoming a very
popular sweetener. This is because despite its high GI, it also has
many benefits. Here are some of them:

• It is considered safe
Many
people use Splenda because it has no side effects, especially on the
gastrointestinal area. In addition, it does not accumulate in the body
since it is released rapidly and even unchanged out of the system.

• It is better than sugar
Splenda
has sucralose which is 600 times sweeter than sugar. Only a tiny amount
is needed to sweeten drinks and desserts. Moreover, it is not
associated with fat substitutes; neither is it used by the body for
energy.

• It has no side effects
Splenda is considered the
best choice among sweetening products. Studies proved that it does not
cause tooth decay, diarrhea, birth defects, and genetic changes.
Further, it has no effect on the body’s reproductive system,
carbohydrate metabolism, and immune system.

Splenda is definitely at the top of everybody’s list when it comes
to sweeteners. Despite the high GI of Splenda, it still has many
benefits. It is safer than other sweeteners and even better than sugar
because it has no known side effects.

Sabrina Rocca
Author: Proven Weight Loss with the Glycemic Index
For
more information on weight loss using the glycemic index, visit
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