Are you concerned about your daily eating habits?
There are endless worries about the meals we take every day, such as you can't stop eating, eating only fatty foods, or often skipping lunch because you are too busy.
But as the center of our lives, food is the key to our health.
Today, we will discuss one of the Microbiome Care pitfalls: sweeteners.
Contents
What are sweeteners?
You may know that it literally is sweet, but do you know what sweeteners are?
Sugar, brown sugar, honey are sweeteners, of course.
There are two main categories of sweeteners.
And within those two categories, we can further divide them into several groups.
Sugar sweeteners and non-sugar sweeteners
First of all, there are sugar sweeteners and non-sugar sweeteners.
You can find non-sugar sweeteners in sweet-tasting products that say "sugar-free."
And it is further divided into natural sweeteners and artificial sweeteners.
Advantages of it include resistance to tooth decay and zero or low calorie content.
However, the sweeteners we would like to recommend today are not in this category, so let us leave them out for now.
Sugar sweeteners and fructose
Most of the many sweeteners found in our daily food and beverages are sugar-based sweeteners.
They are divided into four main categories: sugar, starch-derived sugar, sugar alcohols, and other sugars.
You probably know white sugar is a food that should be avoided in terms of Microbiome Care, as we have often mentioned in previous articles of the Journal.
On the other hand, fructose is considered a good natural sugar because of its mild digestive and absorption effects.
Most of the fructose found in non-fruits is isomerized sugar, which is made by combining glucose and fructose.
Beware of isomerized sugar
You may often see labels such as "fructose-dextrose liquid sugar," "fructose-dextrose mixed with sugar," etc.
Fructose is a sweetener that becomes sweeter at low temperatures, and they are in sports drinks, sweet beverages, and canned foods.
However, you don't feel full even when you eat fructose, including isomerized sugar. Therefore, you may consume large amounts of them without noticing it.
Excessive carbohydrate intake may cause an imbalance by decreasing the amount of Bifidobacterium that breaks down the carbohydrates and the good bacteria that regulate the condition of the body. Therefore, we should be careful of taking isomerized sugar.
What kind of sweeteners do you keep on hand?
So, what sweetener is best suited for Microbiome Care?
Sugar is the most versatile for cooking and baking. Since white sugar is not the best choice for Microbiome Care, let us introduce other sweeteners.
1)Cane Sugar
The first sweetener we recommend for use in cooking is cane sugar. It is easy to dissolve, making it perfect for cooking.
Cane sugar is less refined, so it retains the minerals of the sugarcane itself, which is a great advantage.
It is also known for its simple and gentle sweetness.
Its flavor is especially good in simmered dishes.
2)Oligosaccharide
Oligosaccharides are included in the last of the four categories, "other sugars.”
Oligosaccharide syrup has become much easier to shop in the past few years. Oligosaccharides can be divided into five main categories based on their raw materials. Each has different characteristics, so knowing more about them will help you find the oligosaccharide that is perfect for you.
Find your favorite oligosaccharide!
Sweeteners containing oligosaccharides can be divided into five categories based on their raw materials.
1)beet molasses
2)Isomaltooligosaccharide
3)Fructooligosaccharide
4)Galactooligosaccharide
5)Lactosucrose
1) beet molasses
2) Isomaltooligosaccharide
3)Fructooligosaccharide
4)Galactooligosaccharide
Galactooligosaccharide is made from lactose and has been gaining attention in recent years as an oligosaccharide also found in breast milk components. It is also known for its resistance to tooth decay.
5)Lactosucrose
Microbiome Care Sweetener for Health
If you start your day with a glass of latte every morning, we recommend adding a spoonful of oligosaccharide syrup as a sweetener.
If you do not usually use sweeteners, we recommend that you try taking a small amount of oligosaccharide every day for your health. It is not as sweet as sugar.
Some oligosaccharide syrups have a viscosity like honey, so if you aren't comfortable with it, use an electric milk whisk to stir the syrup.
We are sure you will notice a change after one month of consumption.
Please refer to this article and try to adopt a Microbiome Care Sweetener that fits your lifestyle.
References
Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health
