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Nutrition Questions & Answers American Institute for Cancer Research When & Why To Use Sweetener "Sucralose" By Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN American Institute for Cancer Research Q: Is it true that the sweetener su-cralose doesn’t affect blood sugar, al-though it comes from sugar? A: Yes. Even though sucralose retains sugar’s sweet flavor, the changes in chemical structure make sucralose un-available to body enzymes that would break it down to provide calories. In extensive testing, sucralose does not affect blood sugar or insulin levels. Sucralose offers two more advantages: First, it can be used in cooking and baking, unlike aspartame. Second, it does not have the bitter after taste associated with some other sweeteners. But before you fill your sugar bowl with sucralose, or any other non-nutritive sweetener, consider the facts. Only a small amount of the more than 20 teaspoons of added sugar that Americans eat each day comes from table sugar. Sweetened soft drinks are by far the major source of sugar in our diets. Sweet-ened cereals, bakery goods and candy are also major sources. The biggest drop in sugar consumption will come if you do without these sugary foods more often or if the sugar levels of these products decrease. Q: I read that your heart benefits from eating 25 grams of soy protein a day. How much soy is that? Is that enough for cancer protection, too? A: You can get 25 grams of soy protein with any four of the following: 1/4 cup (2 ounces) of tofu, 2 tablespoons of soy nuts, 6 ounces of soy milk, 1/4 cup of edamame, or 2 tablespoons of soy butter. Soy bars, cereals and veggie burgers made with soy are also ac-ceptable alternatives, but check the label to see how many grams of soy protein they contain. Not all the protein listed on the Nutrition Facts panel is necessarily soy protein. Although 25 grams of soy protein a day is often mentioned as the goal for heart protection, lesser amounts might convey smaller, but still real benefits. Researchers are still in-vestigating how much soy consumption can lower cancer risk. Some scientists have reported benefits with as little as 11 grams of soy protein a day. Q: I know nuts are nutritious, but how can I keep from gaining weight if I eat them regularly? A: You’re right. Nuts are packed with nutrients. Just one ounce supplies two or three grams of fiber and four to seven grams of protein, similar to one-half to one slice of cheese, but with about two-thirds less saturated fat. Some nuts, like almonds, hazelnuts and peanuts, are a good source of vitamin E, while walnuts are a good source of health promoting omega-3 fat. Unfort-unately, all these benefits come along with 160 to 190 calories in a single ounce. Be smart with nuts: keep portions small and choose nuts as a substitute for some other food. A one-ounce portion is about a quarter-cup. That’s a scant handful for the average adult - the size of a golf ball. If you eat this portion of nuts instead of three or four cookies or a candy bar, you’ll actually save calories.
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