Health & Dietary Information
In light of the growing awareness of the serious health risks related to obesity, including diabetes, sensible eating and improved fitness are increasingly important to many patients.
The Truvía® Sweetness in Practice blog is an information source meant to help you stay up-to-date on the latest in health news and research as it relates to weight management, diabetes, nutrition, sweetener safety information and much more. Featuring professional commentary from experts in the fields of nutrition and healthy living, readers can expect unique perspectives based on real-life experiences with patients and consumers.
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Weight Management
Overweight and obesity continue to rise and cause significant health problems for many adults and children across the United States1. Improvements in dietary and physical activity habits across the population are widely promoted solutions to the problem of rising rates of obesity and related disease2.
Zero-calorie sweeteners like Truvía® Natural Sweetener can play a useful role as part of a healthy, balanced diet by helping patients control their calorie intake. Zero-calorie sweeteners can also improve compliance with dietary goals as a key ingredient in good-tasting, reduced-calorie foods that patients will accept. As part of a balanced, healthy diet, and combined with regular physical activity, reduced-calorie foods can help patients achieve a healthy weight.
The Benefits of Zero-calorie Sweeteners for Weight Management
Balancing intake of sugars with the inclusion of zero-calorie sweeteners may help to reduce the overall amount of calories consumed3,4,5. This, combined with regular physical activity, is critical for weight control, weight loss and the prevention of weight gain and related co-morbidities. Overweight patients consuming sweet foods are more likely to stick to their diets and the use of zero-calorie sweeteners is particularly useful during the maintenance phase after weight loss, and to help prevent weight regain after successful weight loss6.
In addition, research has shown that the consumption of intense sweeteners does not stimulate the appetite nor result in increased food intake7,8 and does not lead to an increased desire for sweet foods9. So far, alternatives to sugar have included artificial sweeteners which provide sweetness with few or no calories. There is now another option for patients wanting to manage the calories in their diets with new choices of foods from natural plant origin: Truvía® Natural Sweetener, the zero-calorie sweetener which originates from the best-tasting part of the stevia leaf.
1www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/facts.html
2www.cdc.gov/obesity/strategies/index.html
3Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report (2010). Appendix E-1, Carbohydrates Question 5. www.cnpp.usda.gov/dgas2010-dgacreport.htm
4Position Paper, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (2012): Use of Nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners. JAND. 112:739-758.
5Scientific Statement, American Heart Association/ American Diabetes Association (2012). Nonnutritive sweeteners: current use and health perspectives. Circulation. 126.509-519.
6Rabin A et al (2002). Sucrose compared with artificial sweeteners: different effects on ad libitum food intake and body weight after 10 weeks of supplementation in overweight. Am J Clin Nutr. 76, 721-729.
7Anton SD et al (2010). Effects of stevia, aspartame, and sucrose on food intake, satiety, and postprandial glucose and insulin levels. Appetite. 55(1), 37-43.
8Steinert RE, Frey F, Topfer A, Drew J, Begliner C. (2011). Effects of carbohydrate sugars and artificial sweeteners on appetite and the regulation of gastrointestinal satiety peptides. Br J Nutr. 105, 1320-1328.
9Mahar A & Duizer LM (2007). The effect of frequency of consumption of artificial sweeteners on sweetness liking by women. Journal of Food Science. 72(9), S714-718.