By Jim Earles
Section of article on nutrative
sweetner Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)
Fructooligosaccharides (usually
abbreviated to FOS) and inulin are terms referring
to naturally-occurring, mildly-sweet, indigestible
carbohydrates. (FOS is something of an umbrella term
for a class of oligosaccharides; inulin is a specific
type of FOS. Hereafter, any mention of FOS is meant
to include inulin as well, unless otherwise specified.)
While the FDA classifies FOS as being only a food
ingredient which is usually used as a fat-replacer
in low-fat foods, it does have some potential as a
sweetening substance. It does not affect blood sugar
levels, and so is suitable for diabetics and hypoglycemics.157
FOS is commonly extracted
from chicory roots and Jerusalem artichokes (as
it occurs in relatively large quantities in these
items), but it is also found in onions, leeks, garlic,
common artichokes, bananas, rye, barley, dandelion
leaves, burdock roots and honey. Some presence of
FOS has been noted in over 36,000 plants worldwide,
so this is a very partial list.158
FOS is structurally built out of chains
of fructose molecules, with the chains ranging from
2 to 60 units long. The number of fructose molecules
which are bound together is called the "degree
of polymerization," or DP, and it varies according
to the plant source, type of climate, time of harvest,
and the duration and conditions of post-harvest
storage. Naturally occurring sources of FOS generally
contain mixtures of various degrees of polymerization,
but standardized extracts of FOS generally average
at a DP of about 4. Inulin may be standardized to
an average DP of 22, which is considered to be long-chain
inulin.159
These chains of fructose cannot be
broken down by the human digestive system, but they
can be broken down and consumed by the bacteria
in the digestive tract. For this reason, FOS is
considered to be a prebiotic--a substance which
provides nourishment for the gastrointestinal flora.
Prebiotics, like probiotics (such as live-culture
yogurt--substances which actually contain the same
bacteria which are the beneficial flora in the human
digestive tract), help promote regularity, prevent
yeast overgrowth and are beneficial for those with
Crohn’s disease, colitis or who are on kidney
dialysis. Prebiotics and probiotics are additionally
beneficial when taken together.160
The finer point here which is frequently
overlooked is that nonspecific extracts of FOS will
provide nourishment for friendly bacteria (lactobacilli,
bifidobacteria, etc.) and pathogenic bacteria (E.
coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Clostridium, etc.)
alike, whereas standardized extracts of long-chain
inulin will selectively nourish only the friendly
flora. It is likely for this reason that some people
experience gastric distress after consuming foods
containing nonspecific blends of FOS--if one already
has a problem with the balance of the intestinal
flora, a nonspecific blend of FOS may exacerbate
the problem.161
Aside from feeding the bacteria of
the digestive tract, all forms of FOS act as dietary
fiber. Thus, consumption of FOS may help to shorten
fecal transit time, increase fecal bulk and reduces
constipation. It has also been shown to reduce both
cholesterol and triglyceride levels and may provide
improved absorption of minerals such as calcium,
magnesium, iron, and phosphate.162
Due to the relatively-low sweetness
of FOS and inulin, it is easier to use it for sweetening
purposes in combination with another sweet substance.
While FOS products are commercially available from
different sources, the author recommends an inulin
product called Chicolin, from BioQuest Imports International,
Inc. (www.greenalive.com/chicolin.html). Chicolin
has recommended specifications for blending with
stevia to achieve a desirable level of sweetness.
And finally we come to the hodgepodge
category of "what is left," a few other
sweet plants and herbs that have been and are still
being tested for possible use as commercial sweeteners.
Just because they have not been commercially utilized
doesn’t necessarily mean that one could not
attempt to cultivate them and do some personal experimentation.
To that end, here is a short list of additional
sweet plants by botanical name: Hydrangea macrophylla
Seringe var. thunbergii (and other species in this
genus), Dioscoreophyllum cumminsii Diels, Capparis
masakai Levl, Pentadiplandra brazzeana Baillon,
Curculigo latifolia, Lippia dulcis, Rubus suavissimus,
Phlomis betonicoides Diels, Polypodium vulgare,
Polypodium glycyrrhiza, and Pterocarya paliurus
Batal.163 The reader is strongly advised to thoroughly
research these plants before attempting to ingest
any part(s) of them. Some technical information
about all of the plants in this list may be found
in the book, Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition,
Lyn O’Brien Nabors (editor).
While even this has not been a complete
list of all of the artificial/alternative sweeteners
that are available, we have at least touched upon
all of the major options currently in use. While
we have clearly found some of the sweeteners in
use today to be plagued with numerous dangers, there
are also many healthful and promising options available
to the informed consumer. It is no accident that
most of the good options are provided to us by plants
and herbs, while most of the bad options have been
created in laboratories. Mother Nature clearly did
not intend for us to have to suffer from the Sugar-Free
Blues.
References
(All web addresses were visited on
or before October, 12, 2003)
1. www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_adap0598.cfm
2. Ibid
3. www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2002/ANS01156.html
4. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
5. www.ecit.emory.edu/ECIT/chem ram/synth/Hodgin.htm
6. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
7. www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_adap0598.cfm
8. http://presidiotex.com/bressler/
9. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
10. http://presidiotex.com/bressler/
11. Ibid
12. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
13. Ibid
14. www.aspartamekills.com
15. http://www.dominion-web.com/directory.Top/Society/Issues/Business/
Allegedly_Unethical_Firms/Monsanto
16. www.karinya.com/neotame.htm
17. Fallon, Sally and Enig, Mary G, PhD, Nourishing
Traditions, NewTrends Publishing, 2001, Washington,
DC.
18. www.aspartamekills.com/lydon.htm
19. www.aspartamekills.com
20. www.aspartamekills.com/lydon.htm
21. www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fdsugar.html
22. www.aspartamekills.com/lydon.htm
23. www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/summary.html
24. http://aspartametruth.com/92symptoms.html
25. www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html
26. Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language:
Deluxe Encyclopedic Edition. 1991.
27. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
28. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
29. www.finchcms.edu/biochem/walters/sweet/history.html
30. www.ecit.emory.edu/ECIT/chem_ram/synth/Hodgin.htm
31. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
32. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
33. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
34. http://web1.caryacademy.org/chemistry/rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites
/2001/Saccharin/history.htm
35. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
36. Ibid
37. http://web1.caryacademy.org/chemistry/rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites
/2001/ Saccharin/BITTERSWEET.htm
38. www.ecit.emory.edu/ECIT/chem_ram/synth/Hodgin.htm
39. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
40. http://web1.caryacademy.org/chemistry/rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites/2001/
Saccharin/history.htm
41. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
42. http://web1.caryacademy.org/chemistry/rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites/2001/
Saccharin/BITTERSWEET.htm
43. Ibid
44. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
45. www.ecit.emory.edu/ECIT/chem_ram/synth/Hodgin.htm
46. www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_adap0598.cfm
47. www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html
48. Ibid
49. www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm
50. www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html
51. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
52. www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_adap0598.cfm
53. www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html
54. www.ecit.emory.edu/ECIT/chem_ram/synth/Hodgin.htm
55. www.archive.hoechst.com/english_3er/publikationen/future/ernaehr/art8.html
56. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
57. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
58. www.archive.hoechst.com/english_3er/publikationen/future/ernaehr/art8.html
59. www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm
60. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
61. www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html
62. www.ecit.emory.edu/ECIT/chem_ram/synth/Hodgin.htm
63. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
64. www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm
65. www.finchcms.edu/cms/biochem/walters/sweet/history.html
66. www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm
67. Ibid
68. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
69. www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm
70. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
71. www.splenda.com/page.jhtml?id=splenda/pressctr/pressreleases.inc
72. Ibid
73. www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm
74. Ibid
75. Ibid
76. Ibid
77. Ibid
78. Low-Calorie Sweeteners: Present and Future (from
the World Conference on Low-Calorie Sweeteners).
Antonietta Corti (editor)
79. www.nutrasweet.com/infocenter/index.asp
80. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
81. www.holisticmed.com/neotame/whatis.html
82. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
83. www.holisticmed.com/splenda/
84. www.finchcms.edu/cms/biochem/walters/sweet/history.html
85. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
86. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
87. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
88. www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/ANS00155.html
89. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
90. www.foodproductdesign.com/archive/1992/0792DE.html
91. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
92. www.foodproductdesign.com/archive/1992/0792DE.html
93. www.globalsweet.com/polyols.asp
94. www.ketofoods.com/updates/sugaralcohol_article.html
95. www.eridex.com/html/history/html
96. www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_adap0598.cfm
97. www.globalsweet.com/HealthyAlternatives.asp#p
98. www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_adap0598.cfm
99. www.drgreene.com/21_837.html
100. www.globalsweet.com/HealthyAlternatives.asp#p
101. www.daniscosweeteners.com/dsw/web/dsw/publicsite/presentation/home/
news_and_events/latest_news.html&newspath=/web/dsw/publicsite/content/news/
Stay_Cool_in_the_Summer_Heat.html
102. www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_adap0598.cfm
103. www.ketofoods.com/updates/sugaralcohol_article.html
104. www.cspinet.org/foodsafety/labeling_sorbitol.html
105. www.ketofoods.com/updates/sugaralcohol_article.html
106. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
107. www.tagatose.com/whatis.html
108. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition, Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
109. Ibid
110. Low-Calorie Sweeteners: Present and Future
(from the World Conference on Low-Calorie Sweeteners).
Atonietta Corti (editor)
111. www.chemopharma.com/citrosa.htm
112. Information taken from a personal e-mail exchange
with Overseal Color, Inc.
113. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
114. Information taken from Wisdom Natural Brands
stevia product brochures
115. www.gene.ch/gentech/1998/May-Jul/msg00060.html
116. Wisdom Natural Brands stevia product brochures
117. www.emperorsherbologist.com/steviahist.shtml
118. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
119. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
120. "Lo Han: A Natural Sweetener Comes of
Age," Whole Foods, June 2003, by Peilin Guo
and Dallas Clouatre.
121. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
122. www.chifaisgourmet.com/CFLoHanpage.htm
123. "Lo Han: A Natural Sweetener Comes of
Age," Whole Foods, June 2003, by Peilin Guo
and Dallas Clouatre.
124. http://members.shaw.ca/duncancrow/inulin_probiotic.html
125. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
126. http://members.shaw.ca/duncancrow/inulin_probiotic.html
References Corresponding to Better
Options Addendum
112- www.overseal.co.uk/talin3.htm
113- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
114- http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/msad14sep98_1.htm
115- www.dsharma.org/biotech/bitter.htm
116- Information taken from a personal e-mail exchange
with Overseal Color, Inc.
117- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
118- www.emperorsherbologist.com/steviahist.shtml
119- Information taken from Wisdom Natural Brands
stevia product brochures
120- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
121- www.gene.ch/gentech/1998/May-Jul/msg00060.html
122- Information taken from Wisdom Natural Brands
stevia product brochures
123- www.wisdomherbs.com/faq/stevioside.htm
124- Information taken from Wisdom Natural Brands
stevia product brochures
125- www.emperorsherbologist.com/steviahist.shtml
126- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
127- "Sinfully Sweet?" article from New
Age Journal, Jan/Feb. 1996, by Linda and Bill Bonvie.
Available online at www.stevia.net/newagesweet.htm
128- ibid
129- ibid
130- www.emperorsherbologist.com/steviahist.shtml
131- "Sinfully Sweet?" article from New
Age Journal, Jan./Feb. 1996, by Linda and Bill Bonvie.
Available online at www.stevia.net/newagesweet.htm
132- www.gene.ch/gentech/1998/May-Jul/msg00060.html
133- "Sinfully Sweet?" article from New
Age Journal, Jan./Feb. 1996, by Linda and Bill Bonvie.
Available online at www.stevia.net/newagesweet.htm
134- "Lo Han: A Natural Sweetener Comes of
Age" article from Whole Foods, June 2003, by
Peilin Guo and Dallas Clouatre.
135- "Sinfully Sweet?" article from New
Age Journal, Jan./Feb. 1996, by Linda and Bill Bonvie.
Available online at www.stevia.net/newagesweet.htm
136- www.emperorsherbologist.com/steviahist.shtml
137- "Sinfully Sweet?" article from New
Age Journal, Jan./Feb. 1996, by Linda and Bill Bonvie.
Available online at www.stevia.net/newagesweet.htm
138- www.panda.fi/engl/licorice.htm
139- www.holisticmed.com/sweet/sweet.txt
140- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
141- Ibid
142- www.preparedfoods.com/literature/0006/mafco.htm
143- "Lo Han: A Natural Sweetener Comes of
Age" article from Whole Foods, June 2003, by
Peilin Guo and Dallas Clouatre.
144- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
145- www.chifaisgourmet.com/CFLoHanpage.htm
146- "Lo Han: A Natural Sweetener Comes of
Age" article from Whole Foods, June 2003, by
Peilin Guo and Dallas Clouatre.
147- www.chifaisgourmet.com/CFLoHanpage.htm
148- "Lo Han: A Natural Sweetener Comes of
Age" article from Whole Foods, June 2003, by
Peilin Guo and Dallas Clouatre.
149- www.ketofoods.com/updates/sugaralcohol_article.html
150- www.dainet.de/fnr/ctvo/byproducts/heming_hbi.doc
151- www.supplementwatch.com/supatoz/supplement.asp?supplementID=152
152- http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_glycerin.html#sweet
153- www.aubrey-organics.com/about/dictionary/v_diction.cfm
154- http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_glycerin.html#sweet
155- www.dainet.de/fnr/ctvo/byproducts/heming_hbi.doc
156- www.getbig.com/articles/nutritionbars.htm
157- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
158- http://members.shaw.ca/duncancrow/inulin_probiotic.html
159- ibid
160- www.vitaminretailer.com/VR/articles/Probiotics.htm
161- http://members.shaw.ca/duncancrow/inulin_probiotic.html
162- ibid
163- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
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