Chen Junshi, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering: How do diabetics choose sugar substitute foods

14 November is UN Diabetes Day
.
The theme of this year's World Diabetes Day is "Education for Tomorrow", which reminds people to scientifically understand diabetes knowledge and achieve early prevention, early detection and early treatment
at a time when the prevalence of diabetes is increasing year by year and getting younger and younger.

According to data released by the International Diabetes Federation in 2021, one person dies of diabetes and its complications every 5 seconds globally, and nearly half of the people who die are younger than 60 years old
.
Endocrinologists from the University of California, San Francisco, point out that sugar, like tobacco and alcohol, is a potentially harmful and addictive substance
.
Statistics show that global sugar consumption has surged threefold
in the past 50 years.
Obesity, diabetes, heart disease and liver disease caused by excessive sugar intake are high globally, indirectly causing about 35 million deaths
worldwide each year.

In recent decades, the sugar intake of our residents has increased
rapidly.
Among them, a large amount of sugary drinks is one of
the important ways.
Data show that in 2014, China's per capita beverage consumption was as high as 119 kg, an increase of about
10 times over 10 years ago.
The World Health Organization recommends eating no more than 50 grams of sugar per day, and if possible, it is best to control it within
25 grams.
High-sugar beverages have led to a significant increase
in the burden of disease in China.

The urgent need of diabetics to maintain blood sugar protection has created a market for
low-sugar and sugar-free products.
So, how should diabetics choose or identify sugar-free drinks correctly?

Recently, Chen Junshi, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, answered the question of how diabetics choose sweetener foods in an interview, "Diabetics should choose some drinks or foods
that use sweeteners instead of sugar.
" ”

It is understood that there are many types of sweeteners used to replace sugar in food, which are divided into natural sweeteners and synthetic sweeteners according to source; According to the nutritional value, it is divided into nutritional sweeteners and non-nutritive sweeteners; According to chemical structure and properties, it is divided into sugar and non-sugar sweeteners
.

Among them, natural non-nutritive sweeteners are increasingly valued and are the development trend
of sweeteners.
Functional sweeteners, such as erythritol, not only have the characteristics of low calorie, high stability, safety and non-toxicity, but also promote the reproduction of probiotics and inhibit the growth of
harmful bacteria.
Because it is not easily absorbed by the body, it provides almost zero calories and can be consumed by diabetics, obese patients, hyperglycemic patients and fitness people who want to control sugar
.

Erythritol is a newly developed tetra-carbon sugar alcohol, which can be prepared by glucose fermentation, is a white crystalline powder, has a refreshing sweetness, is not easy to absorb hygrois, stable at high temperature, stable in a wide pH range, and has a mild cooling feeling when dissolved in the mouth, suitable for a variety of foods
.

Because it is easy to crystallize, erythritol is suitable for foods
that require the taste of sucrose.
And because it is not degraded by enzymes, does not participate in sugar metabolism, blood sugar will not change, therefore, erythritol is suitable for diabetic patients
.

For diabetics, when choosing sugar-free products, in addition to understanding the ingredients contained in the formula list, it is also necessary to pay attention to whether there are carbohydrates or other substances
.
Because carbohydrates are quickly broken down in the human body, they are converted into glucose and absorbed
by the body.
Therefore, diabetics must pay attention to the sugar content of the ingredient list and the content of other carbohydrates when choosing sugar-free foods
.

(Yang Xiaojing)

Responsible editor: Zhao Yu Review: Wang Jinchen