I am always on the lookout for news about health and healthy eating. I’ve been reading a lot lately about artificial and natural sweeteners. I tweet links to good articles pretty regularly so be sure to follow me on Twitter if you’re interested – @eatlivebetter.

Here’s a rundown of some of the interesting articles I have come across lately:

What’s Healthier Between Sugar, Substitutes and High-Fructose Corn Syrup? at Huffingtonpost.ca. This article lists some sugar amounts in common drinks and foods. Did you know the average person eats about 30 teaspoons of sugar a day? The article goes on to talk about sugar substitutes, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners. Overall, the news is not positive. There is no ‘good’ sweetener. Moderation is key.

Are These New Natural Sweeteners Good for You? at Self.com. This article discusses the safety of natural sweeteners such as stevia and agave. It also talks about the possibility that they may help with weight loss. It does advocate that sugar substitutes are better for us than sugar in order to control the health issues that come with sugar.

Artificially Sweet: Your Guide to 6 FDA-Approved Sugar Substitutes at wallstcheatsheet.com. This article explains the differences between stevia, aspartame, sucralose, neotame, acesulfame potassium, and saccharin.

Are sugar alternatives really a healthier option? at www.scmp.com (South China Morning Post) This article gives a good, concise summary of the pros and cons of green leaf stevia powder, xylitol, fruit sugars (like date and coconut),  honey, and maple syrup.

There’s lots of good information here. Have you come across any other good articles?

Michelle