Determination Of Hepatic Triglyceride Content
Thirty mg of left hepatic lobe tissues of the mice was homogenized with phosphate-buffered saline , and a triglyceride colorimetric assay kit was used to determine the hepatic triglyceride content. Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities in the liver were measured by ALT and AST liquid reagents , respectively.
And Now For The #1 Best Added Sweetner
Type of sugar: Natural SugarGlycemic Index: 426254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
Dates are the fruit of the date palm tree . Just under 90 percent of the carbs in dates are from sugar, which is split nearly 50/50 between glucose and fructose. Luckily, the final 10 percent of carbs are mostly fiber, which should help stabilize blood glucose levels. A study in the Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture found that adding dates can significantly increase the total phenols and vitamin C content of your food. They also contain muscle-relaxing potassium and copper, a mineral essential to scavenging free radicals from your body, along with iron and B vitamins. To use dates as a sweetener, soak them for 10 minutes to soften the skin. Remove the pit and then blend in a food processor to make a paste.
Stevia Extract Reduces Signs Of Fatty Liver Disease
In the near future, fatty liver disease is projected to become the major reason for liver transplants. A new study in mice has found that stevia extract can improve signs of the condition.
Fatty liver disease, or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, involves the liver being made up of more than 5% fat. There is currently no cure for the condition, which can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Although the exact cause of fatty liver disease is still unclear, risk factors include obesity and high sugar consumption.
The condition is becoming increasingly common in children, in which case doctors refer to it as pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Investigators from Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, in California, have led a new study in mice to see whether replacing sugar with sweeteners could help combat the disease. They found that stevia extract, a noncaloric sweetener 200 times sweeter than sugar, can reduce markers of fatty liver disease.
The findings appear in the journal
Excessive consumption of sugar is known to damage the liver, so reducing sugar consumption or replacing sugar with sweeteners is likely to reduce the risk of developing liver disease.
This is the first study, however, to investigate whether calorie-free sweeteners could improve signs of the condition.
The team substituted either of the sweeteners for sugar in the diets of mice who had a preclinical model of fatty liver disease. The researchers then compared the effects.
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Fatty Liver Sugar Alternative: Maple Syrup
In my opinion, Maple Syrup is a bit better than Honey because of two main reasons: it has even fewer sugars/carbs than honey and it is considered heat stable by everybody.
In terms of sugar, 100 grams of Maple Syrup have 67 grams of carbs while the same amount of white sugar has 100.
This means that Maple Syrup has a lot less carbs than sugar , but also less than honey . This makes it a better choice, since we should always look at ways to keep the numbers as low as possible.
It also has all the other good minerals and antioxidants that you might want but you can check out the complete nutritional values below:
So Maple Syrup is indeed a healthier alternative than White Sugar make sure you use Grade B, darker Maple Syrup as it is considered to have more antioxidants and has a sweeter, stronger taste.
The only problem here is that its usually more expensive than honey and not everybody loves the taste or the fact that it does leave an aftertaste in coffee for example, as opposed to honey which doesnt.
Also, the same rules that go with honey apply here as well: make sure that you buy it from a trustworthy source in order to buy the real deal and not something processed and made with sugar.
Finally, make sure that you use as little of it as possible and reduce its usage to a minimum if you get it as your preferred alternative to sugar.
- Coombs Family Farms is my top choice, closely followed by:
Alternative Options For Sweetness
If your only option is table sugar or chemical sweeteners, at this point, youre likely leaning towards good old sugar.
Luckily, there is another way to go. Sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit are derived from nature and dont come with the damaging impact of artificial sweeteners.
In fact, research shows that stevia may reduce NAFLD and help save your liver. Furthermore, this ingredient displays antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in your body.
You can find stevia in liquid or powder form and add it to any recipe or application you would add table sugar. Many manufacturers are also picking up on the trend and using stevia in place of chemical sweeteners.
Monk fruit is another fantastic option with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. This sweetener has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine and supports healthy blood sugar levels.
You can find monk fruit in a variety of products, as well as branded as a table sugar alternative.
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Researchers Uncover How Sugar Substitutes Disrupt Liver Detoxification
Results from a new study suggest that two sugar substitutes disrupt the function of a protein that plays a vital role in liver detoxification and the metabolism of certain drugs. These sugar substitutes, also known as non-nutritive sweeteners, provide a sweet taste with few or no calories.
“With an estimated 40% of Americans regularly consuming non-nutritive sweeteners, it’s important to understand how they affect the body,” said Laura Danner, a doctoral student at the Medical College of Wisconsin. “In fact, many people don’t realize that these sweeteners are found in light or zero-sugar versions of yogurts and snack foods and even in non-food products like liquid medicines and certain cosmetics.”
Danner will present the new research at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting during the Experimental Biology 2022 meeting, to be held April 25 in Philadelphia.
In their new work, the researchers studied the non-nutritive sweeteners acesulfame potassium and sucralose using liver cells and cell-free assays, which allow the study of cellular processes such as transport.
They found that acesulfame potassium and sucralose inhibited the activity of P-glycoprotein , which is also known as multidrug resistance protein 1 . PGP is part of a family of transporters that work together to cleanse the body of toxins, drugs and drug metabolites.
Detection Of Cellular Reactive Oxygen Species Generation
Cellular ROS generation was measured using 2â², 7â²-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate . HepG2 cells were cultured in a 6 cm dish at a density of 2 à 105 cells/dish and pretreated with gymnemic acid or lactisole for 30 min. After the treatment of 10 mM sucralose for another 90 min, cells were stained by 10 μM DCFDA for 30 min at 37°C in dark. Then, cells were washed with warm PBS three times and then observed using a fluorescence microscope . The cellular ROS generation was quantified by fluorescence intensity using image analytical software .
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Sucralose Induced Lipogenesis Through Ros
To determine the underlying mechanisms of sucralose-induced hepatic steatosis, we further investigated the effect of ER stress on sucralose-induced lipogenesis in HepG2 cells. In addition, it was known that activation of the IRE1-XBP1 pathway is associated with liver diseases . Treatment of sucralose significantly increased the expressions of IRE1α and XBP1s in HepG2 cells. It was known that hepatic IRE1 expression was significantly increased in mice fed with HFD . IRE1 inhibitor, STF083010 has an effect to block IRE1 endonuclease activity without affecting its kinase activity under ER stress. We therefore used STF083010 to evaluate the role of IRE1 in sucralose-induced hepatic lipogenesis . As shown in Figure 5C, pretreatment of STF083010 reversed the effects of sucralose on the expression of SREBP1, indicating sucralose-induced hepatic lipogenesis through the IRE1-XBP1 pathway.
It was known that sucralose promotes ROS generation to increase adipogenesis in mesenchymal stromal cells . Thus, we then investigated whether sucralose induced ER stress through ROS production. As shown in Figure 5D, sucralose significantly increased intracellular ROS levels in a time-dependent manner in HepG2 cells. Pretreatment ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-cysteine reversed the effects of sucralose on IRE1α and XBP1s , indicating sucralose generated ROS production to induce ER stress in HepG2 cells.
What Are The Best And Worst Sweeteners
Dates, honey maple syrup, and coconut sugar are your best sugar alternatives. The occasional use of stevia and monk fruit are also good options. The worst sweeteners include artificial sweeteners like sucralose, saccharin and aspartame, high fructose corn syrup, agave, and brown rice syrup. Its best to avoid these sweeteners, if possible.
Lets further discuss some natural and artificial sweeteners, ranked.
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I Only Eat Butter Burgers And Bacon I Lost 30 Pounds And Now Have Clear Skin
Turns out, all that sugar, aint so sweet.
A new study done by the Medical College of Wisconsin has revealed that two sugar substitutes can impact the protein in the liver that helps detoxify the organ.
These sweet substitutes also known as non-nutritive sweeteners could negatively influence metabolizing drugs such as blood pressure medications and antidepressants.
The research discovered that these sugar-in-disguise-sweeteners are used as additives in certain medications and foods to give them a sweet taste without all the calories.
With an estimated 40% of Americans regularly consuming non-nutritive sweeteners, its important to understand how they affect the body, Laura Danner, a doctoral student at the college said in a statement regarding the new study.
She explained, In fact, many people dont realize that these sweeteners are found in light or zero-sugar versions of yogurts and snack foods and even in non-food products like liquid medicines and certain cosmetics.
Artificial sweeteners are much sweeter than table sugar and it takes a smaller amount of the substitutes to give the same degree of sweetness to foods. Common processed foods that contain sugar subs include Splenda, diet sodas, certain sugar-free-labeled delicacies and several keto packaged products.
This can cause friction with the transport of other drugs throughout the system and can leave several medications trapped in cells which can ultimately lead to liver toxicity.
Splenda Can Be Toxic To Digestive Gut Bacteria
In October 2018, a study conducted and published by Ben-Gurion University researchers in Israel and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore revealed that artificial sweeteners such as Splenda can have toxic effects on gut microbes.
The collaborative study assessed the corresponding toxicity of six artificial sweeteners along with ten sport supplements containing these artificial supplements. Results were disturbing because even as little as 1 mg/ml of the artificial sweeteners was enough to cause the bacteria in the digestive system to turn toxic.
This is further evidence that consumption of artificial sweeteners adversely affects gut microbial activity which can cause a wide range of health issues, said Prof. Ariel Kushmaro, a professor in Ben-Gurion Universitys Department of Biotechnology Engineering.
So is there a definite association between gut bacteria and fatty liver disease? A 2019 study has produced findings about a type of alcohol-producing bacteria that could precipitate liver damage even in people who dont drink alcohol. Researchers have detected this type of bacteria in over 60% of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease . This result could pave the way for the development of a screening method for the early detection and treatment of NAFLD.
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Swap Out Artificial Sweeteners With These Healthy Forms Of Sweetener Choices Recommended By Dr Josh Axe
The average American is taking in 400 calories a day from added sugars, mostly from refined sugar and syrup sweeteners. High-fructose corn syrup, for example, is cheap to produce, and found in many prepared foods and beverages. But those calories can be dangerous. This quick-acting sugar is believed to lead to increased storage of fat in the liver resulting in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, digestive upset and atherosclerosis, eventually increasing the risk of diabetes, obesity and even high blood pressure.
In spite of the dramatic rise in use of real sugar, artificial sweeteners are making a debut in a wide variety of products. Those artificial sweeteners include aspartame, sucralose, ACE K and saccharin. They may not carry calories, but their other potentially harmful side effects have been a source of concern for years.
While all are technically safe per the FDA, they are under increasing scrutiny. Side effects can range from headaches and migraines and mood disorders to shrunken thymus glands involved in immune control and impairment of liver and kidney function. Fortunately, there are healthful and tasty alternatives to refined sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners. Here are five natural sweeteners and sugar substitutes:
Ask The Doctor: Are Artificial Sweeteners A Good Alternative To Sugar
Q. More and more nutrition advice seems to be anti-sugar these days. So are artificial sweeteners a good alternative?
A. Sugar in all its forms may be the single most important dietary cause of obesity and heart disease in the American diet today. Stripped of fiber and antioxidants, table sugar and high fructose corn syrup cause big jumps in blood glucose and insulin that raise levels of triglycerides, various inflammatory markers, and free oxygen radicals. In addition, the fructose found in most types of sugar may damage the liver and cause insulin resistance.
The FDA has approved five artificial sweeteners: acesulfame, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, and sucralose. Stevia is a plant-derived noncaloric sweetener that also has FDA approval. Though concerns about cancer have been largely dismissed, these chemicals may cause headaches and other reactions in sensitive individuals.
Most people consume artificial sweeteners because they want to lose weight. Replacing concentrated sugar with products that have very few, if any, calories should tilt energy balance in favor of weight loss. And some short-term studies suggest that artificial sweeteners may have that effect.
David S. Ludwig, M.D., Ph.D.Children’s Hospital Boston
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Luo Han Guo Monk Fruit Extract
Type of sugar: Natural SugarGlycemic Index: 0
Even though Smith recommends avoiding zero calorie sweeteners, she gives the go-ahead to the natural sweeteners stevia and monk fruit. Luo Han Guo is also called monk fruit because of its historic cultivation by monks in China. It has been consumed for several hundred years, having been used as a sweetener and a traditional herbal remedy however, it has not been well tested through research. This high-potency sweetener is about 200 times sweeter than sugar, so you’ll use less of it when adding it to food. This fruit is also full of antioxidants in vitamins, making it a better choice if you’re going with zero-calorie sweeteners.
Type of sugar: Natural SugarGlycemic Index: 0
Type of sugar: Natural SugarGlycemic Index: 35
Many confuse this sweetener for coconut sugar, but it’s really quite different. This sweetener is made from tapping the trunk of a sugar date palm tree , similarly to how maple syrup is made. However, once this sap is collected, it’s boiled down to a syrup and then the water is evaporated out to create sugar crystals. Palm sugar is typically used in Thai or Indian cuisines. This sugar has trace amounts of phosphorous, iron, and vitamins C and B.
Type of sugar: Natural SugarGlycemic Index: 35
Type of sugar: Sugar ExtractGlycemic Index: 55
Type of sugar: Natural SugarGlycemic Index: 50
Type of sugar: Natural SugarGlycemic Index: 54
How To Get More In Diet
Getting more natural sweeteners in your daily diet isnt hard if you completely stop using refined table sugar and use healthier sugar substitutes instead. Plus, you also can look for food products that are sweet thanks to ingredients like stevia rather than refined sugar.
To find your best sugar substitutes, youll likely have to test out a few. You might end up liking one for your morning coffee but a different one for your baking needs.
Even when using natural sweeteners, like raw honey, you still want to be mindful of your overall sugar consumption.
How much natural sugar should you have a day? According to The American Heart Association , you should limit the amount of added sugars you consume to no more than half of your daily discretionary calorie allowance.
For most American women, this is no more than 100 calories per day and no more than 150 calories per day for men . The AHA defines added sugars as any sugars or caloric sweeteners added to foods or beverages during processing or preparation.
So added sugars include refined sugar as well as natural sweeteners like honey.
If you are being treated for any ongoing health concern, especially diabetes, check with your doctor before incorporating any new sweeteners and sugar substitutes into your diet.
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Fatty Liver Sugar Alternative: Honey
This is probably the most recommended sugar alternative and everybody loves it. It is sweet, tastes good and is natural.
But even though it is indeed a lot healthier than white sugar, have in mind that it does still pack a huge punch in terms of carbohydrates , so you still cant have unlimited quantities of it.
For example, if 100 grams of sugar have 100 grams of carbs, 100 grams of honey only have 82 grams of carbs.
No matter how you put it, that is still a lot and even though you get 18% less carbs from it, it still cant be consumed in excess as those carbs turn into sugar and cause additional damage to your liver.
However, raw numbers are not everything that matters here! The sugar in honey is absorbed slower than the white sugar, so it doesnt have an impact as big as sugar on the Glicemic Index, which is a good thing.
In other words, its not a bomb that explodes instantly. Instead, it slowly drips into your blood stream, causing less damage and also helping you feel fuller for longer.
Also, honey is considered sweeter than sugar. This means that half a teaspoon of honey could be just as sweet as a full teaspoon of sugar.
These are just estimates, but good to know that you can still achieve the same amount of sweetness by using a lower quantity
All in all, honey is indeed a healthier alternative to sugar if youre suffering from a fatty liver as it instantly allows you to cut the amount of carbs you consume.
