An Analytical Study of Natural Sweeteners and Flavors in Human Nutrition

Abstract

Natural Sweeteners are chemical substances that are present in nature. They can be synthesized chemically. They have a sweet taste. So, they can be used as a Sweetening and Flavoring agent.            Sweeteners and Flavors are not just used to give taste but it also has effect on health of consumers. Thus, Sweeteners and Flavors found naturally or added artificially to food, are very essential ingredients of human diet.

In this article we discussed different natural ingredients used as food and can be use for imparting sweetness and flavors like honey, molasses, maple syrup, coconut sugar, agave nectar, date sugar, xylitol and stevia and some risk factors associated with too much consumption of natural sweeteners and flavors. By consuming these foods in excess amount people develops obesity which in turn lead to chronic diseases like CAD, hemorrhage, diabetes and compromising immunity due to conversion of beneficial intestinal microbiota into pathogenous one.

It has been concluded that these chronic diseases can be prevented by doing life style changes, restricting high calorie diet and by avoiding artificial sweeteners and flavors. Natural sweeteners and flavors are generally harmless but NNS (National Nutrition Survey) suggested that both natural and artificial flavors can be hazardous to health. So, both can be taken in low amount.