Last month's nutrition blog focused on sugar and the importance of keeping sugar consumption to 20 - 40 grams per day (5 - 10 teaspoons). The article noted the issues of over-indulging in sugar whether it be from sugary treats, or from many of the processed foods that we eat regularly that have a lot more sugar than we realize! (Hint - check the Nutrition Facts Table for the sugar content of your favourite food).

Artificial sweetener consumption has been scrutinized for decades. We don't have a full understanding of the long term effects of artificial sweeteners on the body - but we know that negative side effects have been associated to sweeteners and many experts and are saying that we should watch our intake.

The artificial sweetener trade is huge! There are over 6000 products on grocery store shelves that contain these sweeteners. Approximately 80% of the sweeteners are added to soft drinks and the rest are found in a variety of products including salad dressing, ice cream, cookies, desserts, protein powders, wine coolers, yogurt, chewing gum ... the list is quite extensive. And be careful - you may see products that announce 'No Aspartame' on the front of the pack, but a quick look at the ingredient list will show another type of artificial sweetener, i.e. sucralose.

There are 3 main sweeteners used in Canada: Aspartame (brand name Nutra Sweet or Equal), Sucralose (brand name Splenda) and Acesulfame K (sometimes called Ace K). Saccharin is currently banned in Canada due to lab tests in the 1970s which linked saccharin to cancer in rats.

The issue with sweeteners is that they are artificial, man-made or synthetic - whatever you want to call them. They are a foreign substance and we really don't know the true effects on the body. What we do know is that numerous people have had similar symptoms related to toxicity of artificial sweeteners, i.e. headaches, migraines, memory loss, hives, mood swings, irritability etc. Many of these allegations are against aspartame. Regardless of the sweetener that causes these issues - they would certainly wreak havoc on your golf game!

Many people consume products with sweeteners as a means to avoid the calories of packaged food with refined sugar. However, the body is often not satisfied and will still crave sugary products. In other words, the craving won’t go away, even though the artificially sweetened product was consumed.

When choosing products with sugar or sweeteners, it pays to be a savvy consumer. Get informed and look beyond the hype. While artificial sweeteners may help with weight management, they aren't a magic bullet and should be used only in moderation. Just because a food is marketed as sugar-free doesn't mean it's calorie-free.

For mental clarity and a positive mindset on the range, you are always better off eating lots of whole foods: fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, fish and lean meat; and healthy fats. It's best to stick to water as your main source of hydration. You can have your treats as well - but wait until after your game ... and keep the sugar and artificial sweetener component to a minimum!