Americans consume an average of 20 teaspoons of sugar a day. That sugar contributes to myriad health problems ranging from diabetes to tooth decay. Nearly every health organization in the world has condemned the high amounts of sugar that we consume in our modern day diets and encourages reducing common table sugar - sucrose - in any way possible. One of the key tools for reducing sucrose in the diet is the wide array of "artificial sweeteners" available on the market.

"Artificial sweeteners" is a misnomer. Like sucrose, most so-called artificial sweeteners are derived from all natural sources. Many of them are even less refined than table sugar. Sucrose is made from sugar cane or sugar beets, highly refined and processed. Most other sweeteners are also made from plant sources. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal), saccharin (Sweet 'n' Low, Sugar Twin and Necta Sweet) and sucralose (Splenda) have a number of health advantages over sucrose.

Artificial Sweeteners are Lower in Calories

The most important thing that you can do for your health is to maintain a healthy weight. Obesity has been implicated in diabetes, heart disease, strokes, arthritis and many other health conditions. The American Diabetes Association says that people can reduce their risk of developing diabetes by reducing their body weight by just 10%.

One of the easiest ways to lose weight is to reduce calories, and one of the easiest ways to cut out excess calories is to substitute artificial sweeteners for sugar in your everyday foods. How many calories can you cut out by using sugar substitutes in your food instead of sugar? It depends on the sweetener that you choose. The five artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA can cut out a lot of calories, as they are essentially calorie-free.

In addition to those approved sugar substitutes, there are a number of other sugar substitutes in foods that are called 'sugar alcohols' even though they are neither sugar nor alcohol. The most commonly known of these is xylitol, used in Orbit gum and other sugar free products. Others include sorbitol and malitol.

Artificial Sweeteners do not promote tooth decay

One of the issues with sugar is that it promotes tooth decay. Poor dental health can contribute to a multitude of other problems with your health. Dental caries are an avenue for gum infection, which can seriously compromise your health. When you reduce sugar by cooking with sugar substitutes, you are helping to reduce tooth decay and all of its attendant problems.

Artificial sweeteners can help diabetics control blood sugar levels

Type 2 diabetes is becoming epidemic in the United States. Diabetics must control the level of sugar in their blood in order to prevent damage to their organs and bodily systems like circulation. Artificial sweeteners are an important tool in helping diabetics control the level of sugar and carbohydrates in their blood. By sweetening foods without sucrose, you can cook delicious meals for yourself or diabetics in your family without compromising their health.

Artificial sweeteners can reduce the glycemic index of foods that you cook

The glycemic index of foods indicates the different ways that carbohydrates are used in our bodies. Foods with a high glycemic index tend to cause dramatic changes in your blood sugar levels, which can be detrimental to your health because it pushes your body to extremes. Foods with low GI's are healthier in a number of ways.

• A low GI diet helps you lose and control your weight. Losing weight will improve your overall health and activity level.

• A low GI diet increases your body's sensitivity to insulin. Low sensitivity to insulin means that your body doesn't metabolize foods well, and can lead to many other health problems.

• Low GI sugar substitutes can help you reduce your risk of heart disease, lower blood cholesterol and improve diabetes control.

• Because low GI foods are used more slowly by the body, you feel full longer and eat less often. That's a great aid in losing weight.

The easiest way to switch to a healthier, low GI diet is to substitute low GI foods for the high GI foods that you normally enjoy. That means making little changes like eating brown rice instead of white, whole grain breads instead of bread made with white flour, and substituting natural sweeteners for sucrose and glucose.

In short, using artificial sweeteners instead of sugar when you bake and cook can help your family eat a healthier diet and reduce their risk of developing serious health conditions like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and stroke. It is an easy way to start your family on a lifetime of eating healthy.