Evening Edge

Sweeteners are polarizing — some consumers fear sugar but use artificial sweeteners. Others think artificial sweeteners should be avoided at all costs, thanks to Internet rumors that they cause everything from brain tumors to obesity.

Beliefs run strong on both sides of the issue so it is not surprising that sweetener alternatives are making an appearance, sold as dietary supplements. I was curious about a new sweetener, Sweet Fiber, sold as a table top sweetener in individual packets and in a pourable version for baking.

(ENLARGE)

Sweet Fiber sweetener

Have a question of general interest? E-mail Chris Rosenbloom Fit to Eat columns Get out of rut: Try new fruits and vegetables  Three questions: Organic produce, iron and iodine, and tryptophan  Setting the record straight on some food myths         More Fit to Eat • Chris Rosenbloom, Ph.D., R.D., is a member of the nutrition faculty in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Georgia State University Related: • Carolyn O'Neil: Think of add-ons as accessories  Good links: • Evening Edge • AJC Food & Drink • AJC Health Channel • Diet and Nutrition headlines, resources • Atlanta Restaurant reviews and search • Low fat/ heart healthy recipes • Search recipes

What is different about this sweetener is that it made from inulin, a vegetable fiber that is a prebiotic. You've heard of probiotics (strains of friendly bacteria found in yogurt and other fermented foods), but you might not be familiar with prebiotics. These carbohydrates cannot be digested and are food for the healthy bacteria in our guts, hence the name prebiotic.

Asparagus, leeks, onions and soybeans are a few of the foods that contain prebiotics. Sweet Fiber derives its prebiotic fiber from chicory root — three packets contain about one gram of inulin and 2.5 grams of fiber. Research reports suggest that doses of 4 to 6 grams of prebiotic fibers are useful to promote a healthy gut, so the amount of fiber in three packets can contribute to that total, but if you use just one packet a day to sweeten your coffee, the amount of fiber you would get is not significant.

The sweet in this sweetener comes from a Chinese flowering vine, luo han guo. Used in southern China for hundreds of years, it is said to aid longevity and restore the body's internal balance. The fruit is about 150 times sweeter than table sugar, but there is not much research to support or refute its health claims. It appears safe, but since Sweet One is sold as a dietary supplement, it does not need FDA approval.

As for the taste, I have to claim ignorance and rely on second-hand reports. I drink coffee and tea unsweetened, so I'm not a good judge of any sweetener. I asked my husband to do the honors and he gave it a "thumbs up" for taste. He likes it in hot tea; he described it as lightly sweet without an aftertaste like artificial sweeteners.

If you want to give this a try, look for it in health food stores or natural food stores. You can also order it online at www.sweetfiber.net. I wouldn't be too impressed with their claims for weight loss — we've had artificial sweeteners for decades, and they haven't caused weight loss, and the fiber in this product is likely to be too small to curb your appetite.

However, if you want an alternative to sugar or the pink, blue or yellow packets of artificial sweeteners, you might want to give this a try.

Chris Rosenbloom, Ph.D., R.D., is a professor of nutrition in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Georgia State University. She'll answer nutrition questions of general interest. Send your questions to her c/o The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sixth Floor, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303. Or e-mail her at chrisrosenbloom@live.com.