Frequently Asked Questions

Tha ADI is the estimated amount of food additives per kg of body weight a person can safely consume daily over a lifetime without risk. The sachet consists mainly of a bulking agent, dextrose, a minute quantity of sucralose and an anti-caking agent. Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar and taking the actual amount of sucralose per sachet into account, a safe intake for a person weighing 60kg will be more or less 200 sucralose sachets per day.

Sucralose is a no-kilojoule (non-nutritive) sweetener that is made from sugar and tastes like sugar. Although it is derived from sugar, it is modified in such a way that it is not recognised by the body as a sugar and is not broken down by the body to provide energy(kJ). It is 600 times sweeter than sugar and has no effect on blood glucose levels.

The sugar in the curried fish recipe acts as a sweetener and as a preservative. Sugalite will not act as a preservative. If you do use Sugalite to act only as a sweetener, the product will be sugarfree, but not low fat (Fish for curried/pickled fish is traditionally fried). We do not recommend the fried fish for diabetics. Grilled or steamed fish would be more suitable, but it will not be the traditional curried fish we are used to.

Huletts has two low kilojoule sweeteners, Equisweet Blue and Equisweet Green (available in tablets and sachets) which can replace sugar in coffee, tea and cereals. These sweeteners have no effect on blood sugar levels.

Huletts also offers SUGAlite, a unique product for baking. SUGAlite has less than half the kilojoules of sugar and has a low GI.

Huletts Molasses comes in a 500ml bottle with a green cap. It is a dark sweet syrup which can be used in cooking and baking.

Many signs and symptoms of diabetes type 1 and 2 are the same: Excessive thirst, requent urination, excessive appetite, often with weight loss, tingling or numbness in hands, feet or legs, frequent infections and bruises and cuts that take a long time to heal are all possible signs. If you notice any of the above, schedule an appointment with your doctor.

Yes, according to scientific research results you can use Sucralose. The safety of Sucralose has been tested and is supported by more than 100 studies in human beings and animals. It did not pose any health risks. The safety of Sucralose has been confirmed by the US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) as well as health authorities in more than 80 countries, including South Africa.

Sucralose is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and is excreted unchanged in the stools. Any absorbed Sucralose is excreted unchanged in the urine.

Extensive research has been done and controlling bodies all over the world, including the American FDA, have approved aspartame as a safe sweetener. Unsubstantiated negative reports have been published in the media and created fear, but there is a total lack of credible scientific evidence to support these rumours. Huletts has added sucralose as an alternative sweetener to give customers a choice. An advantage of sucralose is that it maintains its sweetness under high heat of cooking while a loss of sweetness occur when aspartame is heated for long periods. Both of these products have no effect on blood sugar levels and are safe for diabetics and slimmers.

Not all wholewheat rusks are good for diabetics. It depends on the ingredients used in the recipe and on the fat content. Commercially baked low GI biscuits and cakes have to carry the logo of the GI foundation. They should also be low in fat and have to be exchanged for part of your total carbohydrate and fat allowance for the day. Low GI recipes baked with Huletts Sugalite as a sweetener are available from Huletts website.

When sucrose is digested, both fructose and glucose are released into the bloodstream. Glucose is the only fuel utilized by the brain and the primary fuel used by the working muscles. When glucose enters the bloodstream, the body releases the hormone insulin, to help regulate the blood sugar level.

Fructose, on the other hand, is released at a slower rate into the bloodstream than glucose and is predominantly metabolized in the liver. To simplify the situation: When too much fructose enters the liver, the liver can’t process it fast enough for the body to use it as sugar (energy). Instead, it starts making fats from the fructose and releasing them into the bloodstream as triglycerides.

Intake of too much fructose is potentially bad, because:

• High triglycerides are a risk factor for coronaryheart disease

• Excess fructose consumption over time may facilitateinsulin resistance which may eventually contribute to the development of type 2diabetes.