Team:UCSC/Somers
Suzanne Somers
In order to better understand public perception on zero-calorie sweeteners, we wanted to gain a comprehensive understanding of the issue. Following our interview with Ms. Roxland, we were now interested in hearing the other side of the story. The public’s concern with artificial sweeteners largely persists in the form of a growing online community, where websites focused on ‘natural/healthy living’ post articles promoting fear regarding the health consequences of these sweeteners. Therefore, we decided to reach out to one of the most prominent figures involved in this controversy for an interview regarding her beliefs on the matter.
Suzanne Somers is an American actress, author, businesswoman, and health spokesperson who rose to fame in her roles as Carol Lambert in Step by Step and Chrissy Snow in Three’s Company. A controversial figure, Suzanne has been criticized by the American Cancer Society for her promotion of alternative, naturopathic cancer treatments, as well as her support for the Wiley Protocol, which has been labelled as “scientifically unproven and dangerous.” Suzanne was kind enough to accept our interview request on alternative sweeteners over email. The interview, written below, was focused on exploring her views on artificial sweeteners, as well as the distinction between her views on sweeteners regarded as ‘artificial,’ and those regarded as ‘natural’. Given Suzanne’s community following, name recognition, and vocal outreach via books, online articles, and public appearances, her views highly influence the views of the public.
Interview:
Tell us a little about yourself:
I am a self-educated entrepreneur, author of 26 books, actress who has starred in 16 years of prime time television including the #1 hit in America the entire time I was starring called Three’s Company. I am a Las Vegas entertainer and was named “Las Vegas Female Entertainer of the year” Frank Sinatra was the male winner. I lecture regularly at large events and health conferences.
What are artificial sweeteners?
Poison! haha. Really most sweeteners and sugar substitutes do nothing to make you thinner. The body accepts sweet (or sugar) as sugar, even in the form of healthy fruit. Artificial sweeteners mean chemical sweeteners. I have a sugar substitute called SomerSweet, we could not legally call it artificial sweetener because it has no chemicals. We were forced to call it a sweet bulking agent.
Are artificial sweeteners a good option for those looking to lose weight?
I believe the best, healthiest and fastest way to lose weight is to go all organic, high fat, high quality protein (grass fed beef, organic poultry, wild caught salmon and fish). The weight loss success comes with eliminating all sugar and grain. Butter is not a problem if its organic, nor is cream, sour cream, olive oil, virgin organic coconut oil.
What some of the available natural sweeteners?
Agave is good, stevia is good, coconut sugar, SomerSweet. These are not artificial sweeteners, these are natural sugar substitutes and will cause a small insulin spike.
Would you recommend natural sweeteners for weight loss?
I truly think you cannot trick your body. You want to eliminate all chemicals. Chemicals are making people fat. The body in its wisdom stores chemicals in your fat to protect your precious organs and glands. The more chemicals you take in or are exposed to the more fat you need for storage. More chemicals , more fat. Artificial sweeteners are a chemical.
Do you think natural sweeteners could help those with diabetes?
I believe the diabetic needs to re-train his or her palate. When you are craving sugar, instead grab a nice piece of cheddar or Brie or whatever your favorite cheese might happen to be. Cheese satiates . In time your sugar cravings will go away.
What is SomerSweet?
SomerSweet is a sugar substitute made from sprouted mung bean extract and erythritol. It causes only a small insulin spike and contains no chemicals. And it tastes good and can be used for baking on a one to one ratio. Meaning one cup of sugar equals one cup of somersweet.
Tell us a little about erythritol, one of the main ingredients in SomerSweet?
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that can be obtained from some fruits, such as melons, grapes and pears or from certain fermented products. This sweetener is a popular substitute to sugar due to its virtually zero caloric content. Erythritol is also known not to trigger adverse effects in blood sugar levels of diabetic patients nor cause dental cavities, unlike other sugars.
The interview revealed interesting information regarding how Suzanne, and the public, feels about artificial sweeteners; as well as how differing levels of scientific literacy may be playing a role. While we were relieved that erythritol is viewed in a positive light due to its ‘all-natural’ status, we still feel that public education on these topics is greatly needed. Lack of scientific literacy, even if it prohibits our mission less-so than it otherwise would, still stifles the opportunity for society to engage in proactive, critical thinking regarding controversial questions. Additionally, as stated previously, fear-mongering on artificial sweeteners inherently weakens widespread adoption of alternative, ‘natural’ sweeteners as well; since the public is not always educated on which sweeteners are deemed ‘natural.’ Fear is an immensely powerful emotion, and attempting to convince the public away from their fears is often a difficult, seemingly-futile pursuit. Therefore, we decided an important contribution we could make would be to spread awareness about the positive effects of the zero-calorie sweeteners, and in doing so redirect the public’s focus towards how they may benefit from integrating these sweeteners into lifestyles.
