Most of us love sweet foods and drinks. But after that short burst of sweetness, you may worry about how sweets affect your waistline and your overall health. Is sugar really bad for us? How about artificial or low-calorie sweeteners? What have scientists learned about the sweet things that most of us eat and drink every day?
Some sugars are found naturally in foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and milk. “These are healthful additions to your diet,” says Dr. Andrew Bremer, a pediatrician and NIH expert on sweeteners. “When you eat an orange, for instance, you’re getting a lot of nutrients and dietary fiber along with the natural sugars.”
Although sugar itself isn’t bad, says Rother, “sugar has a bad reputation that’s mostly deserved because we consume too much of it. It’s now in just about every food we eat.”
Experts agree that Americans eat and drink way too much sugar, and it’s contributing to the obesity epidemic. Much of the sugar we eat isn’t found naturally in food but is added during processing or preparation.
About 15% of the calories in the American adult diet come from added sugars. That’s about 22 teaspoons of added sugar a day. Sugars are usually added to make foods and drinks taste better. But such foods can be high in calories and offer none of the healthful benefits of fruits and other naturally sweet foods.
Sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks are the leading source of added sugars in the American diet. Juices naturally contain a lot of sugar. But sometimes, even more is added to make them taste sweeter.
“Juices offer some vitamins and other nutrients, but I think those benefits are greatly offset by the harmful effects of too much sugar,” says Bremer.
Over time, excess sweeteners can take a toll on your health. “Several studies have found a direct link between excess sugar consumption and obesity and cardiovascular problems worldwide,” Bremer says.
Because of these harmful effects, many health organizations recommend that Americans cut back on added sugars. But added sugars can be hard to identify. On a list of ingredients, they may be listed as sucrose (table sugar), corn sweetener, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit-juice concentrates, nectars, raw sugar, malt syrup, maple syrup, fructose sweeteners, liquid fructose, honey, molasses, anhydrous dextrose, or other words ending in “-ose,” the chemical suffix for sugars. If any of these words are among the first few ingredients on a food label, the food is likely high in sugar. The total amount of sugar in a food is listed under “Total Carbohydrate” on the Nutrition Facts label.
Many people try cutting back on calories by switching from sugar-sweetened to diet foods and drinks that contain low- or no-calorie sweeteners. These artificial sweeteners—also known as sugar substitutes—are many times sweeter than table sugar, so smaller amounts are needed to create the same level of sweetness.
People have debated the safety of artificial sweeteners for decades. To date, researchers have found no clear evidence that any artificial sweeteners approved for use in the U.S. cause cancer or other serious health problems in humans.
But can they help with weight loss? Scientific evidence is mixed. Some studies suggest that diet drinks can help you drop pounds in the short term, but weight tends to creep back up over time. Rother and other NIH-funded researchers are now working to better understand the complex effects that artificial sweeteners can have on the human body.
Studies of rodents and small numbers of people suggest that artificial sweeteners can affect the healthful gut microbes that help us digest food. This in turn can alter the body’s ability to use glucose, which might then lead to weight gain. But until larger studies are done in people, the long-term impact of these sweeteners on gut microbes and weight remains uncertain.
“There’s much controversy about the health effects of artificial sweeteners and the differences between sugars and sweeteners,” says Dr. Ivan de Araujo of Yale University. “Some animal studies indicate that sweeteners can produce physiological effects. But depending on what kind of measurement is taken, including in humans, the outcomes may be conflicting.”
De Araujo and others have been studying the effects that sugars and low-calorie sweeteners might have on the brain. His animal studies found that sugar and sweeteners tap differently into the brain’s reward circuitry, with sugars having a more powerful and pleasurable effect.
“The part of the brain that mediates the ‘I can’t stop’ kinds of behaviors seems to be especially sensitive to sugars and largely insensitive to artificial sweeteners,” de Araujo says. “Our long-term goal is really to understand if sugars or caloric sweeteners drive persistent intake of food. If exposed to too much sugar, does the brain eventually change in ways that lead to excess consumption? That’s what we’d like to know.”
Some research suggests that the intensely sweet taste of artificial, low-calorie sweeteners can lead to a “sweet tooth,” or a preference for sweet things. This in turn might lead to overeating. But more studies are needed to confirm the relative effects of caloric vs. non-caloric sweeteners.
“In the long run, if you want to lose weight, you need to establish a healthy lifestyle that contains unprocessed foods, moderate calories, and more exercise,” Rother says.
When kids grow up eating a lot of sweet foods, they tend to develop a preference for sweets. But if you give them a variety of healthy foods like fruits and vegetables early in life, they’ll develop a liking for them too.
“It’s important for parents to expose children to a variety of tastes early on, but realize that it often takes several attempts to get a child to eat such foods,” says Bremer. “Don’t give up too soon.”
The key to good health is eating a well-balanced diet with a variety of foods and getting plenty of physical activity. Focus on nutrition-rich whole foods without added sugars. Get tips on healthy eating and weight control at http://win.niddk.nih.gov.
Wavebreakmedia Ltd/Thinkstock
The average American may not be an expert in diabetes, but there’s one thing most people know about the disease: Sugar is a big deal. That single fact is the source of myths (eat a large slice of cake and you’ll get diabetes!) and reality (eat a large slice of cake and your blood glucose will spike!). And because people like the taste of sweet but don’t want the calories or carbohydrate, sugar substitutes are also a big deal.
For people with diabetes, the science of sugar is part of daily life. That’s because sugar, a type of carbohydrate, quickly raises blood glucose levels. As more and more people are diagnosed with the disease, the attention on sugar is growing. Food manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon by creating no-sugar-added and low-sugar foods.
Between 1986 and 2010, the number of American adults eating and drinking sugar-free foods and beverages jumped from 78 million to 187 million, according to the Calorie Control Council. Diet soft drinks are the most popular sugar-free products, followed by non-carbonated soft drinks, gum, and sugar substitutes.
Sugar substitutes, also known as nonnutritive sweeteners or artificial sweeteners, have little to no calories or carbohydrate and are often considered “free foods,” with generally no effect on your blood glucose or waistline. They are used in place of sugar to sweeten and enhance the flavor of foods. Because they are hundreds—if not thousands—of times sweeter than table sugar, you don’t need to use as much to get the same level of sugary sweetness.
Nonnutritive sweeteners can also be found in no-sugar-added, light, and diet versions of prepared foods, such as yogurt. And many can be used to replace some or all of the sugar in cooking or baking. Read on for the skinny on sweeteners—and how they affect your blood glucose and weight management.
1. I have diabetes. Is avoiding sugar more important for me than for other people?
Sugar needen’t be avoided altogether—unless you wish to do so—but does need to be accounted for in your eating plan and any medication dosing. You may eat more sugar than you realize. It’s hiding in unexpected foods, such as bread, salad dressing, and pasta sauce.
People in the United States currently eat or drink about 15 percent of their total daily calories in the form of added sugar—those sugars added to foods and drinks by the manufacturer, cook, or consumer. The World Health Organization recommends limiting added sugars (as well as honey, syrup, and fruit juice) to less than 10 percent of total daily calories for all people, with or without diabetes. Eating more added sugar than this has been shown to increase the risk of obesity, heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cavities.
Experts know that sugar-sweetened beverages contribute a lot of added sugar to the average American diet. The American Diabetes Association advises people with diabetes to limit or avoid drinking sugar-sweetened beverages to lower their chances of gaining weight and reduce their risk for heart disease. In fact, other major medical organizations recommend that all people drink fewer or avoid sugar-sweetened beverages, including soda and sports drinks.
2. Are artificial sweeteners safe?
Yes. There are currently six Food and Drug Administration–approved artificial sweeteners and two “generally recognized as safe” artificial sweeteners in the United States. Based on current scientific evidence, the FDA has concluded that these approved sweeteners meet the safety standard of “reasonable certainty of no harm” for the general population when they eat less than the acceptable daily intake. (See “Know Your Sugar Substitutes” below to learn how much of each sweetener you can eat and stay in the safe range.)
You might be wondering whether artificial sweeteners cause cancer, because surely you heard that they did, right? Yes … and no. In the 1970s, saccharin was linked to the development of bladder cancer in rats, and foods containing it were required to have a warning label. Since then, however, more than 30 human studies have shown that the results found in rats were not relevant to humans and that saccharin is safe for human consumption. Saccharin no longer has a warning label.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says that people can safely enjoy a range of nonnutritive sweeteners when they are part of an eating plan that is guided by current federal nutrition recommendations (such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Dietary Reference Intakes) as well as individual health goals and personal preference. The Academy does state, however, that there is not enough research on the safety of nonnutritive sweeteners during pregnancy or in the case of gestational diabetes.
3. Are natural sweeteners better for me than artificial options?
A lot of food manufacturers use the term “natural” to describe their products. But there is no industry-approved definition of the word, so its use is often meaningless. When it comes to nonnutritive sweeteners, “natural” usually refers to those that are made from a substance found in nature and/or without artificial or synthetic additives. Artificial sweeteners, on the other hand, are created in a laboratory.
But there is no research to suggest that nonnutritive natural sweeteners are healthier or better for you in any way compared with their competitors.
Natural sweeteners can also refer to sweeteners with calories, such as maple syrup, molasses, barley malt and rice syrups, honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, date sugar, and sucanat. These sweeteners are essentially less processed and arguably better for you than sugar because they contain some trace vitamins and minerals. But don’t get excited—sugar is really still sugar, and it’s far from a healthy food choice. A good goal: no more sugar from all sources than the equivalent of 6 teaspoons for women and 9 teaspoons for men each day.
4. Will nonnutritive sweeteners help me lose weight?
Seventy-three percent of people who consume low- or no-calorie sweeteners say they use these products to reduce their total daily calories. Products containinglow- or no-calorie sweeteners may help with weight loss if they are used in place of their full-calorie counterparts—provided you don’t eat or drink those calories (or more) through other sources.
For example, drink a can of diet soda instead of the sugar-sweetened alternative, and you’ll save 150 calories. But if you drink that calorie-free soda and then indulge in a 150-calorie (or more) snack, you lose the potential weight-loss benefit.
Although the research isn’t conclusive—and, in fact, is somewhat controversial—some scientists believe that consuming food and beverages with artificial sweeteners can increase hunger, appetite, and calorie intake by decreasing the feeling of fullness or by training your taste buds to like sweet things so that you’ll then eat more of them.
The bottom line: If you want to use nonnutritive sweeteners to help you lose weight, don’t eat more of something else to make up for the calories saved.
5. Will artificial sweeteners make me gain weight or can they cause diabetes?
Last year, a team of researchers published their controversial findings that artificial sweeteners may lead to obesity and type 2 diabetes in mice by changing the bacteria in their intestines that affect metabolism. The change essentially stimulated gut bacteria growth and helped calories turn into body fat more efficiently.
The study went something like this: Researchers fed saccharin, sucralose, or aspartame to a group of mice every day. They gave a control group of mice glucose or sucrose daily. After 11 weeks, the mice fed artificial sweetener had abnormally high blood glucose levels whereas the sugar-eating mice did not. When the researchers killed off the gut bacteria in the artificial sweetener–eating mice, blood glucose levels went back to normal.
The researchers wondered whether the same connection could be true in humans, too. So they tracked blood glucose levels in seven people who normally didn’t eat or drink artificially sweetened products. The volunteers were given the FDA’s acceptable daily intake of saccharin for six days. By the end of the study, blood glucose levels had risen in four of the seven participants and their intestinal bacteria had changed.
There are many criticisms of the study, including its design (what happens in rodents does not necessarily happen in humans), size, length, and the quantity of artificial sweetener used in the study (much greater than the average daily intake).
So what does all of this mean for you? It’s too soon to draw any conclusions about artificial sweeteners causing obesity or type 2 diabetes. Although additional research is needed, artificial sweeteners are still considered a reasonable choice over sugar for weight and blood glucose management.
Sweet Tips
- Although artificial sweeteners can be used in place of sugar in many foods, thus lowering the calorie and carbohydrate content, this does not necessarily mean those foods are carb free, sugar free, or calorie free.
- When considering blood glucose and body weight, be sure to check Nutrition Fact labels for the total carbohydrate and calories in your foods.
- Eating foods made with nonnutritive sweeteners is one way to get your sweet fix without the negative impact of nutritionally poor sugar. Plus, they may help with weight loss—if they truly replace some of your caloric intake. But consider that a sweet piece of fruit has far more good-for-you vitamins and minerals.
- Artificial sweeteners continue to be recognized as safe and are not known to cause either diabetes or weight gain.
Sweet Facts
- Sugar (brown, powdered, raw, and white) and maple syrup have 2.5 to 4.6 grams of carbohydrate per teaspoon and 10 to 18 calories.
- Powdered sugar has less carbohydrate (2.5 grams) and fewer calories (10) per teaspoon than other types of sugar.
- Agave and honey have 5.3 to 5.7 grams carbohydrate per teaspoon and 21 calories.
Glossary
Acceptable daily intake (ADI): the amount of a substance in a food or drink that is considered safe to consume each day over the course of a person’s lifetime
Calorie free: a food or drink with less than 5 calories per serving
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): the U.S. organization responsible for protecting the public’s health by assuring that most foods are safe, wholesome, sanitary, and properly labeled
Generally recognized as safe (GRAS): a food is given this designation by the FDA when experts evaluate its safety and conclude that the substance is safe under the conditions of its intended use. A company can make an independent GRAS determination for a substance with or without notifying the FDA.
Nonnutritive sweeteners: those that contain less than 2 percent of the calories in an equivalent amount of sugar or have no calories at all. Also known as artificial sweeteners, sugar substitutes, low-calorie sweeteners, noncaloric sweeteners, or high-intensity sweeteners
Nutritive sweeteners: those that contain more than 2 percent of the calories in an equivalent amount of sugar
Sugar: sweet-flavored carbohydrate substance used in food. Includes white sugar, powdered sugar, brown sugar, dehydrated cane juice, corn syrup, and high-fructose corn syrup, among others
Bewildered by the variety of sugar substitutes available these days? Understand the pros and cons to make an informed choice.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
If you're trying to reduce the sugar and calories in your diet, you may be turning to artificial sweeteners or other sugar substitutes. You aren't alone.
Today artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes are found in a variety of food and beverages; they're marketed as "sugar-free" or "diet," including soft drinks, chewing gum, jellies, baked goods, candy, fruit juice, and ice cream and yogurt.
Just what are all these sweeteners? And what's their role in your diet?
Sugar substitutes are loosely considered any sweetener that you use instead of regular table sugar (sucrose). Artificial sweeteners are just one type of sugar substitute. The chart lists some popular sugar substitutes and how they're commonly categorized.
| Artificial sweeteners |
Sugar alcohols |
Novel sweeteners |
Natural sweeteners |
| Acesulfame potassium (Sunett, Sweet One) |
Erythritol |
Stevia extracts (Pure Via, Truvia) |
Agave nectar |
| Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet) |
Hydrogenated starch hydrolysate |
Tagatose (Naturlose) |
Date sugar |
| Neotame |
Isomalt |
Trehalose |
Fruit juice concentrate |
| Saccharin (SugarTwin, Sweet'N Low) |
Lactitol |
|
Honey |
| Sucralose (Splenda) |
Maltitol |
|
Maple syrup |
|
Mannitol |
|
Molasses |
|
Sorbitol
|
|
|
|
Xylitol |
|
|
Advantame |
|
|
|
The topic of sugar substitutes can be confusing. One problem is that the terminology is often open to interpretation. For instance, some manufacturers call their sweeteners "natural" even though they're processed or refined, as is the case with stevia preparations. And some artificial sweeteners are derived from naturally occurring substances — sucralose comes from sugar, for example.
Regardless of how they're classified, sugar substitutes aren't magic bullets for weight loss. Take a closer look.
Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes, but may be derived from naturally occurring substances, including herbs or sugar itself. Artificial sweeteners are also known as intense sweeteners because they are many times sweeter than regular sugar.
Artificial sweeteners are attractive alternatives to sugar because they add virtually no calories to your diet. In addition, you need only a fraction compared with the amount of sugar you would normally use for sweetness.
Artificial sweeteners are widely used in processed foods, including baked goods, soft drinks, powdered drink mixes, candy, puddings, canned foods, jams and jellies, dairy products, and scores of other foods and beverages.
Artificial sweeteners are also popular for home use. Some can even be used in baking or cooking. Certain recipes may need modification, though, because artificial sweeteners provide no bulk or volume, as does sugar. Check the labels on artificial sweeteners for appropriate home use.
Some artificial sweeteners may leave an aftertaste. Try different artificial sweeteners to find one or a combination that you enjoy.
One benefit of artificial sweeteners is that they don't contribute to tooth decay and cavities. They may also help with the following:
- Weight control. One of the most appealing aspects of artificial sweeteners is that they are non-nutritive — they have virtually no calories. In contrast, each gram of regular table sugar contains 4 calories. A teaspoon of sugar is about 4 grams. For perspective, consider that one 12-ounce can of a sweetened cola contains 10 teaspoons of added sugar, or about 150 calories. If you're trying to lose weight or prevent weight gain, products sweetened with artificial sweeteners, rather than with higher calorie table sugar, may be an attractive option. On the other hand, some research has suggested that consuming artificial sweeteners may be associated with increased weight, but the cause is not yet known.
- Diabetes. Artificial sweeteners may be a good alternative to sugar if you have diabetes. Unlike sugar, artificial sweeteners generally don't raise blood sugar levels because they are not carbohydrates. But because of concerns about how sugar substitutes are labeled and categorized, always check with your doctor or dietitian about using any sugar substitutes if you have diabetes.
Artificial sweeteners have been scrutinized intensely for decades. Critics of artificial sweeteners say that they cause a variety of health problems, including cancer. That's largely because of studies dating to the 1970s that linked saccharin to bladder cancer in laboratory rats. Because of those studies, saccharin once carried a warning label that it may be hazardous to your health.
But according to the National Cancer Institute and other health agencies, there's no sound scientific evidence that any of the artificial sweeteners approved for use in the U.S. cause cancer or other serious health problems. And numerous research studies confirm that artificial sweeteners are generally safe in limited quantities, even for pregnant women. As a result of the newer studies, the warning label for saccharin was dropped.
Artificial sweeteners are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as food additives. They must be reviewed and approved by the FDA before being made available for sale.
In some cases, the FDA declares a substance "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS). These GRAS substances, including highly refined stevia preparations, are deemed by qualified professionals based on scientific data as being safe for their intended use, or they have such a lengthy history of common use in food that they're considered generally safe and don't require FDA approval before sale.
The FDA has also established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for each artificial sweetener. This is the maximum amount considered safe to consume each day over the course of your lifetime. ADIs are intended to be about 100 times less than the smallest amount that might cause health concerns.
Sugar alcohols (polyols) are carbohydrates that occur naturally in certain fruits and vegetables, but they also can be manufactured. They're not considered intense sweeteners, because they aren't sweeter than sugar. In fact, some are less sweet than sugar. As with artificial sweeteners, the FDA regulates the use of sugar alcohols.
Sugar alcohols aren't considered noncaloric or non-nutritive sweeteners because they contain calories. But they're lower in calories than is regular sugar, making them an attractive alternative. Despite their name, sugar alcohols aren't alcoholic. They don't contain ethanol, which is found in alcoholic beverages.
Novel sweeteners are combinations of various types of sweeteners. Novel sweeteners, such as stevia, are hard to fit into one particular category because of what they're made from and how they're made. Note that although the FDA has approved highly refined stevia preparations as a novel sweetener, it has not approved whole-leaf stevia or crude stevia extracts for this use.
Tagatose and trehalose are considered novel sweeteners because of their chemical structure. The FDA categorizes them as GRAS substances. Tagatose is a low-carbohydrate sweetener similar to fructose that occurs naturally, but is also manufactured from lactose in dairy products. Trehalose is found naturally in honey and mushrooms.
Sugar alcohols generally aren't used when you prepare food at home. Rather, they are found in many processed foods and other products, including chocolate, candy, frozen desserts, chewing gum, toothpaste, mouthwash, baked goods and fruit spreads, usually replacing sugar on an equal basis.
When added to foods, sugar alcohols add sweetness, bulk and texture. They also help food stay moist, prevent browning when heated and add a cooling sensation to products.
Sugar alcohols are often combined with artificial sweeteners to enhance sweetness. Check the food label to help see if a product contains sugar alcohols. Food labels may list the specific name, such as xylitol, or simply use the general term "sugar alcohol."
One benefit of sugar alcohols is that they don't contribute to tooth decay and cavities. They may also help with the following:
- Weight control. Sugar alcohols are considered nutritive sweeteners because they contribute calories to your diet. Still, sugar alcohols have fewer calories than does regular sugar — about 2 calories per gram on average. This means that sugar alcohols can be considered lower calorie sweeteners, and they may aid weight-control efforts.
- Diabetes. Unlike artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols can raise blood sugar levels because they're carbohydrates. But because your body doesn't completely absorb sugar alcohols, their effect on blood sugar is less than that of other sugars. Different sugar alcohols can affect blood sugar differently. You can consume sugar alcohols if you have diabetes, but you still must pay attention to the total amount of carbohydrates in your meals and snacks. Talk to your doctor or dietitian for guidance.
As with artificial sweeteners, the FDA regulates sugar alcohols as food additives. Sugar alcohols used in U.S. manufactured food generally have GRAS status.
There are few health concerns associated with sugar alcohols. When eaten in large amounts, usually more than 50 grams, but sometimes as little as 10 grams, sugar alcohols can have a laxative effect, causing bloating, intestinal gas and diarrhea. Product labels may carry a warning about this potential laxative effect.
Natural sweeteners are sugar substitutes that are often promoted as healthier options than processed table sugar or other sugar substitutes. But even these so-called natural sweeteners often undergo processing and refining, including agave nectar.
Among the natural sweeteners that the FDA recognizes as being generally safe for consumption are fruit juices and nectars, honey, molasses, and maple syrup.
Natural sweeteners have a variety of uses both at home and in processed foods. They are sometimes known as added sugars because they're added to foods during processing. They may be used, for example, in tea and cocktails to sweeten drinks, in desserts, as pancake and waffle toppings, on cereals, and for baking.
Although natural sugar substitutes may seem healthier than processed table sugar, their vitamin and mineral content isn't significantly different from that of sugar. Honey and sugar, for instance, are nutritionally similar, and both end up in your body as glucose and fructose. Choose a natural sweetener based on how it tastes and its uses, rather than on its health claims, and use it sparingly.
So-called natural sweeteners are generally safe. But there's no health advantage to consuming any type of added sugar. And consuming too much added sugar, even natural sweeteners, can lead to health problems, such as tooth decay, poor nutrition, weight gain and increased triglycerides. Also, be aware that honey can contain small amounts of bacterial spores that can produce botulism toxin. Because of that, honey shouldn't be given to children younger than than 1 year old.
When choosing sugar substitutes, it pays to be a savvy consumer. Get informed and look beyond the hype. While artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes may help with weight management, they aren't a magic bullet and should be used only in moderation. If you use sugar substitutes to save calories, be careful not to eat higher calorie foods as a reward for the calories you saved.
Just because a food is marketed as sugar-free doesn't mean it's free of calories. If you eat too many sugar-free foods, you can still gain weight if they have other ingredients that contain calories. And remember that processed foods, which often contain sugar substitutes, generally don't offer the same health benefits as do whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
References
- Duyff RL. American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide. 4th ed. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons; 2012:55.
- Garner C, et al. Nonnutritive sweeteners: Current use and health perspectives. A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association. Circulation. 2012;126:509.
- Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Use of nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2012;112:739.
- Artificial sweeteners and cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/artificial-sweeteners. Accessed July 23, 2015.
- How sweet it is: All about sugar substitutes. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm397711.htm. Accessed July 23, 2015.
- Burke MV, et al. Physiological mechanisms by which non-nutritive sweeteners may impact body weight and metabolism. Physiology & Behavior. In press. Accessed July 23, 2015.
- Klurfeld DM. What do government agencies consider in the debate over added sugars? Advances in Nutrition. 2013;4:257.
Aug. 20, 2015
Original article: http://www.mayoclinic.org/artificial-sweeteners/ART-20046936
.
Low-Calorie Sweeteners
Are you struggling to control your sweet tooth?
When you have diabetes, including sweets in your diet requires careful planning. However, it can be hard to just save sweets for special occasions.
Curb Your Cravings
Foods and drinks that use artificial sweeteners are another option that may help curb your cravings for something sweet.
Sometimes low-calorie sweeteners are also called artificial sweeteners, sugar substitutes or non-nutritive sweeteners. They can be used to sweeten food and drinks for less calories and carbohydrate when they replace sugar.
The sweetening power of most low-calorie sweeteners is at least 100 times more intense than regular sugar, so only a small amount is needed when you use these sugar substitutes.
Also, with the exception of aspartame, all of the sweeteners listed below cannot be broken down by the body. They pass through our systems without being digested so they provide no extra calories.
Still, many foods containing low-calorie sweeteners will provide some calories and carbohydrate from other ingredients. That means foods that carry claims like "sugar-free," "reduced sugar" or "no sugar added" are not necessarily carbohdyrate-free or lower in carbohydrate than the original version of the food. Always check the nutrition facts panel, even for foods that carry these claims.
FDA Approved
There are six artificial sweeteners that have been tested and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
- acesulfame potassium (also called acesulfame K)
- aspartame
- saccharin
- sucralose
- neotame
- advantame
These sweeteners are used by food companies to make diet drinks, baked goods, frozen desserts, candy, light yogurt and chewing gum. You can buy them to use as table top sweeteners. Add them to coffee, tea, or sprinkle them on top of fruit. Some are also available in "granular" versions which can be used in cooking and baking.
What's The Deal With Stevia?
Stevia is also referred to as Rebaudioside A, Reb-A, or rebiana. Technically, Reb-A is a highly purified product that comes from the stevia plant and is several hundred times sweeter than sugar. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Reb-A is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as a food additive and table top sweetener. When something is generally recognized as safe by the FDA, it means that experts have agreed that it is safe for use by the public in appropriate amounts.
For more information, visit the Food and Drug Administration website at www.fda.gov.
Sugar Substitutes in the Store
The chart below lists the brand names seen in stores for low-calorie sweeteners:
| Sweetener Name |
|
Brand Names Found in Stores |
| Acesulfame Potassium |
|
Sunett |
| |
|
Sweet One |
| Aspartame |
|
Nutrasweet |
| |
|
Equal |
| Neotame |
|
N/A |
| Saccharin |
|
Sweet 'N Low |
| |
|
Sweet Twin |
| |
|
Sugar Twin |
| Sucralose |
|
Splenda |
| Stevia/Rebaudioside A |
|
A Sweet Leaf |
| |
|
Sun Crystals |
| |
|
Steviva |
| |
|
Truvia |
| |
|
PureVia |
For more information about any of the above products, use your preferred search engine to search for and visit the manufacturer's website.
- Last Reviewed: August 1, 2013
- Last Edited: December 16, 2014
- See more at: http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/artificial-sweeteners/#sthash.ZkYks1mX.dpuf
Got a sweet tooth? Here’s the scoop on artificial sweeteners or “non-nutritive sweeteners” as we call them.