What are sugar substitutes?

Sugar substitutes are chemical or natural substances that sweeten food and drinks without adding as many calories as sugar. Sugar substitutes are many times sweeter than sugar, so it takes less to provide the same level of sweetness. Some sugar substitutes are low in calories, while others have no calories. You may have also heard them called artificial sweeteners or non-caloric sweeteners.

Why are sugar substitutes added to food and drinks?

Sugar substitutes provide sweetness to food without the calories of sugar. This can be helpful if you are trying to control the amount of calories you eat or if you have diabetes and have to be careful about the sugar found in foods and drinks. Sugar substitutes are found in most of the “light,” “reduced calorie” or “sugar-free” foods and drinks available today.

It’s important to remember that simply eliminating sugar from your diet is not a perfect solution to your dieting needs. You should still focus on getting the majority of your calories through healthy food choices, such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains.

What sugar substitutes are available in the United States?

The following sugar substitutes are available in the United States:

• Aspartame, which is also known by the brand names Equal and Nutrasweet
• Acesulfame K, which is also known as Sunett and Sweet One
• Saccharin, which is also known as Sweet ‘N Low and Sweet Twin
• Sucralose, which is also known as Splenda
• Stevia, which is also known as PureVia, Truvia and SweetLeaf Sweetener
• Sugar alcohols, which include sorbitol, xylitol and maltitol

I’ve heard that sugar substitutes can cause cancer or other health problems. Is that true?

According to the National Cancer Institute, there is no proof that sugar substitutes cause cancer. There have also been many medical research studies on the sugar substitutes that are approved for use in the United States, and they have shown the sweeteners to be safe when used in moderation.

One exception is for people who have phenylketonuria (PKU). People who have PKU cannot have the sugar substitute called aspartame because they are unable to metabolize it.

How can I tell if a food or drink contains a sugar substitute?

Check the ingredient list for the names of sugar substitutes listed above. This list gives ingredients in descending order by weight.

How much sugar substitutes should be in my diet?

Unless you add it yourself, it is often hard to know exactly how much of a sugar substitute is in a food or drink. Although sugar substitutes have fewer calories than sugar, it’s best to limit them and focus on healthy food choices, such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains. These foods are the best sources of nutrition for your body.

I’m pregnant. Are sugar substitutes safe for me?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, aspartame is safe for pregnant women and their developing babies. There is also good evidence that acesulfame K, sugar alcohols and sucralose are safe for pregnant women when used in small amounts. Some doctors recommend avoiding saccharin and stevia because there isn’t enough medical research to say whether or not these sugar substitutes are safe during pregnancy.

What is aspartame?

Aspartame is a low-calorie sugar substitute. It is a combination of 2 amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. It is about 220 times sweeter than sugar and leaves no aftertaste when consumed. It is also known by the brand names Equal and Nutrasweet.

What is it used in?

Aspartame can be found in thousands of foods and drinks, as well as a tabletop sweetener. Some foods and drinks with aspartame include yogurt, frozen desserts, pudding, dry dessert mixes, chewing gum and soft drinks. Aspartame can also be found in some medicines, such as cough drops and vitamins.

Aspartame can extend the sweet taste of some fruit flavors, such as orange or cherry. When it is added to food with these flavors, it makes the taste last longer. For example, chewing gum made with aspartame maintains its sweet flavor longer than those made with sugar.

Aspartame should not be used as a substitute for sugar when you are baking at home. Aspartame loses its sweet taste when baked.

Who should not eat aspartame?

People who have phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot eat aspartame. This is because their bodies are unable to metabolize one of the amino acids in aspartame, phenylalanine.

What is Acesulfame K?

Acesulfame K, also known as acesulfame potassium, is a no-calorie sugar substitute. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar. It does not have an aftertaste and is often used in combination with other sweeteners.

Acesulfame K is also known by the brand names Sunett and Sweet One.

What is saccharin?

Saccharin is a low-calorie sugar substitute that was first discovered in 1879. In fact, it was used to sweeten foods when sugar was rationed during World War I and World War II. It is 200 to 700 times sweeter than sugar, depending on how it is used. Saccharin leaves an aftertaste some people can detect when they consume it, but that is often eliminated in prepared foods by combining it with another sweetener. Saccharin is also known by brand names such as Sweet ‘N Low and Sweet Twin.

What is it used in?

Saccharin is found in many foods and drinks, including chewing gum, canned fruit, baked goods, and soft drinks, and as a tabletop sweetener. It is also used in some medicines and vitamins. Saccharin can also be used as a substitute for sugar when you are baking.

What is stevia?

The term “stevia” actually refers to Stevia rebaudiana, which is a South American plant in the Chrysanthemum family of plants. Only certain parts of the plant are sweet. The sweet components extracted from the leaves of the plant are called steviol glycosides. Even though “stevia” can refer to the whole plant, for this article “stevia” will refer to the sugar substitute made from the plant, since that’s how the term is commonly used. Stevia has no calories and is an all-natural sugar substitute. It is 250 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. Some people can detect an aftertaste when they consume stevia.

Stevia is also known by several brand names, including PureVia, Truvia and SweetLeaf Sweetener.

What is sucralose?

Sucralose is a no-calorie sugar substitute. Sucralose tastes like sugar but is 600 times sweeter. It leaves no aftertaste when consumed. When your body digests sucralose, very little of it is absorbed.

Sucralose is also known by the brand name Splenda.

What are sugar alcohols?

Despite their name, sugar alcohols aren’t sugar and they aren’t alcohol. They are naturally occurring sugar substitutes that have about half the calories of sugar. They get their name because they are carbohydrates that have a chemical structure similar to sugar and to alcohol. Sugar alcohols are also referred to as polyols.

Sugar alcohols are found in many foods, including chewing gum, ice cream, puddings, baked goods and chocolate. They may be used in place of sugar or in combination with a sugar substitute. Sugar alcohols not only add a mild sweet flavor, but they also add the same bulk and texture to foods that sugar provides.

The most common sugar alcohols found in foods include:

• Erythritol – 0.2 calories per gram and 60% to 80% as sweet as sugar
• Isomalt - 2 calories per gram and 45% to 65% as sweet as sugar
• Lactitol – 2 calories per gram and 30% to 40% as sweet at sugar
• Maltitol – 2.1 calories per gram and 90% as sweet as sugar
• Mannitol – 1.6 calories per gram and 50% to 70% as sweet as sugar
• Sorbitol – 2.6 calories per gram and 50% to 70% as sweet as sugar
• Xylitol - 2.4 calories per gram and as sweet as sugar

How do I find sugar alcohols on a Nutrition Facts Label?

Sugar alcohols are easy to spot because they end in “-tol.” If a food is labeled as “sugar free,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires the specific sugar alcohol used in the food to be listed. However, if more than 1 is used in the food, the FDA requires the term “sugar alcohols” to be used.

Are sugar alcohols safe?

The FDA has determined that sugar alcohols are safe for people to consume. However, you should consume them in moderation. Sugar alcohols are slowly absorbed by your body, so eating excessive amounts of sugar alcohols can lead to bloating and diarrhea. According to the American Dietetic Association, consuming more than 50 grams of sorbitol or 20 grams of mannitol per day can cause diarrhea. The FDA requires foods and drinks that contain sorbitol or mannitol to include a warning label describing this laxative effect.