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FDA Sugar Substitutes

Sugar substitutes or artificial sweeteners are used in a variety of foods and drinks to create a lower calorie version of that product. They are found in many types of diet sodas or juices and are even used in chewing gum and baked goods. The public has been cautious of artificial sweeteners for years because of a link to certain health problems. However, the Food and Drug Administration (fda.gov) has approved five sugar substitutes for use. These five substitutes have been proven safe for daily consumption.

  1. Aspartame

    • Aspartame is currently the most widely-used sugar substitute, and is found in more than 6,000 products including diet soda, chewing gum, sugar-free puddings and fruit spreads. It is better known to consumers as Equal. Aspartame is a great addition to a weight loss diet because it helps eliminate up to a few hundred calories a day from a person's diet. It is also beneficial for people trying to manage diabetes because it helps calm cravings for sweets but does not raise blood sugar levels.

    Acesulfame K

    • Similar to aspartame, acesulfame K or acesulfame potassium is used as a zero-calorie sweetener. It can be purchased as the table-top sweetener Sweet One. It was discovered in 1967 and has been approved for use since 1983. Acesulfame potassium is 200 times sweeter than sugar and is heat stable, so it is useful for baking. This sugar substitute is not metabolized by the body, and is rather excreted unchanged. Acesulfame potassium is also beneficial for a weight loss diets and for diabetes management.

    Neotame

    • Neotame is a zero-calorie sweetener approved by the FDA in 2002. It is derived from aspartame and is 7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar, has a clean sweet taste and is fully metabolized by the body. Like other artificial sweeteners, it is used in diet foods. Since neotame is so sweet, only a small amount is needed to sweeten foods. The sweetener is used in many foods without the public knowing it is there, because the FDA does not require trace amounts of ingredients to be listed on food labels. It is marketed under the NutraSweet label and is not generally found in the supermarket as a table-top sweetener.

    Saccharin

    • Saccharin is the oldest-known low-calorie sweetener. During the 1970's it was the only sugar substitute approved for use in the United States. The most common use for saccharin is as a table-top sweetener better known as Sweet n' Low. Saccharin is also used in cosmetic products, vitamins and pharmaceuticals.

    Sucralose

    • Sucralose, also known as Splenda, is a low-calorie sweetener made from sugar. It is 600 times sweeter than table sugar and retains its sweetness under heat to make it great for baking. Sucralose is not recognized as a carbohydrate by the body so it is great for weight loss and diabetes management. It is also proven safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

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