There are so many artificial sweeteners out there that it's hard to keep them straight. And with all the information swirling around about the safety of each one, it can be hard to know which to choose. Are you a fan of sugar substitutes? Here's a list of the artificial sweeteners and the big pros and cons of each.
| Type of Artificial Sweetener |
General Info |
Pros |
Cons |
| Sucralose (Splenda) |
- Contains maltodextrin to bulk it up.
- It's 600 times sweeter than regular sugar.
- It was approved by the FDA in 1999.
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- It has zero calories.
- You can bake with it.
- After 110 studies, the FDA concluded that sucralose has no toxic or carcinogenic effects and poses no reproductive or neurological risks to people.
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- The bulking agents add about 12 calories per tablespoon of Splenda (although the nutritional info doesn't list these calories).
- It adds an artificial taste when you bake with it.
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Want to see the rest of the list? Read on after the break.
| Saccharin (Sweet'N Low) |
- It's 300 times sweeter than regular sugar.
- It's a molecule made from petroleum.
- The FDA proposed a ban on it in 1977 when lab rats that were fed huge amounts contracted bladder cancer. The ban was never enacted, though, and the warning label was dropped in 2000.
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- It has zero calories.
- You can bake with it.
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- Since 1981, government reports list it as an "anticipated human carcinogen." Male smokers may be at risk of cancer if they consume large amounts.
- Few studies have been done regarding its effects on children, so they should consume it in small quantities or not at all.
- Pregnant women are advised to use saccharin sparingly.
|
| Aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal) |
- It's 180 to 200 times sweeter than regular sugar.
- 70 percent of all aspartame is used in sodas.
- The FDA has set the acceptable daily intake (ADI) at 50 mg per kilogram of body weight. That translates to about four (12-oz.) cans of diet soda per day
- In 1996, the FDA approved its use in foods and beverages.
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- One gram of aspartame contains 4 calories.
- It's approved for consumption by pregnant women, as long as they follow the FDA's guidelines.
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- You can't bake with it.
- Some people may have a sensitivity to aspartame and may experience headaches, dizziness, mood changes, or skin reactions after consuming it.
|
| Acesulfame-K (Sunette or Sweet One) |
- It's 200 times sweeter than regular sugar.
- The body can't break it down, so it's excreted from the body unchanged.
- It was approved by the FDA as a general-purpose sweetener in 2002.
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- It has zero calories.
- It doesn't increase the risk of cancer or affect blood-sugar levels.
- You can bake with it.
- It's approved for consumption by pregnant women.
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- It has a bitter taste on its own.
- The consumer group Center for Science in the Public Interest believes that studies on this sweetener were poorly done and that they didn't test its potential cancer-causing risks.
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| Stevia |
- Stevia extract is made from the stevia plant, which is native to South America. Stevia has been used in South America for centuries and in Japan for the past 30 years.
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- It has zero calories.
- It is naturally derived (although some argue that it is an artificial sweetener since commercially made stevia extract involves a refining process).
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- Since stevia is sold as a dietary supplement, the FDA does not regulate it.
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| Sorbitol, mannitol |
- These are sugar alcohols that occur naturally in fruits and are commercially made for use as sweeteners.
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- FDA has designated them as "Generally Recognized as Safe."
- They're absorbed slowly.
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Some parts of these aren't absorbed at all, so consuming them in large quantities may cause diarrhea. This laxative effect can happen if you consume more than 49 grams of sorbitol, or more than 19 grams of manitol.
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| Neotame |
- Neotame is a newer artificial sweetener that is chemically similar to aspartame.
- It was approved by the FDA in 2002.
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- It has zero calories.
- You can bake with it.
- It's approved for pregnant women.
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- Consumer groups contend that neotame may be as toxic (or more) as aspartame, since both sweeteners contain a compound that breaks down to methanol.
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Approved sugar substitutes have gone through extensive studies to get the OK from the FDA, and there have been no widespread claims of health issues regarding any of these sweeteners. Even so, knowing that one packet of real sugar contains only 11 calories, I think I'll stick to sugar. What about you?
— Additional reporting by Leta Shy
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