What are low-calorie sweeteners?
Low-calorie sweeteners (also referred to as alternative sweeteners, non-nutritive sweeteners, intense sweeteners, or sugar substitutes) are used in foods and beverages instead of sugar (sucrose) to provide sweetness without adding a significant amount of calories.

Most people tend to think that all low-calorie sweeteners are artificial. But in fact, many are natural and come from a plant or fruit. There is a difference in taste when it comes to sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners are single molecules and have a simple, clean sweet taste.  Sweeteners from a natural source tend to have a complex taste because they are developed from more than one component of the plant. 

Common examples of low-calorie sweeteners include:

  • Aspartame
  • Saccharin
  • Sucralose
  • Acesulfame Potassium (Ace K)
  • Stevia
  • Monk Fruit

Low-calorie sweeteners have been around for over 100 years. Consumers can be reassured that sweeteners have been thoroughly tested and regulated by the Food and Drug Administration for safety.  Low-calorie sweeteners are approved in many countries for use in foods and beverages.

How are Low-calorie sweeteners used?
Low-calorie 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.

Low-calorie sweeteners are also popular for home use. Some can even be used in baking or cooking. It’s important to note that certain recipes may need modification because unlike sugar, low-calorie sweeteners don’t provide bulk or volume.  

What are the benefits of low-calorie sweeteners?
Low-calorie sweeteners provide a taste similar to that of table sugar (sucrose), but are sweeter than sugar.  Because of the high sweetening power, the main benefit of low-calorie sweeteners is that they reduce and/or eliminate the amount of sugar used in food or beverages, therefore reducing the amount of calories.  In the midst of the current obesity epidemic, food and beverage companies and consumers are looking for simple ways to reduce calories, and using low-calorie sweeteners in some products is one way to manage caloric intake.

Low-calorie sweeteners also provide people with diabetes the opportunity to enjoy foods and beverages without sacrificing taste. Unlike sugar, low-calorie sweeteners are not carbohydrates and generally don't raise blood sugar levels. Low-calorie sweeteners also allow people to indulge their sweet tooth while avoiding cavities.

Source:

  • IFT Member, Ihab Bishay, PhD, Senior Director, Business Development/Application Innovation at Ajinomoto North America, Inc.

More Food Facts

What is CRISPR?

CRISPR is a defining feature of the bacterial genetic code and its immune system, functioning as a defense system that bacteria use to protect themselves against attacks from viruses. The acronym “CRISPR” stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats.

Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering, and “GMOs:” Why all the Controversy?

Biotechnology, and the newer methods of genetic modification—genetic engineering and recombinant (r) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) techniques and technologies can be very useful in pursuing important improvements in food production and the food supply and doing so much more readily and effectively than previously possible.

The Potential of Blockchain Technology Application in the Food System

The popularity of Bitcoin and other blockchain technologies reached new heights in 2017. Bitcoin is the most prominent in a new type of currency, called cryptocurrency, where transactions are made without an established intermediary (i.e. banks).

More from IFT right arrow

Can We Future-Proof the Food System?

IFT President Chris Downs reflects on megatrends identified by CSIRO and the 2023 IFT FIRST programming.

Alt-Proteins: A Promising Future

This column explores the sustainability and economic aspects of producing and processing alternative protein products, whether plant-based, algal, cellular, or insect.

The Light Fantastic

Emerging ultraviolet light technologies will advance food safety from field to fork, says novel processing research scientist Tatiana Koutchma.

Kudos to the IFT Division Competition Winners

The 2022 IFT Division Oral Competitions drew hundreds of research paper submissions.

The Science Behind the Pucker

Formulators of plant-based foods want their products to taste less astringent. So an engineer, a food scientist, and an oral biologist are teaming up to solve the problem.

IFTNEXT

Episode 33: Global Food System Challenge Growth Grant Winners

Join us to celebrate the Global Food System Challenge Growth Grant Winners. Representatives from Food Systems for the Future (FSF Institute), iDE Global, and the African Center for Technology Studies discuss their work and the role that the generous funding from Seeding The Future Foundation plays in helping to make healthier diets more accessible and empowers consumers to make choices benefitting both personal and planetary health.

Episode 32: Global Food System Challenge Grand Prize Winners

Join us to celebrate the Global Food System Challenge Grand Prize Winners. Representatives from the International Rice Research Institute, Solar Freeze, and WorldFish discuss their work and the role that the generous funding from Seeding The Future Foundation plays in helping to make healthier diets more accessible and empowers consumers to make choices benefitting both personal and planetary health.