Last Updated on May 4, 2024
The FDA has approved six artificial sweeteners for tabletop use: acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, neotame, and advantame. These sweeteners are known better as Sweet N’ Low, Nutrasweet, Equal, Sweet One, Splenda, among others. Many companies use these sweeteners in diet sodas, cookies, candies, and much more.
These alternatives are an enticing option for diabetics because they have zero calories and zero carbohydrates, but some diabetics are scared to use them because of information they have heard or read about involving health complications. Over the past several decades there have been countless articles saying that certain artificial sweeteners have caused cancer, kidney disease, and much more.
Acesulfame Potassium
Sold under familiar brand names like Sunett and Sweet One. This sugar alternative is used in over 8,000 different food products around the world. Most commonly used in gum, syrups, frozen desserts, and sauces. While a vast majority of studies using the sweetener show it to be safe, some research states that a large amount of acesulfame potassium (also called acesulfame-K) has caused nausea, headaches, liver or kidney problems, and mood problems.
Aspartame
Aspartame is one of the most popular sweeteners, sold as NutraSweet and Equal. Aspartame was discovered as a sweetener in 1965 and was approved for food use in the 1980s. After digestion, aspartame is broken down into two amino acids, and methanol. These amino acids are essential acids that the body needs, but can be harmful to people with phenylketonuria.
Saccharin
Saccharin is one of the most well-known and oldest artificial sweeteners. The sweetener was created in 1879 and is popularly sold as Sweet N’ Low. It is used in most diet sodas and other diet foods. It’s also commonly used in packets to sweeten coffee or iced tea.
Saccharin can also be bought in bulk quantities to use in cooking. Many recipes have conversion information if you plan on replacing sugar with saccharin. For a cup of sugar, you can use 2 tbsps. of liquid saccharin or 24 packets of saccharin, but most companies don’t recommend replacing more than a half of a cup of sugar with any artificial sweetener.
Sucralose
Sold as Splenda, sucralose is often used to replace sugar in baking recipes. With granulated Splenda, most recipes can use a one-to-one ration. You can buy Splenda in the packs to add to your coffee or tea, or you can buy it in large quantities to use when baking.
The American Diabetes Association has accepted Splenda and other sucralose sweeteners as safe alternatives to sugar, but because it’s relatively new to the market, there are fewer long-term studies done on the health effects of sucralose. The FDA has approved sucralose for use in the Untied States, but one study from St. Louis could negatively affect how the body metabolizes sugar.
Neotame
Neotame is one of the newer sweeteners to be approved for use in the United States but isn’t as popular as it’s alternative sugar competitors. Neotame is around 8,000 times sweeter than regular sugar and is very similar to aspartame.
While the FDA has approved it, some research argues that the sweetener is not as safe for frequent use. Neotame is recommended to be used in organic food, but it could be causing neurotoxic and immunotoxic damage. These are the same concerns that have been found in aspartame.
Stevia
Stevia is beginning to look like the “golden child” of the sugar substitutes. The sweetener comes from a stevia plant that is in the same plant family as daisies and ragweed, and it native to parts of South America. With zero carbs, no calories, and around 300 times sweeter than sugar, the stevia plant is perfect for sweetening up certain dishes.
Currently, there is no evidence that stevia has any harmful effects on the body. Quite the opposite, in most cases stevia has several health benefits on those adding it to coffee, desserts, and tea. Some small study research has shown that stevia can lower blood pressure, act as an anti-inflammatory, and a diuretic.
Artificial sweeteners/sugar substitutes
Each artificial sweetener is different, with different flavors and reactions. Depending on if you are baking, cooking, or adding it to drink, each one works better for different situations. Each one is great for keeping your glucose levels down, but still be aware of eating sweets in moderation.
