Sugar substitutes are ingredients in many foods and drinks. They are used to lower the calorie and sugar content of foods while still providing sweetness. There are six sugar substitutes approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as safe for consumption in the United States.
FDA Approval Process
The FDA evaluates and regulates sugar substitutes based on how they are made, how much will be used on average, whether certain populations are at risk, and whether the substance may cause cancer or is toxic. If a product passes the FDA evaluation process, then it is approved for general use.
Approved Sugar Substitutes
The FDA has approved the sugar substitutes Acesulfame-K, aspartame, Neotame, saccharin, stevia and sucralose as safe for use by the general public. Most people know them better as pink, blue or yellow packets of sweetener. These substitutes are very low in calories, but are 160 to 8,000 times sweeter than sugar. Some can be used in cooking, as well.
Safety
Only FDA-approved sugar substitutes can be added to foods and drinks, which means that products that use sugar substitutes and are sold in the U.S. are safe for consumption. The National Cancer Institute has reviewed many studies about sugar substitutes and cancer, and found that there is no link between using sugar substitutes and cancer. The American Dietetic Association also recognizes that sugar substitutes can be used safely.
Adequate Daily Intake
The FDA has set the Adequate Daily Intake (ADI) for aspartame at 50 mg per kg of body weight (BW), sucralose at 5 mg per kg of BW, saccharin at 5 mg per kg of BW and Acelsufame-K at 15 mg per kg BW, according to the Mayo Clinic. The ADI is 100 times less than the smallest amount of an additive thought to cause health problems.
Caution
Although these sugar substitutes are approved to be safe for the general public, individuals with the disease phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot safely consume aspartame. PKU is a rare, genetic disorder usually diagnosed at birth.
References
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Position of the American Dietetic Association: Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweeteners; February 2004
- Mayo Clinic: Artificial Sweeteners: A Safe Alternative to Sugar?
- National Cancer Institute: Artificial Sweeteners and Cancer
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