You can have diabetes and still feed your sweet tooth in moderation. The best sugar substitutes add sweetness to foods and beverages without affecting your blood sugar or your waistline, according to the American Dietetic Association. Your best alternatives to sugar are those that are stable in different food environments and that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved as safe for human consumption.
Acesulfame Potassium
Acesulfame potassium is about 200 times sweeter than table sugar. Heat does not affect this sweetener, making it stable for cooking and baking. Since the body excretes 95 percent of acesulfame potassium unchanged, the sweetener does not affect blood sugar, potassium levels or caloric intake. As reported by the International Food Information Council, the FDA approved acesulfame potassium in 1988. The FDA has established an acceptable daily intake for acesulfame potassium of 15 mg per kg of body weight. According to the IFIC, a 150-pound person has to drink about two gallons of acesulfame potassium-sweetened beverage daily to reach this limit.
Sucralose
Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar, yet it meets the FDA’s requirements for a no-calorie sweetener. Since humans and oral bacteria do not metabolize sucralose, it does not affect blood sugar, weight or dental health. In baking, sucralose replaces or is combined with sugar to reduce calorie and carbohydrate content. The FDA approved sucralose for widespread use in 1998 and has reviewed more than 100 human studies on this sugar alternative to determine its safety. The IFIC maintains that over a lifetime Americans consume less than 20 percent of the 5 mg per kg acceptable daily intake for sucralose.
Stevia
In 2008 the FDA approved two purified components of the stevia plant for use as sugar substitutes in diet sodas, energy drinks, candies and other foods and beverages. Rebaudioside A and stevioside are up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. According to the American Dietetic Association, the World Health Organization's Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives concluded that these ingredients are safe for human consumption and set the acceptable daily intake for steviol at 4 mg per kg.
Neotame
The most intense of the FDA-approved sweeteners, neotame is up to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar. It is marketed as the sweetener without a bitter aftertaste, and is heat-stable for cooking and baking. In 2003 the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives confirmed the safety of neotame and set the acceptable daily intake at 2 mg per kg of body weight.
Polyols
Polyols, or sugar alcohols, are about half as sweet as sugar with half the calories. The FDA allows the term “sugar-free” on foods that contain polyols because they replace sugar, but they are not non-nutritive sweeteners. Since humans partially absorb polyols, these sweeteners have a minimal effect on blood sugar. They also provide food for the intestinal bacteria that help regulate digestion and immune function. Look for sorbitol, mannitol or xylitol in foods like candy, gum, jam and baked goods. Note the warning label: “Excess consumption may have a laxative effect.” The American Dietetic Association advises limiting your intake of these products to 20 calories per serving.
References
- American Dietetic Association: Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweeteners
- International Food Information Council Foundation: Acesulfame Potassium
- International Food Information Council Foundation: Sucralose
- American Dietetic Association: ADA Hot Topic: Stevia
- WHO Food Additives Series: Safety Evaluation of Certain Food Additives
