Eating too much sugar has proven to cause weight gain, cavities and problems for people with diabetes. For these reasons, artificial sweeteners, which are typically sweeter than sugar, have flooded the market. However, there are controversies surrounding all of the substitute sweeteners, so consumers need to be aware of the potential side effects of whatever they choose to use. The FDA has approved some of the artificial sweeteners, with an acceptable daily intake--the maximum amount that is safe for consumption per day.
Saccharin
Discovered by Ira Remsen and Constantin Fahlberg in 1879, at Johns Hopkins University, saccharin was the first artificial sweetener on the market. Saccharin is approximately three hundred times sweeter than regular table sugar and it has a bitter aftertaste. Saccharin is stable at high temperatures. According to WomentoWomen.com, research indicates that in high doses, saccharin has carcinogenic effects in humans. Two brands of saccharin are Sweet'N Low and Sugar Twin.
Sucralose
The artificial sweetener sucralose, which is six hundred times sweeter than table sugar, was discovered in 1976. This product is made from sugar with an altered molecular structure. It can be used in a wide range of food products because it is stable at high temperatures. When used in excess, this product may cause intestinal cramping and headaches, according to WomentoWomen.com. Sucralose can be purchased under the brand name Splenda.
Aspartame
A no-calorie sweetener, aspartame was discovered in 1965, but it wasn't on the market until the 1980s. This product is two hundred times sweeter than table sugar. It is stable at room temperatures or frozen, but it breaks down at higher temperatures. According to WomentoWomen.com, aspartame may cause headaches, dizziness, skin rashes and intestinal discomfort. Aspartame is marketed under the brands of NutraSweet and Equal.
Stevia
Stevia comes from a plant named Stevia rebaudiana bertoni. This plant with a sweet leaf has been used by natives in Paraguay and Brazil for hundreds of years. The product is made from extracting the sweetness from the leaves of the plant. The active sweetening agent in stevia may have laxative effects in some people. It is approximately two hundred fifty times sweeter than table sugar.
Member Comments