A sweetener is a catch-all term for any sugary-tasting substance that is added to foods and beverages for flavor enhancement. Sweeteners can be naturally or synthetically produced. Because many natural sweeteners, such as sugar cane and corn syrup, have been linked to various health conditions — such as obesity — alternative options or “sugar substitutes,” including non-nutritive and artificial sweeteners, have become common staples in the marketplace.
Comparison
While the terms “non-nutritive sweetener” and “artificial sweetener” are used interchangeably for common use, they are actually different products. A non-nutritive sweetener is a sweetener that has little to no calories and does not have nutritional value -- specifically no carbohydrates. An artificial sweetener is a sweetener that has been synthetically created, as opposed to naturally grown. All artificial sweeteners are non-nutritive sweeteners, however, not all non-nutritive sweeteners are artificially created.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration has approved six non-nutritive sweeteners as "generally recognized as safe," or GRAS. Five of these non-nutritive sweeteners are also artificial sweeteners, and include acesulfame-K, neotame, saccharin, aspartame and sucralose. However, while stevia is an FDA approved non-nutritive sweetener, it is not an artificial sweetener, but is naturally grown.
Stevia
Stevia is the common name for the sweetener that is derived from the leaves of plants that are classified in scientific genus Stevia. While there are more that 100 Stevia plant species, the species that is predominately used for the stevia sweetener is Stevia rebaudiana. Stevia rebaudiana is indigenous to Paraguay, however, it is cultivated in regions throughout the world including the United States, Mexico, Brazil and Central America.
Stevia is 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. Whole-leaf, stevia extracts have not been approved by the FDA, however, highly refined versions of stevia were approved for mass consumption in the U.S. in 2008. Some of the trade names for stevia include Sun Crystals, PureVia and Truvia.
Sucralose
Currently, sucralose is the only artificial sweetener derived from sugar. Surcralose is a chlorinated form of sucrose (trichlorogalactosucrose), and is more than 500 times sweeter than sugar. It was approved by the FDA in 1998, and is marketed under the brand name Splenda.
Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener made from the organic, amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Aspartame is 150 to 200 times sweeter than sugar. It was discovered in 1965, and approved by the FDA in 1981. Aspartame is sold under several trade names including Equal and NutraSweet.
Saccharin
Saccharin, also called Ortho-sulfobenzoic Acid Imide, is a compound derived from benzoin. Saccharin was discovered in 1879 and approved for use that same year. However, in 1977, based on new information, the FDA required that saccharin carry a warning label as a possible human carcinogen. This measure was terminated in 2000 after additional studies, and saccharin no longer bears that label. Saccharin is 300 times sweeter than sugar and is marketed under brand names such as Sweet Twin, Sweet 'N Low and Sugar Twin.
Neotame
Like Aspartame, Neotame is also made from aspartic acid and phenylalanine. However, unlike Aspartame, Neotame also contains an extra dimethylbutyaldehyde molecule, and is at least 7000 times sweeter than sugar. Neotame is sold under its current name and was approved by the FDA in 2002.
Acesulfame-K
Acesulfame-K is derived from a type of potassium salt. Acesulfame-K was discovered in 1967 and is 200 times sweeter than sugar. It was approved by the FDA in 1988 and is marketed under the trade names Sweet One and Sunett.
References
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Sweetener
- USDA: Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweetener Resources
- University of Nebraska Lincoln - Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources: “Sweeteners”; Georgia Jones
- International Food Information Council Foundation – Food Insight: “Stevia Sweeteners: Another Low-Calorie Option”; May 2009
- European Commission – Scientific Committee on Food: “Opinion on Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni plants and leaves”; June 1999
- Encyclopedia: Dictionary of Food and Nutrition; Sucralose; David Bender; 2005
- International Food Information Council Foundation – Food Insight: “Sucralose”; December 2009
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Aspartame
- International Food Information Council Foundation – Food Insight: “Aspartame”; August 2011
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Saccharin
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