ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Acesulfame K
Ace-K
Sweet One®
Sunett®

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener¹Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Artificial Sweetener²Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes that are created from chemicals in a lab. Although they’re not technically “sugar”, their molecular structures are close enough to mimic natural sugar and bind to and activate the same taste receptors on the tongue that register the sensation of sweetness. The only difference is that these synthetic compounds don’t bind to the same sites as natural sugar, which results in differences in the perception of sweetness. For the most part, artificial sweeteners are considered safe and whatever fears there are about them with regard to weight gain, heart health, stroke, and cancer are based on animal studies and individuals who consume amounts that are well beyond the acceptable daily intake.
High-Intensity Sweetener³High-intensity sweeteners are many times more potent than sucrose, or regular table sugar.

BACKGROUND
Acesulfame potassium is made through the chemical synthesis of acetoacetic acid, sulfur, nitrogen, and potassium.

CHARACTERISTICS
Acesulfame potassium is a white crystalline powder that’s heat stable, which means that it retains its sweetness and structural integrity when used at high temperatures, thus making it suitable for cooking and baking applications. Acesulfame potassium also has a metallic aftertaste when used alone to sweeten foods and beverages, so it’s often combined with other artificial sweeteners like sucralose or aspartame to mask the lingering flavor it can have on its own. Apart from basically adding sweetness, acesulfame potassium does nothing else to change the quality of foods and beverages.

POTENCY
200 times sweeter than table sugar.

CALORIES
0 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
0

METABOLISM
When ingested, acesulfame potassium is absorbed into the bloodstream from the gut then passes through to the kidneys to be filtered out and eliminated in urine. Because acesulfame potassium is unchanged and not metabolized into anything, it provides no energy, or calories. Towards that end, because acesulfame potassium also passes through the body without getting broken down or converted into glucose, it doesn’t cause an immediate or gradual spike in blood sugar levels.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
15 mg/kg of body weight

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Barbeque Sauce
• Chili Sauce
• Canned Fruit
• Breath Mints
• Chewing Gum
• Soda
• Confectionery
• Fruit Spreads
• Salad Dressing
• Frozen Dairy Desserts
• Frozen Yogurt
• Sherbet
• Baked Goods
• Fillings
• Filling Mixes
• Toppings
• Energy Drinks
• Protein Bars
• Condiments
• Fruit Juice
• Jams
• Jellies
• Marmalades
• Flavored Milk
• Yogurt

STATUS
Acesulfame potassium has been tested and approved as a general-purpose sweetener and flavor enhancer by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1988. However, it’s not approved for meat and poultry.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
None

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener⁴Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Artificial Sweetener⁵Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes that are created from chemicals in a lab. Although they’re not technically “sugar”, their molecular structures are close enough to mimic natural sugar and bind to and activate the same taste receptors on the tongue that register the sensation of sweetness. The only difference is that these synthetic compounds don’t bind to the same sites as natural sugar, which results in differences in the perception of sweetness. For the most part, artificial sweeteners are considered safe and whatever fears there are about them with regard to weight gain, heart health, stroke, and cancer are based on animal studies and individuals who consume amounts that are well beyond the acceptable daily intake.
High-Intensity Sweetener⁶High-intensity sweeteners are many times more potent than sucrose, or regular table sugar.

BACKGROUND
Vanillin is the compound that’s the major flavor and aroma component of the vanilla bean. Because extracting vanillin is expensive, it’s typically synthesized. Advantame is derived from that artificial substance and aspartame, which is another lab-created sweetener.

CHARACTERISTICS
Adavantame is a white to yellow powder that’s incredibly sweet and because of that high level of potency, only a small amount is needed. Advantame is also able to retain its sweetness and structural integrity when used at high temperatures because it’s heat stable. As such, advantame is suitable for cooking and baking applications. Apart from basically adding sweetness, advantame does nothing else to change the quality of foods and beverages.

POTENCY
20,000 to 37,000 times sweeter than table sugar.

CALORIES
0 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
0

METABOLISM
Once advantame is consumed, it’s immediately hydrolysed into advantame acid and only a small percentage of it is absorbed into the bloodstream to further break down into trace metabolites while close to 90 percent of the remaining advantame ends up getting excreted in feces and urine. Advantame clearly doesn’t metabolize on the glucose pathway, so it doesn’t have an effect on blood sugar levels. The artificial sweetener is also poorly absorbed, which contributes to its caloric value being zero, as does the fact that advantame is so sweet that it’s used in too tiny of an amount to effectively have an impact on calorie intake, as well as blood sugar levels if there were an effect to be had.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
32.8 mg/kg of body weight

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Breakfast Cereals
• Nut Butters
• Fruit Spreads
• Table Syrups
• Purées
• Breath Mints
• Chewing Gum
• Broths
• Soup Mixes
• Soups
• Gelatin
• Pudding
• Fillings
• Filling Mixes
• Toppings
• Jams
• Jellies
• Fruit Juice
• Confectionery
• Frosting
• Marinades
• Baked Goods
• Condiments
• Sauces
• Tea Beverages
• Coffee Beverages
• Salad Dressing
• Yogurt

STATUS
Advantame has been tested and approved as a general-purpose sweetener and flavor enhancer by the FDA since 2014. However, it’s not approved for meat and poultry.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
D-Allulose
D-Psicose
Psicose
Pseudo-Fructose

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener⁷Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Rare Sugar⁸Rare sugars are saccharides found in nature with far less frequency than most other sugars and are named “rare sugars” in reflection of that fact.

BACKGROUND
Allulose is naturally present in dried figs, raisins, kiwis, jackfruit, molasses, maple syrup, and a few other items. The amount that allulose is found in those foods is so miniscule, however, that it’s not economically feasible or environmentally sustainable to extract the sugar from them. Instead, allulose has to be manufactured. It’s usually done so by starting with the hydrolysis of corn starch into glucose. That’s followed next by different enzymes turning the glucose into fructose and then another enzymatic process shifting a fructose atom and changing its molecular structure, which is a reconfiguration that results in the formation of allulose.

CHARACTERISTICS
Allulose can be processed into a syrup or white crystalline powder. Either way, aside from failing to impart the same level of sweetness, allulose mimics virtually everything about table sugar in its solubility, moisture retention, high melting point, and ability to brown and caramelize, among other properties that improve the quality of edible and drinkable products.

POTENCY
70 percent as sweet as table sugar.

CALORIES
0.4 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
0

METABOLISM
Allulose has a similar structure to regular sugar but there’s a subtle change that’s made to its molecular arrangement in order to produce it. That change doesn’t interfere with the body’s ability to register a sweet flavor from allulose, nor is the variation significant enough for the sugar to have its own unique functional properties. The alteration from fructose to allulose, however, does have an effect on bioavailability. On that note, the configuration of allulose prevents the digestive enzymes from processing the compound as energy despite it being a sugar. As such, while 75 percent of consumed allulose gets absorbed, it’s all filtered through the kidneys and excreted in the urine almost completely unchanged. The remaining quarter passes to the large intestine and is broken down by the limited number of gut bacteria that can ferment allulose while the bulk is left unchanged and eliminated in the feces.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A⁹Allulose doesn’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when its consumption becomes toxic. Nevertheless, there is a general recommendation of limiting allulose to 0.9 g/kg per day, as exceeding that amount increases the likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal side effects.

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Chewing Gum
• Baked Goods
• Fillings
• Frostings
• Candy
• Gelatin
• Pudding
• Frozen Dairy Desserts
• Frozen Yogurt
• Sherbet
• Yogurt
• Jams
• Jellies
• Salad Dressing
• Soda
• Electrolyte Mixes

STATUS
Chemicals, substances, and ingredients that are intentionally added to foods and beverages as an additive are given the designation of “Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)” when they’ve adequately demonstrated that they’re not harmful to human health. Allulose has that FDA classification.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Equal®
Nutrasweet®
Sugar Twin®
Candere®

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener¹⁰Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Artificial Sweetener¹¹Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes that are created from chemicals in a lab. Although they’re not technically “sugar”, their molecular structures are close enough to mimic natural sugar and bind to and activate the same taste receptors on the tongue that register the sensation of sweetness. The only difference is that these synthetic compounds don’t bind to the same sites as natural sugar, which results in differences in the perception of sweetness. For the most part, artificial sweeteners are considered safe and whatever fears there are about them with regard to weight gain, heart health, stroke, and cancer are based on animal studies and individuals who consume amounts that are well beyond the acceptable daily intake.
High-Intensity Sweetener¹²High-intensity sweeteners are many times more potent than sucrose, or regular table sugar.

BACKGROUND
Aspartic acid and phenylalanine are two naturally-occurring amino acids, with the human body producing the former and a variety of protein-rich foods containing both. The fusing together of those amino acids by industrial means is what forms aspartame, in addition to a small amount of methanol.¹³Some individuals have phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic disorder in which a dangerous buildup of phenylalanine occurs in the body because they lack the enzyme to properly metabolize the amino acid. Because people with that condition are advised to avoid or restrict aspartame, foods and beverages containing the sweetener are required to carry a “PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE” warning label.

CHARACTERISTICS
Aspartame can be granular or present as a white crystalline powder that’s not resistant to heat. That being the case that aspartame loses its sweetness and structural integrity at high temperatures, it’s not suitable for baking and cooking applications. Aspartame also degrades and loses its sweetness in liquids, so drinks containing it have a limited shelf life before the sweetener breaks down into its constituent parts. Apart from basically adding sweetness, aspartame does nothing else to change the quality of foods and beverages.

POTENCY
180 to 200 times sweeter than table sugar.

CALORIES
4 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
0

METABOLISM
Aspartame is largely a dipeptide of aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Consequently, because aspartic acid and phenylalanine are amino acids, aspartame is treated like a standard dietary protein and is broken down and metabolized in roughly the same way. As such, aspartame doesn’t have an effect on raising blood sugar levels. Also, with it being the case that aspartame is metabolized like protein, it can also provide the body with the typical amount of calories per gram. However, aspartame doesn’t yield that amount upon digestion because only a microscopic amount is needed to sweeten a food or beverage given the sugar substitute’s greater level of potency over table sugar.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
50 mg/kg of body weight

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Breakfast Cereals
• Nut Butters
• Breath Mints
• Chewing Gum
• Baked Goods
• Condiments
• Fruit Spreads
• Purées
• Sauces
• Table Syrups
• Confectionery
• Salad Dressing
• Canned Fruit
• Yogurt
• Instant Coffee
• Gelatin
• Pudding
• Fillings
• Filling Mixes
• Toppings
• Jams
• Jellies
• Cocoa Products
• Soda
• Powdered Drink Mixes

STATUS
In 1974, the FDA first issued a regulation allowing aspartame’s limited use in certain products but it wasn’t until 1996 that it was approved as a general-purpose sweetener for use in all products, including meat and poultry.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Mellia®
Ultratia®

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener¹⁴Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Protein Sweetener¹⁵Long, complex chains of amino acids that deliver a sugar-like sweetness make up a small group of sweetening agents referred to as protein sweeteners.
High-Intensity Sweetener¹⁶High-intensity sweeteners are many times more potent than sucrose, or regular table sugar.

BACKGROUND
Native to West Africa is an evergreen shrub known as Pentadiplandra brazzeana. That plant, which is also known as oubli, produces large berries that contain a compound called brazzein. What’s of particular note about brazzein is that the string of 54 amino acids that comprise it are what give oubli fruit its exceptionally sweet taste because the molecular structure that the protein is arranged in mimics the shape of natural sugar enough for it to bind to and activate the taste receptors that signal sweetness.

While brazzein can be extracted from the berries to employ its use as a sweetener, doing so for industrial quantities would be prohibitively expensive and destructive to the environment. So currently, commercial brazzein is produced by inserting the genetic sequence of brazzein into the DNA of yeast and then placing the bioengineered microorganisms into fermentation tanks, where they’re fed simple sugars and excrete pure brazzein as waste products. Another method likewise involves the genetic sequence of brazzein but it’s instead inserted into crops of corn or wheat so brazzein can be produced directly within the plants as they grow and then get extracted through ordinary milling and processing of grain seeds and kernels.

CHARACTERISTICS
After commercial production, brazzein appears as a white or offwhite powder that tastes similar to sucrose but has a slightly delayed onset of sweetness. Also, the finish lingers on the palate but there is no offensive aftertaste. Further, brazzein has the ability to improve taste quality by masking bitterness and suppressing offnotes, which helps it pair well with sweeteners that are more pleasing to the mouth when they’re blended with others. Another advantage of brazzein is that it can be used in a variety of food and beverage formulations through an assortment of preparation methods because of its high solubility and structural integrity that allows it to maintain its sweetness under high heat and across a broad pH range.

POTENCY
500 to 2,000 times sweeter than table sugar.

CALORIES
4 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
0

METABOLISM
Brazzein binds to and activates the taste receptors that signal the sweetness of sugar but the compound is a protein and the body breaks it down like one. So when brazzein is ingested, it follows the same metabolic pathway as any other protein. Consequently, brazzein doesn’t directly spike blood glucose levels and lead to an insulin response. Also, with it being the case that brazzein is digested like a typical protein, it can also provide the body with the typical amount of calories per gram. However, brazzein essentially delivers zero calories upon digestion because only a fractional amount is needed to sweeten a food or beverage given its greater level of potency over table sugar.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A¹⁷Brazzein doesn’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when its consumption becomes toxic. Neither is there a general recommendation for the amount you should consume in a day to avoid stomach discomfort because brazzein is fully digested in the intestines.

APPLICATIONS
• Baked Goods
• Chocolate
• Ice Cream
• Yogurt
• Flavored Milk
• Flavored Water
• Soda
• Sports Drinks
• Tea

STATUS
The chemicals, substances, and ingredients that are intentionally added to foods and beverages as an additive aren’t officially “approved” by the FDA because the regulatory body doesn’t test them itselves. What actually happens is that manufacturers submit a notification for GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status with their own research. If the provided evidence is sufficient along with other information that the FDA has available to it, then the agency issues a “no questions” response letter that basically acknowledges that there are no objections with the determination of safety for the petitioned item under its proposed conditions of use. The first “no questions” letter confirming GRAS status to commercially fermented brazzein was issued in 2024.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Zerose®

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener¹⁸Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Sugar Alcohol¹⁹Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates that have a chemical structure consisting of both a sugar molecule and alcohol molecule. Also known as polyols, sugar alcohols may be synthetically manufactured or processed from natural sources.

BACKGROUND
Erythritol occurs in foods like grapes, pears, and watermelons, as well as fermented products like cheese, beer, wine, and sake. The quantity found in nature, however, is too small for extraction for large-scale commercial use. Resultingly, the hybrid sugar and alcohol molecule is manufactured through a process that involves allowing yeast or yeast-like fungi to ferment corn starch.

CHARACTERISTICS
Erythritol has almost the same appearance and texture of table sugar. Erythritol also approximates the taste but creates a cooling sensation in the mouth from the crystals dissolving and absorbing heat from the saliva and surrounding tissue, which causes a temporary drop in temperature. Once swallowed, it doesn’t leave a notable aftertaste. Additionally, erythritol is heat stable, so it can resist browning, caramelizing, or breaking down and losing its structure or sweetness during certain cooking and baking processes.

POTENCY
70 percent as sweet as table sugar.

CALORIES
~0.2 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
0

METABOLISM
Roughly 90 percent of erythritol that’s consumed is absorbed into the bloodstream. However, because the human body lacks the enzymes to fully digest and convert this form of carbohydrate into energy, nearly all of the absorbed erythritol is filtered by the kidneys and excreted unchanged in the urine. The remaining 10 percent of unabsorbed erythritol travels to the large intestine and doesn’t undergo much, if any, fermentation in the gut, which results in less gastrointestinal distress and better tolerance compared to other sugar alcohols.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A²⁰Erythritol doesn’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when its consumption becomes toxic. Nevertheless, there is a general recommendation of 10 to 15 grams per day for all sugar alcohols, as exceeding that amount increases the likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal effects that include gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea as a byproduct of gut fermentation.

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Breakfast Cereals
• Fillings
• Pudding
• Food Thickeners
• Smoothies
• Yogurt
• Candy
• Meal Replacements
• Toppings
• Syrups
• Baked Goods
• Fruit Spreads
• Frozen Dairy Desserts
• Frozen Yogurt
• Sherbet
• Ice Cream
• Energy Drinks

STATUS
Erythritol falls under the FDA’s “generally recognized as safe” designation, which is an approval extended to chemicals, substances, and ingredients for their intentional use in foods and beverages as an additive when it’s been adequately demonstrated to qualified experts that they’re not harmful to human health.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
FOS
Short-Chain Fructooligosaccharides
SC-FOS
Oligofructose
Oligosaccharide Fructans
Oligofructans
Fructose Oligomers
Glycofructans
Neosugar®
NutraFlora®
Raftilos®
Meioligo®

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener²¹Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Natural Sweetener²²Natural sweeteners share the benefits of artificial sweeteners but originate in nature and typically undergo minimal processing.
Fiber Sweetener²³Fiber sweeteners are exactly what their name suggests, that being sweetening agents with the characteristics of sugar and dietary fiber. For this reason, they’re alternatively known as sugar fibers.

BACKGROUND
Fructans are chains of fructose molecules that link to a glucose molecule at their terminal end. Short chains of fructan that are 2 to 10 units in length are categorized as fructooligosaccharides and longer chains are grouped as inulin. Inulin is rich in chicory root and it’s typically extracted from that source then undergoes enzymatic hydrolysis that converts it into short-chain fructooligosaccharides. That’s one common way that fructooligosaccharides are industrially produced. Another is by extracting sucrose from sugar cane or sugar beets and using enzymes to synthesize fructooligosaccharides directly from the sugar. Nevertheless, regardless of the source and production method, the molecular structure and properties of the fructooligosaccharides are the same.

CHARACTERISTICS
Fructooligosaccharides can have the physical appearance of a white powder or viscous liquid. Regardless of the form, however, the taste is mild and clean and there isn’t a bitter, metallic, or chemical finish left after swallowing. Additionally, both provide bulk and texture similar to sugar and are heat stable but they vary slightly in their solubility and moisture-retention properties, which affects the applications they’re best for.

POTENCY
30 to 50 percent as sweet as table sugar.

CALORIES
2 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
20

METABOLISM
Glucose is the primary fuel for the body and when it’s consumed, it bypasses digestion and instead gets absorbed straight into the bloodstream. From there, glucose travels throughout the body and insulin is released to signal the cells to absorb the sugar and burn it to create energy. The process is different with disaccharides, as well as with the other monosaccharides. In that instance, sugar that’s not already in the form of glucose gets chemically broken down in the small intestine first and the constituent units are then absorbed into the bloodstream. Next, the isolated glucose gets transported to the cells for immediate energy and sugars like fructose and galactose are transported to the liver for conversion into glucose.

The way that sugar is metabolized has an effect on blood glucose and insulin levels, whether that be immediate or gradual as sugar is converted to glucose that the body can utilize for its needs. Fructooligosaccharides should be expected to have the same impact because they’re carbohydrates consisting of short chains of fructose molecules that may sometimes be combined with one glucose molecule. That, however, isn’t the case. As it turns out, fructooligosaccharides provide the sweetness of sugar but behave like fiber, as they pass through the small intestine without getting catalyzed into absorbable molecules. Instead, they arrive relatively intact in the colon. Once there, the bacteria that populate the gut feed on the unchanged fructooligosaccharides and produce short-chain fatty acids that are metabolized and yield a smattering of calories.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A²⁴Fructooligosaccharides don’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when their consumption becomes toxic. Nevertheless, there is a general recommendation not to exceed 20 grams per day, as going over that amount increases the likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal effects that include gas, bloating, and diarrhea as a byproduct of gut fermentation.

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Baked Goods
• Breakfast Cereals
• Confectionery
• Yogurt
• Probiotic Drinks
• Ice Cream
• Salad Dressing
• Protein Bars
• Protein Powder
• Powdered Drink Mixes
• Sports Drinks
• Smoothies
• Functional Juices
• Coffee
• Tea

STATUS
The chemicals, substances, and ingredients that are intentionally added to foods and beverages as an additive aren’t officially “approved” by the FDA because the regulatory body doesn’t test them itselves. What actually happens is that manufacturers submit a notification for GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status with their own research. If the provided evidence is sufficient along with other information that the FDA has available to it, then the agency issues a “no questions” response letter that basically acknowledges that there are no objections with the determination of safety for the petitioned item under its proposed conditions of use. Several GRAS notifications have been sent for the evaluation of different uses of fructooligosaccharides and the FDA has issued “no questions” letters confirming GRAS status to fructooligosaccharides under the conditions of the separate petitions, one of which is as a sweetener.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Polyglycitol Syrup
Hydrogenated Glucose Syrup
Hydrogenated Sorbitol Syrup
Hydrogenated Maltitol Syrup
Sorbitol Syrup
Maltitol Syrup
LYCASIN®

TYPE
Nutritive Sweetener²⁵Nutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that contain calories. And because the nutritional energy they provide is usually but not always in the form of carbohydrates that may or may not prompt an insulin response, they can have an effect on blood sugar regulation. Additionally, nutritive sweeteners contribute functional properties to foods and beverages instead of simply adding sweetness like nonnutritive sweeteners.
Sugar Alcohol²⁶Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates that have a chemical structure consisting of both a sugar molecule and alcohol molecule. Also known as polyols, sugar alcohols may be synthetically manufactured or processed from natural sources.

BACKGROUND
The hydrolysis of starch with water and a catalyst, such as an enzyme or acid, breaks down the complex carbohydrate into smaller glucose molecules. Partial hydrolysis is when hydrolysis is stopped before its completion, which can yield long chains of linked glucose units that are known as dextrins. When dextrin is hydrogenated at high temperature under pressure, it converts into a mixture of several different sugar alcohols. Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates is the name for that mixture that typically consists of sorbitol, maltitol, and other hydrogenated saccharides with short or long chains of three to ten bonded units or more.²⁷When a polyol makes up at least 50 percent of the mix, then the general term “hydrogenated starch hydrolysates” can be replaced by the common chemical name of the dominant sugar alcohol. For example, solutions containing sorbitol as the principal sugar alcohol can be labeled as “hydrogenated sorbitol syrup” or “sorbitol syrup”.

CHARACTERISTICS
Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates are suspended in a thick, concentrated solution. As far as any other details, those can vary depending on the specific mix of polyols and their concentration in the final product. For the most part, however, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates are characterized as blending well with flavors and other sweeteners and having the ability to retain moisture to help stop certain products from drying out, in addition to preventing crystallization for the achievement and maintenance of a smooth texture and consistency.

POTENCY
40 to 90 percent as sweet as table sugar.

CALORIES
3 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
25 to 50 depending on the specific formulation.

METABOLISM
The composition can vary widely given the vast array of combinations that can be created but as a whole, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates provide fewer calories and have a lower glycemic effect than table sugar because only about one-third of the mixture of polyols that enters the body is absorbed and the breakdown into energy and uptake by the cells is exceedingly slow. The greater proportion of hydrogenated starch hydrolysates that are unabsorbed transition to the bowels and undergo fermentation that produces short-chain fatty acids that are absorbed into the bloodstream and metabolized into additional energy.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A²⁸Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates don’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when their consumption becomes toxic. Nevertheless, there is a general recommendation of 10 to 15 grams per day for all sugar alcohols, as exceeding that amount increases the likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal effects that include gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea as a byproduct of gut fermentation.

APPLICATIONS
• Candy
• Chocolate
• Chewing Gum
• Breath Mints
• Baked Goods
• Icings
• Frozen Desserts

STATUS
The FDA has classified hydrogenated starch hydrolysates with the “generally recognized as safe” designation.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
None

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener²⁹Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Natural Sweetener³⁰Natural sweeteners share the benefits of artificial sweeteners but originate in nature and typically undergo minimal processing.
Fiber Sweetener³¹Fiber sweeteners are exactly what their name suggests, that being sweetening agents with the characteristics of sugar and dietary fiber. For this reason, they’re alternatively known as sugar fibers.

BACKGROUND
Fructans are chains of fructose molecules that link to a glucose molecule at their terminal end. A long chain of fructan that’s 10 to 60 units in length is categorized as inulin. Inulin is present in more than 36,000 plants but is most commonly derived from chicory root by extraction, with the Jerusalem artichoke and agave plant serving as additional sources. The use of enzymes on sucrose sourced from sugar cane or sugar beets is another avenue for industrial production.

CHARACTERISTICS
Inulin’s visual state is typically that of a beige crystalline powder. For the most part, it doesn’t have a bitter, metallic, or chemical finish after swallowing and because it tastes bland and has low potency, it’s seldom used as a standalone sweetener and is instead blended with more powerful ones. Other than that, the rest of the defining features mostly depend on the length of the inulin chains. But generally speaking, inulin acts as a bulking agent and helps replicate the sensory and textual properties of fat by creating a creamy mouthfeel.

POTENCY
10 to 30 percent as sweet as table sugar.

CALORIES
1.5 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
5

METABOLISM
Glycosidic bonds are those where a carbohydrate, or sugar, molecule is linked to another. The body can easily digest virtually every type of carb when the direction of the bond is in the alpha position. Inulin, however, has its fructose molecules linked together by bonds pointing in the beta direction. With the exception of lactose, the body doesn’t have the enzymes necessary to digest beta-linked bonds. As a result, inulin travels through the mouth and stomach without breakdown until it reaches the large intestine, where it’s fermented by the gut bacteria and converted into short-chain fatty acids that are metabolized and used as energy.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A³²Inulin doesn’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when its consumption becomes toxic. Nevertheless, there is a general recommendation of limiting inulin to 30 to 40 grams per day, as exceeding that amount increases the likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal effects that include gas, bloating, and diarrhea as a byproduct of gut fermentation.

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Baked Goods
• Confectionery
• Protein Bars
• Ice Cream
• Yogurt
• Smoothies
• Marinades
• Glazes
• Iced Tea
• Mocktails

STATUS
Inulin is approved by the FDA and has the “generally recognized as safe” designation.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Hydrogenated Isomaltulose
Palatinit®

TYPE
Nutritive Sweetener³³Nutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that contain calories. And because the nutritional energy they provide is usually but not always in the form of carbohydrates that may or may not prompt an insulin response, they can have an effect on blood sugar regulation. Additionally, nutritive sweeteners contribute functional properties to foods and beverages instead of simply adding sweetness like nonnutritive sweeteners.
Sugar Alcohol³⁴Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates that have a chemical structure consisting of both a sugar molecule and alcohol molecule. Also known as polyols, sugar alcohols may be synthetically manufactured or processed from natural sources.

BACKGROUND
Occurring naturally in small amounts in honey and sugar cane juice, isomaltulose is a disaccharide with a glucose and fructose molecule that can be made artificially with sugar beets. The process for that involves the use of enzymes that rearrange the sucrose bonds to make the linkage between glucose and fructose stronger. When isomaltulose is hydrogenated, or hydrogen atoms are added, the result is gluco-sorbitol and gluco-mannitol. Those two different sugar alcohols form isomalt.

CHARACTERISTICS
Isomalt can appear as a white powder, small granules, or crystals the size of rock candy. It tastes like table sugar but is less sweet, so it’s often blended with more intense substitutes, like sucralose, to bring the sweetness level up to a 1:1 ratio with table sugar. Isomalt also doesn’t have a lingering aftertaste, nor does it produce a cooling sensation in the mouth. Additionally, isomalt is noted for its heat stability that allows for its use in cooking and baking, as well as its resistance to humidity and crystallization that have their own culinary benefits.

POTENCY
50 to 60 percent as sweet as table sugar.

CALORIES
2 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
2

METABOLISM
Isomalt is a carbohydrate with chemical bonds that the body has difficulty breaking. Accordingly, about 5 to 10 percent of isomalt gets digested and slowly absorbed from the small intestine into the blood as usable energy, which explains the minimal influence on blood glucose and insulin. The rest of the unabsorbed isomalt descends to the large intestine and is fermented by gut bacteria. That breakdown of isomalt in the colon results in the production of several items, one of which are short-chain fatty acids that are absorbed into the bloodstream and metabolized into additional energy.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A³⁵Isomalt doesn’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when its consumption becomes toxic. Nevertheless, there is a general recommendation of 10 to 15 grams per day for all sugar alcohols, as exceeding that amount increases the likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal effects that include gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea as a byproduct of gut fermentation.

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Candy
• Chocolate
• Baked Goods
• Fruit Spreads
• Jams
• Ice Cream
• Coffee

STATUS
Isomalt is approved by the FDA and has the “generally recognized as safe” designation.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Palatinose®

TYPE
Nutritive Sweetener³⁶Nutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that contain calories. And because the nutritional energy they provide is usually but not always in the form of carbohydrates that may or may not prompt an insulin response, they can have an effect on blood sugar regulation. Additionally, nutritive sweeteners contribute functional properties to foods and beverages instead of simply adding sweetness like nonnutritive sweeteners.
Rare Sugar³⁷Rare sugars are saccharides found in nature with far less frequency than most other sugars and are named “rare sugars” in reflection of that fact.

BACKGROUND
Isomaltulose exists naturally in honey and sugar cane juice. However, isomaltulose is in those sources in such minor concentrations that it’s not economically feasible or environmentally sustainable to extract the sugar from them. So to yield enough isomaltulose for commercial use, it has to be manufactured. That process involves taking the sucrose from sugar beets and dissolving it with enzymes that break the chemical bonds between the glucose and fructose molecules before reconnecting them in a configuration that forms the structure of isomaltulose.

CHARACTERISTICS
Isomaltulose mimics virtually everything about sucrose in its solubility, moisture retention, high melting point, and ability to brown and caramelize, among other properties that improve the quality of edible and drinkable products. Moreover, isomaltulose does that while being clean on the palate and not having an aftertaste or creating a cooling effect in the mouth. As such, the white crystalline particles or powder can be used as a direct one-to-one replacement for table sugar. The only caveat is that when used alone, the perception of sweetness may be impacted given the sugar substitute’s potency. That area is where isomaltulose and sucrose greatly differ, and it may or may not be a problem depending on the application.

POTENCY
40 to 50 percent as sweet as table sugar.

CALORIES
4 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
32

METABOLISM
Isomaltulose is a derivative of sucrose. Both are disaccharides with one glucose unit and one fructose unit. The key difference in their molecular structure is that in isomaltulose, the chemical bonds are rearranged to make the linkage between glucose and fructose stronger. That result of the enzymatic conversion process results in a sugar that’s as digestible as its unaltered form but no longer breaks down as quickly. As such, isomaltulose travels through normal metabolic pathways that process and utilize the constituent elements of sucrose but the digestion, absorption, and distribution happen much slower than usual.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A³⁸Isomaltulose doesn’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when its consumption becomes toxic. Neither does it cause digestive issues that are associated with some other sugar substitutes. Nevertheless, there is a general recommendation of limiting isomaltulose to 10 to 15 grams per day. Individuals who have sustained energy needs may do well with more.

APPLICATIONS
• Baked Goods
• Breakfast Cereals
• Cereal Bars
• Chocolate
• Fruit Juice
• Sports Drinks
• Energy Bars
• Dairy Products
• Meal Replacements

STATUS
As part of the FDA’s regulatory review process, chemicals, substances, and ingredients that are intentionally added to foods and beverages as an additive are given the designation of “Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)” when expert consensus has been reached that they’re not harmful to human health. Isomaltulose has that classification.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Lactitol Hydrate

TYPE
Nutritive Sweetener³⁹Nutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that contain calories. And because the nutritional energy they provide is usually but not always in the form of carbohydrates that may or may not prompt an insulin response, they can have an effect on blood sugar regulation. Additionally, nutritive sweeteners contribute functional properties to foods and beverages instead of simply adding sweetness like nonnutritive sweeteners.
Sugar Alcohol⁴⁰Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates that have a chemical structure consisting of both a sugar molecule and alcohol molecule. Also known as polyols, sugar alcohols may be synthetically manufactured or processed from natural sources.

BACKGROUND
Lactose is a disaccharide sugar that’s exclusively found in milk. Lactitol is a disaccharide sugar alcohol that’s not found in nature but can be industrially manufactured by reducing the glucose part of a lactose molecule via the addition of hydrogen to its carbonyl group (C=O).

CHARACTERISTICS
Appearing as a white crystalline powder or in granules, lactitol has a mildly sweet taste, which is a property that makes it ideal for using in combination with acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, and other similar synthetics that are more intense in sweetness but don’t contribute to adding bulk and texture. In the mouth, lactitol is also noted as not having an aftertaste, though it does create a temporary minty sensation but that cooling effect is weak compared to some other polyols. Apart from that, lactitol is stable under high temperatures and in acid and alkaline conditions, has good solubility, and doesn’t absorb moisture, which is a feature that can help maintain the palatability and extend the shelf life of certain products.

POTENCY
30 to 40 percent as sweet as table sugar.

CALORIES
2.4 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
3

METABOLISM
The molecules in the lactitol structure are linked by a bond that the body lacks the digestive enzymes for in the small intestine of the body. So lactitol is neither broken down there nor absorbed into the blood. Instead, lactitol travels to the large intestine unchanged. In the large intestine, lactitol gets fermented by the gut bacteria and is converted into short-chain fatty acids that are further metabolized and used as a supplier of calories.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A⁴¹Lactitol doesn’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when its consumption becomes toxic. Nevertheless, there is a general recommendation of 10 to 15 grams per day for all sugar alcohols, as exceeding that amount increases the likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal effects that include gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea as a byproduct of gut fermentation.

APPLICATIONS
• Baked Goods
• Candy
• Chocolate
• Chewing Gum
• Breath Mints
• Ice Cream

STATUS
In 2020, the FDA granted lactitol medical approval as a prescription laxative for the treatment of chronic constipation under the brand name Pizensy.⁴²All sugar alcohols have the potential to produce a laxative effect when overconsumed, so lactitol isn’t unique in that regard. What differentiates lactitol is that as it wends through the digestive tract without getting absorbed, it pulls in significant amounts of water from the intestinal walls into the bowels to help dilute the concentration, which has the added effect of softening the stool and facilitating easier passage. Also, when lactitol reaches the colon and gets fermented, carbon and a small amount of hydrogen gets produced and the buildup of those gases can create additional pressure in the bowels that stimulates a bowel movement. Lactitol isn’t alone in its ability to cause either action but the combination is more pronounced with lactitol. Lactitol was approved and classified with the “generally recognized as safe” designation for its use in foods and beverages many years before that.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Lesys®
MALTISWEET®
SweetPearl®

TYPE
Nutritive Sweetener⁴³Nutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that contain calories. And because the nutritional energy they provide is usually but not always in the form of carbohydrates that may or may not prompt an insulin response, they can have an effect on blood sugar regulation. Additionally, nutritive sweeteners contribute functional properties to foods and beverages instead of simply adding sweetness like nonnutritive sweeteners.
Sugar Alcohol⁴⁴Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates that have a chemical structure consisting of both a sugar molecule and alcohol molecule. Also known as polyols, sugar alcohols may be synthetically manufactured or processed from natural sources.

BACKGROUND
Maltitol is a disaccharide sugar that’s found in chicory leaves. However, the occurrence is in trace amounts. For that reason, commercial maltitol is produced through the partial hydrolysis of starch into maltose then hydrogenating the mixture before either bottling it as a form of hydrogenated starch hydrolysates or allowing the concentrated liquid to crystallize and dry into solid particles.

CHARACTERISTICS
Maltitol in its granular and powdered form doesn’t create as much of a cooling effect in the mouth as other polyols and with its level of sweetness, it can be used alone without the need for other sugar substitutes. Maltitol also mimics the behavior of table sugar to the point that its technological properties are the most similar. The most significant aspect where maltitol falls short of fully replicating sucrose is in its inability to brown or caramelize, which is a common strength or flaw among all polyols.

POTENCY
75-90 percent as sweet as table sugar.

CALORIES
2.4 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
35

METABOLISM
Chemically, maltitol is one molecule of glucose linked to one molecule of sorbitol. When you consume maltitol, about 45 percent of it gets slowly digested and broken down into glucose and sorbitol in the small intestine. The liberated glucose gets completely absorbed but the freed sorbitol is only partially absorbed and primarily converted into fructose. The unabsorbed portions of sorbitol and ingested maltitol both move to the large intestine and are fermented by gut flora, which produces short-chain fatty acids that are absorbed into the bloodstream and metabolized into additional energy.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A⁴⁵Maltitol doesn’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when its consumption becomes toxic. Nevertheless, there is a general recommendation of 10 to 15 grams per day for all sugar alcohols, as exceeding that amount increases the likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal effects that include gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea as a byproduct of gut fermentation.

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Candy
• Chocolate
• Chewing Gum
• Breath Mints
• Protein Bars
• Ice Cream

STATUS
The FDA’s “generally recognized as safe” designation applies to maltitol.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
D-Mannitol
Mannite
Manna Sugar

TYPE
Nutritive Sweetener⁴⁶Nutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that contain calories. And because the nutritional energy they provide is usually but not always in the form of carbohydrates that may or may not prompt an insulin response, they can have an effect on blood sugar regulation. Additionally, nutritive sweeteners contribute functional properties to foods and beverages instead of simply adding sweetness like nonnutritive sweeteners.
Sugar Alcohol⁴⁷Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates that have a chemical structure consisting of both a sugar molecule and alcohol molecule. Also known as polyols, sugar alcohols may be synthetically manufactured or processed from natural sources.

BACKGROUND
Mannitol is naturally found in a variety of plants. Unlike the situation with most sugar alcohols, it’s not cost prohibitive to directly extract mannitol, with one of the most popular sources being algae, but the polyol can also be produced on a large scale by converting fructose into it through enzymatic activity or via hydrogenation at high temperatures and pressure.

CHARACTERISTICS
Taking on the appearance of bright white granules or powder, mannitol has a mild taste and is known for a particularly strong cooling sensation in the mouth that’s minty and refreshing, which lends to its use for masking unpleasant bitterness. Mannitol is also regarded for its minimal ability to absorb moisture from the surrounding air. So because the uptake of water vapor doesn’t happen until the humidity level is at around 98 percent, mannitol is often used as a coating to prevent certain products from getting sticky or caking.

POTENCY
50-70 percent as sweet as table sugar.

CALORIES
1.6 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
0

METABOLISM
It’s estimated that a quarter of the mannitol that’s consumed gets slowly and partially absorbed in the small intestine before getting filtered by the kidneys and excreted in the urine completely unchanged. The remaining 75 percent of unabsorbed mannitol continues to the large intestine. There, the mannitol becomes prebiotic food for the gut microbiota, which feed on it and produce short-chain fatty acids that are metabolized and yield calories.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A⁴⁸Mannitol doesn’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when its consumption becomes toxic. Nevertheless, there is a general recommendation of 10 to 15 grams per day for all sugar alcohols, as exceeding that amount increases the likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal effects that include gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea as a byproduct of gut fermentation.

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Chewing Gum
• Breath Mints
• Chocolate
• Frostings
• Icings
• Powdered Drink Mixes

STATUS
Since 1964, mannitol in one form or another has been approved by the FDA under various brand names like Osmitrol®, Bronchitol®, and Aridol® as a prescription diuretic or medication to test and manage certain respiratory conditions. Mannitol was officially approved for use as a sweetener and additive in 1986 and is currently regulated in the “generally recognized as safe” category.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Monk Fruit Extract
Monk Fruit Sweetener
Swingle Fruit
Luo Han Guo
Siraitia Grosvenorii Swingle Fruit Extract
Monk Fruit In The Raw®
PureLo®
Lakanto®

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener⁴⁹Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Natural Sweetener⁵⁰Natural sweeteners share the benefits of artificial sweeteners but originate in nature and typically undergo minimal processing.
High-Intensity Sweetener⁵¹High-intensity sweeteners are many times more potent than sucrose, or regular table sugar.

BACKGROUND
Native to Southeast Asia, monk fruit is a melon that’s about the size of an orange. Within its thin, greenish brown skin is pulp that’s rich with mogrosides, which are compounds that consist of varying numbers of glucose units attached to a type of backbone structure that’s called mogrol in its configuration. Unlike the glucose and fructose that make most other fruits sweet, mogrosides are the bioactive components responsible for monk fruit’s intrinsic sweetness even in the presence of those two natural sugars. All it takes to extract that sweetness is to crush the fruit’s flesh then infuse the juice with hot water before filtering the mixture and processing the isolated mogrosides into a desired form.

CHARACTERISTICS
As a sweetener, monk fruit can come in the form of a liquid or powder that’s intensely sweet and may have subtle fruity and caramel-like flavor notes without much of an aftertaste. Additionally, monk fruit sweetener is resistant to high temperatures and chemically stable across a range of acidic and basic conditions, which allows for its use in various food and beverage formulations through an assortment of preparation methods. That said, monk fruit sweetener doesn’t brown and caramelize, nor does it provide the bulk, volume, and mouthfeel of sugar. The sweetener falls short of being a one-to-one replacement for sugar in applications where those physical functionalities of sugar are needed. For that reason, monk fruit is often used in conjunction with erythritol or allulose to help replicate the properties of table sugar that make it such a vital additive.

POTENCY
150 to 300 times sweeter than table sugar.

CALORIES
0 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
0

METABOLISM
Mogrosides possess a sugar component but the molecules as a whole have a distinct structure that the body can’t digest via traditional means. So after consumption, mogrosides immediately pass through the stomach and small intestine to the colon without absorption. In the large intestines, the glucose units that are attached to the mogrol backbone structure get cleaved off by the gut bacteria and are used for their own energy. The remaining backbone and minor metabolites that are produced along the way get excreted from the body in the feces while a small amount gets absorbed into the blood and exits through the urine.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A⁵²Monk fruit doesn’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when its consumption becomes toxic. Nevertheless, there is a general recommendation of limiting monk fruit to 3.6 to 5.7 milligrams per pound of body weight, as exceeding that amount increases the likelihood of experiencing digestive problems.

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Breakfast Cereals
• Baking Mixes
• Icings
• Toppings
• Chocolate
• Protein Bars
• Condiments
• Salad Dressing
• Table Syrups
• Yogurt
• Ice Cream
• Pudding
• Coffee
• Tea
• Iced Tea
• Lemonade
• Soda
• Energy Drinks
• Smoothies
• Flavored Water

STATUS
Monk fruit is officially designated in the “generally recognized as safe” category by the FDA.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Newtame®

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener⁵³Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Artificial Sweetener⁵⁴Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes that are created from chemicals in a lab. Although they’re not technically “sugar”, their molecular structures are close enough to mimic natural sugar and bind to and activate the same taste receptors on the tongue that register the sensation of sweetness. The only difference is that these synthetic compounds don’t bind to the same sites as natural sugar, which results in differences in the perception of sweetness. For the most part, artificial sweeteners are considered safe and whatever fears there are about them with regard to weight gain, heart health, stroke, and cancer are based on animal studies and individuals who consume amounts that are well beyond the acceptable daily intake.
High-Intensity Sweetener⁵⁵High-intensity sweeteners are many times more potent than sucrose, or regular table sugar.

BACKGROUND
Neotame is a derivative of aspartame. The structural difference between the two is that neotame possesses a neohexyl group in addition to the aspartic acid and phenylalanine.

CHARACTERISTICS
The change in molecular structure between aspartame and its neotame analogue results in a difference in their properties. On that note, neotame is a whitish-gray powder that’s 30 to 60 times sweeter than aspartame and has more heat stability that makes it suitable for baking and cooking applications. Apart from basically adding sweetness, neotame does nothing else to change the quality of foods and beverages.

POTENCY
7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than table sugar.

CALORIES
0 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
0

METABOLISM
Given the exceptional sweetness of neotame, a tiny fraction of a gram is needed to sweeten any food or beverage. As a result, any impact on blood sugar and caloric contribution would be minuscule. That is, if there were to be any effect at all. Neotame yielding calories and prompting a blood sugar and insulin response with a greater intake is unlikely because the human body lacks the digestive enzymes necessary to break it down into any form of energy, let alone glucose. Consequently, when neotame is consumed, a small amount is rapidly absorbed in the digestive tract and quickly converted to metabolites and minor metabolites before virtually everything that was ingested is eliminated through feces and urine.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
0.3 mg/kg of body weight

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Breakfast Cereals
• Breath Mints
• Chewing Gum
• Nut Butters
• Salad Dressing
• Baked Goods
• Fillings
• Filling Mixes
• Toppings
• Condiments
• Confectionery
• Fruit Spreads
• Purées
• Sauces
• Table Syrups
• Soda
• Yogurt
• Ice Cream
• Jams
• Jellies
• Pudding
• Gelatin
• Sports Drinks
• Powdered Drink Mixes

STATUS
Neotame has been tested and approved as a general-purpose sweetener and flavor enhancer by the FDA since 2002. However, it’s not approved for meat and poultry.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Sweet’N Low®
Necta Sweet®
Sweet Twin®

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener⁵⁶Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Artificial Sweetener⁵⁷Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes that are created from chemicals in a lab. Although they’re not technically “sugar”, their molecular structures are close enough to mimic natural sugar and bind to and activate the same taste receptors on the tongue that register the sensation of sweetness. The only difference is that these synthetic compounds don’t bind to the same sites as natural sugar, which results in differences in the perception of sweetness. For the most part, artificial sweeteners are considered safe and whatever fears there are about them with regard to weight gain, heart health, stroke, and cancer are based on animal studies and individuals who consume amounts that are well beyond the acceptable daily intake.
High-Intensity Sweetener⁵⁸High-intensity sweeteners are many times more potent than sucrose, or regular table sugar.

BACKGROUND
Toluene is a substance that’s partially responsible for the aroma of gasoline and paint fumes. Methyl anthranilate is an organic compound with a fruity aroma that mimics Concord grapes. There are two separate methods by which either toluene or methyl anthranilate can be used as the starting material to synthesize saccharin through various chemical reactions.

CHARACTERISTICS
There are four types of saccharine. All are crystalline powders or fine granules that have a bitter or metallic aftertaste when used alone or at high concentrations. They’re also heat resistant and are suitable for baking and cooking applications. Apart from those similarities, each kind of saccharine has a distinct solubility and palatability that makes it more or less ideal for certain uses.

Sodium saccharine is the most soluble in water and has the highest level of sweetness. As such, it’s the most prevalent form of saccharine that’s found in a variety of foods and beverages in combination with other artificial sweeteners like sucralose or aspartame to mask its lingering flavor. Potassium saccharine is only slightly less soluble than its sodium counterpart and has a similar sweetness but it’s only used for specific food and beverage formulations, so it’s less common. Calcium saccharine is moderately soluble and is less bitter than the other saccharines in certain formulations but its use is mostly limited to dry mixes, specific baked goods, and instances where sodium needs to be avoided. Acid saccharine is the base form that’s employed in the production of all the other kinds of saccharine and it’s the least soluble, most bitter tasting, and rarely used version. Those are the forms of saccharine but regardless, aside from basically adding some degree of sweetness, the sugar substitute does nothing else to change the quality of foods and beverages.

POTENCY
300 to 700 times sweeter than table sugar depending on the form.

CALORIES
0 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
0

METABOLISM
The human body doesn’t derive any calories from saccharin because it has a chemical structure that we lack the appropriate enzymes to extract energy with. In fact, when saccharin is ingested, about 90 percent of it gets absorbed into the bloodstream and is rapidly excreted through the urine completely unchanged while the 10 percent that was absorbed eventually gets eliminated in the feces without change also.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
15 mg/kg of body weight

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Breath Mints
• Chewing Gum
• Canned Fruits
• Toppings
• Craft Sodas
• Functional Seltzers
• Mocktails
• Frozen Dairy Desserts
• Frozen Yogurt
• Sherbet

STATUS
Saccharin was granted “generally recognized as safe” status in 1958 but that was revoked in the 1970s when several animal studies reported a link between high saccharin consumption and bladder cancer in laboratory rats. Starting in 1977, products containing saccharin had to carry a warning label that informed consumers about the potential health risks. That warning label mandate was finally rescinded in 2000 after more than 30 human studies confirmed that saccharine doesn’t pose a danger when consumed at normal doses. A year later, the FDA classified saccharin as an approved food additive. Saccharin has continued to retain that status rather than a broad GRAS classification though the FDA officially considers it safe.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Glucitol
D-Sorbitol
Sorbogem®

TYPE
Nutritive Sweetener⁵⁹Nutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that contain calories. And because the nutritional energy they provide is usually but not always in the form of carbohydrates that may or may not prompt an insulin response, they can have an effect on blood sugar regulation. Additionally, nutritive sweeteners contribute functional properties to foods and beverages instead of simply adding sweetness like nonnutritive sweeteners.
Sugar Alcohol⁶⁰Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates that have a chemical structure consisting of both a sugar molecule and alcohol molecule. Also known as polyols, sugar alcohols may be synthetically manufactured or processed from natural sources.

BACKGROUND
Sorbitol was first discovered in mountain-ash berries and is naturally present in other plants, including apples, pears, cherries, peaches, and red algae. For industrial use, however, the hybrid molecule is commercially produced through the hydrolysis of starch with enzymes to manufacture glucose syrup, which is then hydrogenated and either bottled as a form of hydrogenated starch hydrolysates or allowed to crystallize and dry into solid particles.

CHARACTERISTICS
Sorbitol in its solid form can be manufactured as white flakes, granules, or as a crystalline powder. The sweetness is described as pleasant and the sugar provides a smooth mouthfeel but it’s also noted as having a slight aftertaste and producing a noticeable cooling sensation. Nonetheless, sorbitol is liked because it makes for an excellent alternative bulking agent, texturizer, and humectant, or moisture retainer that helps extend shelf life by preventing certain products from drying out or losing their taste and aroma.

POTENCY
50-70 percent as sweet as table sugar.

CALORIES
2.6 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
9

METABOLISM
Only a small portion of sorbitol gets absorbed in the small intestine. That figure is estimated to be about 25 percent of what’s ingested. That absorbed portion then gets fully metabolized by the liver and is converted into fructose and glucose that’s slowly released into the bloodstream for the cells to use as an energy source. Unabsorbed sorbitol passes to the colon and is digested there by gut microbes that ferment the unchanged sugar alcohol into short-chain fatty acids that are absorbed into the bloodstream and converted into additional energy. All of that results in the lessened calories and low rise in blood sugar that’s exhibited by sorbitol.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A⁶¹Sorbitol doesn’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when its consumption becomes toxic. Nevertheless, there is a general recommendation of 10 to 15 grams per day for all sugar alcohols, as exceeding that amount increases the likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal effects that include gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea as a byproduct of gut fermentation.

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Chewing Gum
• Breath Mints
• Candy
• Chocolate
• Baked Goods
• Icings
• Fillings
• Frozen Desserts

STATUS
Sorbitol has FDA approval and the “generally recognized as safe” designation applies to it.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Steviol Glycosides
Sugarleaf
Candyleaf
SweetLeaf®
EverSweet®
Truvia®
Pure Via®
Enliten®
Rebiana®

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener⁶²Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Natural Sweetener⁶³Natural sweeteners share the benefits of artificial sweeteners but originate in nature and typically undergo minimal processing.
High-Intensity Sweetener⁶⁴High-intensity sweeteners are many times more potent than sucrose, or regular table sugar.

BACKGROUND
Stevia is derived from the leaves of a perennial herb that’s indigenous to South America. More specifically, the plant in question is known as Stevia rebaudiana and its leaves contain chemical compounds that give them a noticeably sweet taste. Those compounds are named steviol glycosides and they consist of differing quantities of glucose units attached to a type of chemical backbone that’s referred to as steviol in its arrangement. Stevia sweeteners are produced by extracting the sweet compounds from the leaves they’re housed in through the use of hot water then filtering and purifying the mixture before processing the isolated steviol glycosides into a desired form. Some stevia sweeteners are also made by bioconversion, glucosylation, or fermentation, all of which are separate processes that involve enzymes or yeast and allow for the efficient production of a greater amount of specific steviol glycoside variants.

CHARACTERISTICS
The number of sugar molecules and type of branching pattern on a steviol backbone can influence the flavor profile of a steviol glycoside, to which there are currently 40 that are identified. At the moment, however, only a handful are isolated and used commercially, those being stevioside, Rebaudioside A (Reb A), Rebaudioside D (Reb D), and Rebaudioside M (Reb M). All of those commonly used steviol glycosides provide intense sweetness and a taste that’s close to sugar, with stevioside noted for having an aftertaste that’s described as metallic or bitter. Nevertheless, regardless of the type, stevia in its liquid, powder, or tablet form is resistant to high temperatures and is chemically stable across a range of pH levels, which allows for its use in various food and beverage formulations through an assortment of preparation methods. Those advantages aside, stevia can’t be relied on alone to provide the bulk, volume, and mouthfeel of sugar, nor assist with browning and caramelization because only a tiny bit of the sugar substitute can ever be incorporated into an application before the sweetness overpowers the flavor profile. As such, in instances where the physical functionalities of sugar are needed, stevia is often used alongside sweeteners like erythritol or allulose to help replicate the properties of table sugar.

POTENCY
200 to 400 times sweeter than table sugar.

CALORIES
0 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
0

METABOLISM
Much like the sweet mogrosides in monk fruit can’t be fully digested by the body, neither can the sweet steviol glycosides in stevia. When consumed, steviol glycosides undergo no absorption or metabolic action until they pass through the entire gastrointestinal tract and reach the large intestine. There, in the bowels, colonic microorganisms cleave off the glucose molecules from the completely unchanged steviol glycosides and use them for energy. As for the steviol backbone that’s left, it gets absorbed through the intestinal wall and transported to the liver, where it’s converted into a highly-soluble metabolite called steviol glucuronide. Next, the steviol glucuronide travels to the kidneys via the bloodstream and gets excreted in the urine.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
4 mg/kg of body weight⁶⁵That translates to 12 milligrams per kilogram of body weight for high-purity stevia extracts, which are products that contain 95 percent or greater steviol glycoside content.

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Chewing Gum
• Breath Mints
• Breakfast Cereals
• Baked Goods
• Fillings
• Filling Mixes
• Toppings
• Confectionery
• Condiments
• Salad Dressing
• Yogurt
• Ice Cream
• Nut Butters
• Fruit Spreads
• Table Syrups
• Canned Fruits
• Flavored Milk
• Flavored Water
• Sports Drinks
• Fruit Juice
• Soda

STATUS
Expert consensus has been reached that stevia doesn’t pose a threat to human health. As such, stevia is in the “generally recognized as safe” category that’s part of the FDA’s regulatory review. However, that approval only applies to purified stevia. Currently, whole stevia leaves and crude stevia extracts are not approved as additives because the FDA has concerns about the potential for harm and needs more sufficient toxicological information on the matter before changing its position.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Splenda®
SucraPlus®

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener⁶⁶Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Artificial Sweetener⁶⁷Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes that are created from chemicals in a lab. Although they’re not technically “sugar”, their molecular structures are close enough to mimic natural sugar and bind to and activate the same taste receptors on the tongue that register the sensation of sweetness. The only difference is that these synthetic compounds don’t bind to the same sites as natural sugar, which results in differences in the perception of sweetness. For the most part, artificial sweeteners are considered safe and whatever fears there are about them with regard to weight gain, heart health, stroke, and cancer are based on animal studies and individuals who consume amounts that are well beyond the acceptable daily intake.
High-Intensity Sweetener⁶⁸High-intensity sweeteners are many times more potent than sucrose, or regular table sugar.

BACKGROUND
A hydroxyl group (-OH) consists of one oxygen atom chemically bonded to a hydrogen atom. Sucrose, or table sugar, is a disaccharide consisting of 8 hydroxyl groups between its glucose and fructose units. Sucralose is a derivative that’s created by replacing 3 hydroxyl groups with 3 chlorine atoms.

CHARACTERISTICS
Sucralose is a white crystalline powder that withstands high temperatures without losing its sweetness and structural integrity, which makes it suitable for cooking and baking applications. Apart from basically adding sweetness, sucralose does nothing else to change the quality of foods and beverages.

POTENCY
600 times sweeter than table sugar.

CALORIES
0 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
0

METABOLISM
The majority of the sucralose that’s ingested passes through the gastrointestinal tract unchanged and is directly excreted in feces. The remaining 15 percent gets absorbed from the digestive system into the bloodstream and about 20 percent of that amount breaks down into metabolites in the liver before the unchanged sucralose and metabolites are transported to the kidneys for quick removal in the urine. Basically, due to the chlorination process that synthesizes sucrose into sucralose, the body doesn’t recognize the artificial sweetener as a source of glucose, nor as any other energy-yielding nutrient. As such, sucralose bypasses the metabolic pathways responsible for energy production and therefore provides no calories.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
5 mg/kg of body weight

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Breakfast Cereals
• Breath Mints
• Chewing Gum
• Canned Fruits
• Confectionery
• Fillings
• Filling Mixes
• Toppings
• Flavored Milk
• Pickles
• Relish
• Protein Bars
• Pudding
• Gelatin
• Baked Goods
• Condiments
• Salad Dressing
• Fruit Spreads
• Table Syrups

STATUS
The FDA approved sucralose as an additive for use in 15 categories in 1998. A year later, it gained broad approval as a general-purpose sweetener for use in all products, including meat and poultry.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
D-Tagatose

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener⁶⁹Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Rare Sugar⁷⁰Rare sugars are saccharides found in nature with far less frequency than most other sugars and are named “rare sugars” in reflection of that fact.

BACKGROUND
Tagatose is a monosaccharide that’s present in cacao and some fruits, like apples and oranges, but is most often found in milk and dairy products. The quantity of tagatose in those sources is in such trace amounts, however, that it’s not economically feasible or environmentally sustainable to directly extract the sugar from them. Instead, tagatose has to be commercially produced. As part of a two-step process to manufacture the sugar on a large scale, lactose from whey is broken down with acid or enzymes into its constituent molecules and then additional chemical reactions take place that eliminate the uncoupled glucose and rearrange the molecular structure of the remaining galactose, which converts it into tagatose.

CHARACTERISTICS
Tagatose is a white crystalline powder that looks, tastes, and behaves similar to sucrose in terms of its solubility, moisture retention, high melting point, and ability to brown and caramelize, among other properties. On account of those features, tagatose has become a favorite alternative to table sugar in a number of food and beverage formulations.

POTENCY
90 to 92 percent as sweet as table sugar.

CALORIES
1.5 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
3

METABOLISM
An aldohexose is a monosaccharide with six carbon atoms and an aldehyde group (-CHO) at the first carbon in the molecular chain. A ketohexose is a monosaccharide with six carbon atoms and a ketone group (C=O) at the second carbon in the molecular chain. Galactose is an aldohexose and the shifting of its double bond converts it into tagatose, a ketohexose. That rearrangement is just enough to prevent complete digestion from happening because the body has difficulty fully processing certain sugar molecules in a ketohexose configuration. As such, 20 percent of consumed tagatose gets absorbed in the small intestine and then metabolized in the liver like fructose, another ketohexose. The unabsorbed 80 percent enters the lower digestive tract and gets consumed by gut bacteria that ferment the tagatose into short-chain fatty acids that are subsequently absorbed and used to synthesize energy for biological functions.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A⁷¹Tagatose doesn’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when its consumption becomes toxic. Nevertheless, there is a general recommendation of limiting tagatose to 45 to 75 grams per day, as exceeding that amount increases the likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal side effects.

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Chewing Gum
• Breakfast Cereals
• Baked Goods
• Frostings
• Icings
• Candy
• Chocolate
• Ice Cream
• Yogurt
• Meal Replacements
• Nutrition Bars
• Soda

STATUS
Chemicals, substances, and ingredients that are intentionally added to foods and beverages as an additive are granted the FDA’s designation of “Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)” when they’ve adequately demonstrated that they’re not harmful to human health. Tagatose enjoys that classification.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Talin®
ThauMagic®

TYPE
Nonnutritive Sweetener⁷²Nonnutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that provide little or no nutritional energy, or calories. That can be the case either due to their chemical structure rendering it impossible to extract energy or because the amount of sweetener that’s used is too tiny to make any contribution to daily intake.
Protein Sweetener⁷³Long, complex chains of amino acids that deliver a sugar-like sweetness make up a small group of sweetening agents referred to as protein sweeteners.
High-Intensity Sweetener⁷⁴High-intensity sweeteners are many times more potent than sucrose, or regular table sugar.

BACKGROUND
West Africa is home to katemfe, or Thaumatococcus danielli, which is a flowering herb and the source of thaumatin. Much like brazzein, thaumatin is a protein that’s extraordinarily sweet but it doesn’t trigger that perception in the same way. Consisting of a chain of 207 amino acids, thaumatin is too large to mimic the small molecule size of sugar and firmly fit inside the tiny binding pockets on the sweet taste receptors on the tongue. So instead of binding in a lock and key fashion to activate the sensation of sweetness, it’s proposed that thaumatin binds to multiple external sites and wedges the receptors together into an active state.

The arils of the seeds of katemfe fruit contain thaumatin and it can be extracted from them by drying the arils and crushing them into a powder. The traditional method produces economically convenient yields but other methods have been developed to alleviate the worry about depending solely on the plant to meet commercial demand. Those particular methods are similar to the precision fermentation and molecular farming that are employed in manufacturing brazzein.

CHARACTERISTICS
Whether as a liquid or cream-colored powder, thaumatin has a sweet taste that takes much longer to perceive than sucrose. It also has a licorice-like aftertaste that lingers for a considerable length of time. Due to these factors, thaumatin is rarely used alone and is instead blended with other sweeteners. On that front, another sweetener can not only help make thaumatin more pleasing to the mouth but thaumatin can likewise be beneficial to the other sweetener due to its own ability to improve taste quality by masking bitterness and suppressing offnotes. Somewhat related, thaumatin is not just a sweetener but it doubles as a flavor enhancer by amplifying the intensity of specific flavor compounds in a food or beverage, as well as synergizing with ingredients to create depth. Lastly, also working for thaumatin is that it’s water-soluble and remains stable under high heat and acidic conditions to a certain extent.

POTENCY
2,000 to 3,000 times sweeter than table sugar.

CALORIES
4 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
0

METABOLISM
Because thaumatin is a protein, digestive enzymes in the stomach and small intestine treat it like one and break it down into its individual amino acids. From there, the amino acids are absorbed into the bloodstream through the intestinal walls and are either used to synthesize new proteins for various body processes or converted into glucose for utilization as energy if the intake of calories or carbs isn’t sufficient enough to meet the body’s needs, if not ultimately excreted in the urine in the face of excess because the body doesn’t have the capability to store surplus amino acids like dietary fat or carbohydrates.

Basically, thaumatin follows the same metabolic pathway as any other protein, so it doesn’t have an impact on blood glucose or insulin levels. Also, with it being the case that thaumatin is processed like a standard protein, it can also provide the body with the theoretical amount of calories per gram that are ascribed to protein. However, because thaumatin is so potent, it can only be used in small quantities, which makes its caloric contribution essentially zero upon digestion.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A⁷⁵Thaumatin doesn’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when its consumption becomes toxic. Neither is there a general recommendation for the amount you should consume in a day to avoid stomach discomfort because thaumatin is fully digested in the intestines.

APPLICATIONS
• Chewing Gum
• Breath Mints
• Baked Goods
• Breakfast Cereals
• Confectionery
• Cocoa Products
• Ice Cream
• Jams
• Dried Fruit
• Flavoring Preparations
• Salt Substitutes
• Sports Drinks
• Wine

STATUS
The chemicals, substances, and ingredients that are intentionally added to foods and beverages as an additive aren’t officially “approved” by the FDA because the regulatory body doesn’t test them itselves. What actually happens is that manufacturers submit a notification for GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status with their own research. If the provided evidence is sufficient along with other information that the FDA has available to it, then the agency issues a “no questions” response letter that basically acknowledges that there are no objections with the determination of safety for the petitioned item under its proposed conditions of use. Several GRAS notifications have been sent for the evaluation of different uses and production methods of thaumatin and the FDA has issued “no questions” letters confirming GRAS status to thaumatin under the conditions of the separate petitions.

 
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
Xylite
Birch Sugar
Wood Sugar

TYPE
Nutritive Sweetener⁷⁶Nutritive sweeteners are sweetening agents that contain calories. And because the nutritional energy they provide is usually but not always in the form of carbohydrates that may or may not prompt an insulin response, they can have an effect on blood sugar regulation. Additionally, nutritive sweeteners contribute functional properties to foods and beverages instead of simply adding sweetness like nonnutritive sweeteners.
Sugar Alcohol⁷⁷Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates that have a chemical structure consisting of both a sugar molecule and alcohol molecule. Also known as polyols, sugar alcohols may be synthetically manufactured or processed from natural sources.

BACKGROUND
Xylose was first discovered in the wood of Birch trees and it can be isolated from that fibrous material by extracting a plant carbohydrate called xylan and then using water and acid to convert it into xylose. Next, the mixture is hydrogenated and the xylose converts into xylitol, with the fluid then concentrated and crystallized into solid particles. That’s the reason why xylitol is also known as “birch sugar” and “wood sugar”. Those names are still used for the sweetener, especially when it’s derived directly from birch or wood, but most commercially produced xylitol today is made from agricultural waste, like corn cobs and sugar cane bagasse. Also, instead of only employing chemical hydrogenation, manufacturers are turning more toward extracting xylan and then using microbes to ferment it directly into xylitol. Nevertheless, regardless of the source and production method, the molecular structure and sweetness of xylitol is the same.

CHARACTERISTICS
Xylitol is heat stable but it doesn’t brown and caramelize like table sugar does. In some applications, that’s a benefit. Another benefit in particular instances is that xylitol is better at preserving moisture levels, which can help toward extending the shelf life of certain products. Given those properties and the sugar alcohol’s sweetness level, it’s easy to see why xylitol is commonly used as a one-to-one replacement for sucrose. That said, the bright white granules and crystalline powder of xylitol quickly dissolve in the mouth and leave no unpleasant aftertaste but they do create an immediate cooling sensation.

POTENCY
100 percent as sweet as table sugar.

CALORIES
2.4 kcal/g

GLYCEMIC INDEX
7

METABOLISM
As is the case with all sugar alcohols whereby only a small portion is absorbed in the upper digestive tract, xylitol is no exception. Approximately 50 percent of the xylitol that’s consumed gets absorbed in the small intestine and is then transferred to the liver. From there, the xylitol undergoes several metabolic steps that culminate in its conversion into glucose that’s slowly released into the bloodstream and used as immediate energy or stored as glycogen for later needs. As for the remaining half of xylitol, the unabsorbed portion eventually reaches the large intestine and is feasted on by colonic bacteria that contribute to the release of more energy through their production of short-chain fatty acids that are metabolized to fuel body processes.

ACCEPTABLE DAILY INTAKE
N/A⁷⁸Xylitol doesn’t have an acceptable daily intake because there doesn’t appear to be a point when its consumption becomes toxic. Nevertheless, there is a general recommendation of 10 to 15 grams per day for all sugar alcohols, as exceeding that amount increases the likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal effects that include gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea as a byproduct of gut fermentation.

APPLICATIONS
• Tabletop Sweetener
• Chewing Gum
• Breath Mints
• Candy
• Chocolate
• Baked Goods
• Frozen Desserts
• Pudding
• Gelatin

STATUS
Xylitol has FDA approval and falls into the “generally recognized as safe” category.