Sugar Substitutes

Information About Substitutes & Sweeteners 

Whether to maintain weight, help manage diabetes or simply because you enjoy the taste, sugar substitutes like Aspartame, Splenda, Saccharin and Nutrasweet offer consumers yet another way to enjoy their favorite beverages.

According to a 1998 survey by the Calorie Control Council, 144 million American adults regularly consume low-calorie, sugar-free products such as artificially sweetened sodas and desserts. To date, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved five sugar substitutes for use in a variety of foods—saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame-K, sucralose and neotame —and is currently reviewing others.

The History of Sugar Substitutes

Sugar substitutes have been around for more than a century. In fact, the first sugar substitute to appear on the scene dates back to 1879. Saccharin, discovered by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, allowed those with diabetes to sweeten their foods and beverages without the calories or the glucose reaction associated with other sweeteners.

Sugar Rationing Opens the Doors for Saccharin

Sugar rationing in World War II provided a unique opportunity for the growth of sugar substitutes and saccharin was ready for the challenge. Yet, even after WWII, the popularity of saccharin continued into the 1960s as Americans began to exhibit more of an interest in weight control.

But Is It Safe?

One of the most studied food ingredients in the food supply today is saccharin. In fact, in 1958, Congress passed the Food Additives Amendment to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which required pre-market approval from FDA for food additives developed after that time. This requirement did not apply to ingredients "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS). Saccharin was considered GRAS, so it remained on the market.

Early in the 1970s the FDA began to review numerous GRAS substances. Saccharin was among them, but, again, held on to its GRAS status. Today, saccharin remains in many foods and beverages. In fact, you may recognize it as Sweet ‘n Low. Economically advantageous, saccharin also has a long shelf life.

Aspartame Arrives

Aspartame arrived in 1981. This sugar substitute is 180 times sweeter than sugar and is used in products such as beverages, breakfast cereals, desserts and chewing gum.

Aspartame – most commonly known as NutraSweet and Equal – is one of the most thoroughly tested ingredients of all time with more than 200 scientific studies confirming its safety. It was approved for use in some foods in 1981 and for soft drinks in 1983. Since that time, aspartame—which has shown no links to increased cancer risk in humans— has been reviewed and approved by regulatory agencies around the globe, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Union Scientific Committee on Food and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (JECFA) Expert Committee on Food Additives. Even reputable scientific bodies including the National Cancer Institute have validated its safety for both over-the-counter use and use in food products.