Which Sugar Substitutes Are Good for Diabetes? Stevia, Monk Fruit, Mo

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission Here’s our process.

Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:

• Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
• Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
• Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?

We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness.

Read more about our vetting process.

Was this helpful?

Despite sometimes being labeled as “diabetes-friendly,” artificial sweeteners may not be the best choice if you’re trying to monitor your blood glucose.

With a low to no calorie sugar count, artificial sweeteners may seem like a treat for people with diabetes. But recent research indicates that artificial sweeteners may actually be counterintuitive, especially if you’re looking to manage or prevent diabetes.

In fact, the increased consumption of these sugar substitutes may correlate to the increase of obesity and diabetes cases.

The good news is that there are sugar alternatives you can choose from, including:

• stevia or stevia products such as Truvia
• tagatose
• monk fruit extract
• coconut palm sugar
• date sugar
• sugar alcohols, such as erythritol or xylitol

You’ll still want to watch your intake for glucose management, but these options are far better than the products marketed as “sugar-free.”

Stevia is a low-calorie sweetener that has antioxidant and antidiabetic properties. It’s been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Unlike artificial sweeteners and sugar, stevia can suppress your plasma glucose levels and significantly increase glucose tolerance. It’s also not an artificial sweetener, technically speaking. That’s because it’s made from the leaves of the steviaplant.

Stevia alsohas the ability to:

• increase insulin production
• increase insulin’s effect on cell membranes
• stabilize blood sugar levels
• counter the mechanics of type 2 diabetes and its complications

You can find steviaunder brand names such as:

• Pure Via
• Sun Crystals
• SweetLeaf
• Truvia

While steviais natural, these brands are usually highly processed and may contain other ingredients. For example, Truvia goes through 40 processing steps before it’s ready to be sold. It also contains the sugar alcohol erythritol.

Future research may shed more light on the impact of consuming these processed stevia sweeteners.

The best way to consume stevia is to grow the plant yourself and use the whole leaves to sweeten foods.

Shop: stevia

Tagatose is another naturally occurring sugar that researchers are studying. Preliminary studies show that tagatose:

• may be a potential antidiabetic and antiobesity medication
• can lower your blood sugar and insulin response
• interferes with the absorption of carbohydrates

A 2018 review of studies concluded tagatose is “promising as a sweetener without major adverse effects observed.”

But tagatose needs more studies for more definitive answers. Talk to your doctor before trying newer sweeteners such as tagatose.

Shop: tagatose

Monk fruit extract is another alternative that is gaining popularity. But no processed sweetener can beat using fresh whole fruit to sweeten foods.

Another excellent option is date sugar, made of whole dates that are dried and ground. It doesn’t provide fewer calories, but date sugar is made of the whole fruit with the fiber still intact.

You can also subtract fiber from total grams of carbohydrates, if you count carbs for meal planning. This will give you net carbs consumed. The more fibrous a food, the lower impact it will have on your blood sugar.

Shop: monk fruit extract or date sugar

Some artificial sweeteners say “sugar-free” or “diabetic-friendly,” but research suggests these sugars actually have the opposite of effect.

Your body responds to artificial sweeteners differently than it does regular sugar. Artificial sugar can interfere with your body’s learned taste. This can confuse your brain, which will send signals telling you to eat more, especially more sweet foods.

Artificial sweeteners can still raise your glucose levels

One 2016 study saw normal-weight individuals who ate more artificial sweeteners were more likely to have diabetes than people who were overweight or obese.

Another 2014 study found that these sugars, such as saccharin, can change your gut bacteria composition. This change can cause glucose intolerance, which is the first step towards metabolic syndrome and diabetes in adults.

For people who don’t develop a glucose intolerance, artificial sweeteners may help with weight-loss or diabetes control. But switching to this sugar replacement still requires long-term management and controlled intake.

if you’re thinking of replacing sugar regularly, talk to your doctor and dietitian about your concerns.

Artificial sweeteners may also contribute to weight gain

Obesity and being overweight is one of the top predictors for diabetes. While artificial sweeteners are FDA-approved, it doesn’t mean they’re healthy.

Marketing for food products can lead you to think non-caloric artificial sweeteners help with weight loss, but studies show the opposite.

That’s because artificial sweeteners:

• may lead to cravings, overeating and weight gain
• alter gut bacteria which is important for weight management

For people with diabetes looking to manage their weight or sugar intake, artificial sweeteners may not be a good substitute.

Being overweight or obese can also increase your risk factors for several other health issues such as high blood pressure, body pain, and stroke.

Safety rating for artificial sweeteners

The Center for Science in the Public Interest currently deems artificial sweeteners a product to “avoid.” Avoid means the product is unsafe or poorly tested and not worth any risk.

Sugar alcohols are naturally found in plants and berries. The types most often used in the food industry are synthetically created. You can find them in food products that are labeled as “sugar-free” or “no sugar added.”

Labels such as this are misleading because sugar alcohols are still carbohydrates. They can still raise your blood sugar, but not as much as regular sugar.

Common FDA-approved sugar alcohols are:

• erythritol
• xylitol
• sorbitol
• lactitol
• isomalt
• maltitol

Swerve is a newer consumer brand that contains erythritol. It’s available in many grocery stores. The brand Ideal contains both sucralose and xylitol.

Shop: erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, isomalt, or maltitol

Different from artificial sweeteners

Sugar alcohols are often synthetic, similar to artificial sweeteners. But these two classifications of sugar alternatives aren’t the same. Sugar alcohols are different because they:

• can be metabolized without insulin
• are less sweet than artificial sweeteners and sugar
• can be partially digested in the intestine
• don’t have the aftertaste of artificial sweeteners

Research suggests that sugar alcohols can be a sufficient replacement for sugar. But reports also say that it won’t play a significant role in weight loss. You should treat sugar alcohols the same as sugar and limit your intake.

Sugar alcohols are also known to produce side effects such as gas, bloating, and abdominal discomfort. However, erythritol is usually better tolerated, if you’re concerned about these side effects.

Recent studies indicate that artificial sweeteners are no longer the healthy alternatives to sugar. In fact, they may increase a person’s risk for diabetes, glucose intolerance, and weight gain.

If you’re looking for a healthier alternative, try stevia. Based on research to date, this alternative sweetener is one of your better options. It’s known for its antidiabetic properties and ability to stabilize blood sugar levels.

You can get stevia in raw form, grow the plant yourself, or buy it under brand names such as Sweet Leaf and Truvia.

However, you should still limit your total added sugar intake rather than switching to sugar substitutes.

The more you consume any kind of added sweeteners, the more your palate is exposed to sweet tastes. Palate research shows that the food you prefer and crave is the food that you eat most often.

You’ll see the most benefit for managing your sugar cravings and diabetes when you reduce all forms of added sugar.

Which Sugar Substitutes Are Good for Diabetes? Stevia, Monk Fruit, Mo

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission Here’s our process.

Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:

• Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
• Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
• Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?

We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness.

Read more about our vetting process.

Was this helpful?

Despite sometimes being labeled as “diabetes-friendly,” artificial sweeteners may not be the best choice if you’re trying to monitor your blood glucose.

With a low to no calorie sugar count, artificial sweeteners may seem like a treat for people with diabetes. But recent research indicates that artificial sweeteners may actually be counterintuitive, especially if you’re looking to manage or prevent diabetes.

In fact, the increased consumption of these sugar substitutes may correlate to the increase of obesity and diabetes cases.

The good news is that there are sugar alternatives you can choose from, including:

• stevia or stevia products such as Truvia
• tagatose
• monk fruit extract
• coconut palm sugar
• date sugar
• sugar alcohols, such as erythritol or xylitol

You’ll still want to watch your intake for glucose management, but these options are far better than the products marketed as “sugar-free.”

Stevia is a low-calorie sweetener that has antioxidant and antidiabetic properties. It’s been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Unlike artificial sweeteners and sugar, stevia can suppress your plasma glucose levels and significantly increase glucose tolerance. It’s also not an artificial sweetener, technically speaking. That’s because it’s made from the leaves of the steviaplant.

Stevia alsohas the ability to:

• increase insulin production
• increase insulin’s effect on cell membranes
• stabilize blood sugar levels
• counter the mechanics of type 2 diabetes and its complications

You can find steviaunder brand names such as:

• Pure Via
• Sun Crystals
• SweetLeaf
• Truvia

While steviais natural, these brands are usually highly processed and may contain other ingredients. For example, Truvia goes through 40 processing steps before it’s ready to be sold. It also contains the sugar alcohol erythritol.

Future research may shed more light on the impact of consuming these processed stevia sweeteners.

The best way to consume stevia is to grow the plant yourself and use the whole leaves to sweeten foods.

Shop: stevia

Tagatose is another naturally occurring sugar that researchers are studying. Preliminary studies show that tagatose:

• may be a potential antidiabetic and antiobesity medication
• can lower your blood sugar and insulin response
• interferes with the absorption of carbohydrates

A 2018 review of studies concluded tagatose is “promising as a sweetener without major adverse effects observed.”

But tagatose needs more studies for more definitive answers. Talk to your doctor before trying newer sweeteners such as tagatose.

Shop: tagatose

Monk fruit extract is another alternative that is gaining popularity. But no processed sweetener can beat using fresh whole fruit to sweeten foods.

Another excellent option is date sugar, made of whole dates that are dried and ground. It doesn’t provide fewer calories, but date sugar is made of the whole fruit with the fiber still intact.

You can also subtract fiber from total grams of carbohydrates, if you count carbs for meal planning. This will give you net carbs consumed. The more fibrous a food, the lower impact it will have on your blood sugar.

Shop: monk fruit extract or date sugar

Some artificial sweeteners say “sugar-free” or “diabetic-friendly,” but research suggests these sugars actually have the opposite of effect.

Your body responds to artificial sweeteners differently than it does regular sugar. Artificial sugar can interfere with your body’s learned taste. This can confuse your brain, which will send signals telling you to eat more, especially more sweet foods.

Artificial sweeteners can still raise your glucose levels

One 2016 study saw normal-weight individuals who ate more artificial sweeteners were more likely to have diabetes than people who were overweight or obese.

Another 2014 study found that these sugars, such as saccharin, can change your gut bacteria composition. This change can cause glucose intolerance, which is the first step towards metabolic syndrome and diabetes in adults.

For people who don’t develop a glucose intolerance, artificial sweeteners may help with weight-loss or diabetes control. But switching to this sugar replacement still requires long-term management and controlled intake.

if you’re thinking of replacing sugar regularly, talk to your doctor and dietitian about your concerns.

Artificial sweeteners may also contribute to weight gain

Obesity and being overweight is one of the top predictors for diabetes. While artificial sweeteners are FDA-approved, it doesn’t mean they’re healthy.

Marketing for food products can lead you to think non-caloric artificial sweeteners help with weight loss, but studies show the opposite.

That’s because artificial sweeteners:

• may lead to cravings, overeating and weight gain
• alter gut bacteria which is important for weight management

For people with diabetes looking to manage their weight or sugar intake, artificial sweeteners may not be a good substitute.

Being overweight or obese can also increase your risk factors for several other health issues such as high blood pressure, body pain, and stroke.

Safety rating for artificial sweeteners

The Center for Science in the Public Interest currently deems artificial sweeteners a product to “avoid.” Avoid means the product is unsafe or poorly tested and not worth any risk.

Sugar alcohols are naturally found in plants and berries. The types most often used in the food industry are synthetically created. You can find them in food products that are labeled as “sugar-free” or “no sugar added.”

Labels such as this are misleading because sugar alcohols are still carbohydrates. They can still raise your blood sugar, but not as much as regular sugar.

Common FDA-approved sugar alcohols are:

• erythritol
• xylitol
• sorbitol
• lactitol
• isomalt
• maltitol

Swerve is a newer consumer brand that contains erythritol. It’s available in many grocery stores. The brand Ideal contains both sucralose and xylitol.

Shop: erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, isomalt, or maltitol

Different from artificial sweeteners

Sugar alcohols are often synthetic, similar to artificial sweeteners. But these two classifications of sugar alternatives aren’t the same. Sugar alcohols are different because they:

• can be metabolized without insulin
• are less sweet than artificial sweeteners and sugar
• can be partially digested in the intestine
• don’t have the aftertaste of artificial sweeteners

Research suggests that sugar alcohols can be a sufficient replacement for sugar. But reports also say that it won’t play a significant role in weight loss. You should treat sugar alcohols the same as sugar and limit your intake.

Sugar alcohols are also known to produce side effects such as gas, bloating, and abdominal discomfort. However, erythritol is usually better tolerated, if you’re concerned about these side effects.

Recent studies indicate that artificial sweeteners are no longer the healthy alternatives to sugar. In fact, they may increase a person’s risk for diabetes, glucose intolerance, and weight gain.

If you’re looking for a healthier alternative, try stevia. Based on research to date, this alternative sweetener is one of your better options. It’s known for its antidiabetic properties and ability to stabilize blood sugar levels.

You can get stevia in raw form, grow the plant yourself, or buy it under brand names such as Sweet Leaf and Truvia.

However, you should still limit your total added sugar intake rather than switching to sugar substitutes.

The more you consume any kind of added sweeteners, the more your palate is exposed to sweet tastes. Palate research shows that the food you prefer and crave is the food that you eat most often.

You’ll see the most benefit for managing your sugar cravings and diabetes when you reduce all forms of added sugar.

Which sweetener is better, how to choose, harm and benefits

Sweeteners are substances that give food a sweet taste and are used instead of regular table sugar. Representatives of sweeteners are: fructose, saccharin, cyclamate, aspartame, sucralose and others.

Sweeteners have a colleague known as intense sweetener. The difference is that sweeteners are substances of a non-sugar nature, but with a taste that is tens or hundreds of times sweeter than sugar itself. Stevioside received the greatest popularity from sweeteners, but we will talk about it separately.

Disputes about the dangers and benefits of sweeteners do not subside to this day. Let’s figure out what sweeteners can help and where they can harm. To do this, let’s take a closer look at their types.

Fructose is a natural fruit sugar found in berries, fruits, honey and flower nectar.

“The main advantage of fructose is that it is low in calories compared to sucrose. Fructose does not greatly affect sugar levels and is allowed even for people with diabetes. However, excessive consumption of fructose increases the risk of cardiovascular disorders, ”explains the specialist.

Daily dose: no more than 30-40 g.

Saccharin is a synthetic sweetener. It is produced in the form of tablets under the trade names: Sukrazit, Rio, Sladis, Milford Suss. Saccharin contains no calories, but is not absorbed by the body either. It has a metallic taste, which is a significant disadvantage for consumers.

There is an assertion that saccharin is a carcinogen that leads to the formation of malignant tumors. Modern research suggests that there is no such risk if you adhere to the consumption norm. Daily dose: no more than 0.2 g.

Cyclamate is a sweetener of synthetic origin, which is part of complex tablet sweeteners. Cyclamate is banned in France, the United States and the United Kingdom due to suspected effects on the development of renal failure. In Russia, there are no prohibitions on the use of cyclamate, so it is actively added to the composition, for example, of carbonated drinks. Based on this information, its use is not recommended for renal disorders, pregnancy and breastfeeding. Safe dose: no more than 0.8 g per day.

Aspartame is an artificial sugar substitute, as well as food additive E951. 200 times sweeter than sugar. There are also many rumors about the dependence of the appearance of cancer on the intake of aspartame. But the European Food Safety Authority put an end to the issue back in 2013, when it officially recognized aspartame as harmless to consume.

Produced under such trade names as: Novasvit, Susli, Sladis Lux. Daily dose: not more than 3.5 g

Sucralose is a derivative of sucrose and a safe sweetener. It does not affect the level of glucose in the blood, and also does not participate in carbohydrate metabolism. Sucralose is often used in diets for weight maintenance and is safe for use in children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.

Produced under the trade name Splenda. The daily dose should not exceed 18 mg per kg of body weight.

Thus, the benefits of using sugar substitutes:

• Weight control. When trying to lose weight, sweeteners can be an attractive option.
• Slightly affects blood sugar levels, therefore approved for use in people with diabetes
• Non-carious

Harm:

• Cyclamate and saccharin often exist in the form of sodium salts, which is important to consider when developing a diet for patients with arterial hypertension, kidney disease and edema
• Synthetic sweeteners have a laxative effect when consumed in excess
• Some sweeteners, for example, fructose, increase the risk of cardiovascular pathologies

how to replace sugar, what are there and how to choose the best sweetener?

Against the backdrop of a mass enthusiasm for all kinds of diets and healthy eating, more and more information about the dangers of certain dietary products appears on the Internet. This also applies to sweeteners, which are most often used in dietary nutrition. Let’s try to understand all the nuances and find out whether sugar substitutes are really harmful to health.

Sugar is usually avoided for one of two main reasons: the desire to lose weight or contraindications for health reasons. Both of these are common today. Excessive infatuation with sweets first leads to the appearance of excess weight, and in the long term can contribute to the development of diabetes. In addition, sugar lovers are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and tooth decay. The abuse of sweets adversely affects the condition of the skin and mucous membranes. We should also not forget that sugar and foods containing it stimulate appetite, and this in turn can also lead to unwanted weight gain.

There is only one solution to the problems – refusal to use sugar, both in pure form and as part of various products. At first this may seem overly complicated, but people who are used to a low-calorie diet are well aware that this problem is easily solved with the help of sweeteners. Today, there is a fairly large selection of natural and artificial sugar substitutes, which differ in their characteristics. Consider the main types.

Types of sugar substitutes

All so-called sweeteners are classified into synthetic and natural. Synthetic, or artificial, sweeteners are made from chemical compounds, while natural sweeteners are made from substances of natural origin. The main difference between the two types of sweeteners is also their energy value: artificial sweeteners are calorie-free and completely eliminated from the body, while natural sweeteners have varying degrees of calorie content, but break down much more slowly than sugar, without causing a sharp release of insulin into the blood. It should be noted that there are exceptions: for example, stevia and erythritol have no energy value at all and do not participate in carbohydrate metabolism, although they are natural. In addition, artificial sweeteners are much sweeter than sugar, so they can be used in very small doses. Natural sweeteners are both less sweet and sweeter than regular sugar. For example, stevia is one of the most intense natural sweeteners.

Interesting

The list of sugar-free sweeteners (NSS) that are approved for use in different countries varies. For example, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration; USA) has approved eight HCCs recommended for consumption. This list includes sucralose, saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), neotame, advantam, fruit extracts (Luo Han Gu) and steviol glycosides derived from stevia leaves. The list of sweeteners approved for use in the EU is currently more extensive (for example, it includes cyclamate) [1] .

Natural sweeteners

Fructose

Natural sugar found in vegetables, fruits and honey. It has a greater sweetness compared to sugar by about 1.2–1.8 times. And although its calorie content is not much less than that of regular sugar (grams of fructose – 3.7 kcal, grams of sugar – 4 kcal), due to its greater sweetness, it can be added to drinks and dishes in smaller quantities, thereby reducing the calorie content of dishes. Fructose in small amounts can be used in diabetes, as it has a lower glycemic index (GI fructose = 19, sugar GI = 80), so it does not cause a sharp increase in human blood sugar levels.

There is a misconception that fructose can lead to excess weight. However, recent studies have shown that when fructose replaces other carbohydrates in the diet (similar in calories), it does not affect body weight or blood triglycerides more than the latter. So, excessive consumption of fructose, glucose or saturated fat leads to an equivalent increase in the content of fats in the liver. Excess consumption of both fructose and glucose reduced the sensitivity of the liver to insulin. Thus, these effects are not unique to fructose (as some scientists have previously argued) and are actually related to excess caloric intake. All this leads to the conclusion that an increase in the calorie content of the diet above the norm in the long run always leads to an increase in body weight, if not balanced by physical activity.

The daily intake of fructose is 30–45 g per day. The main advantage of fructose is that it is absolutely harmless, suitable even for children, can be used for cooking, and in addition, it emphasizes the aroma of fruits and berries especially favorably.

Sorbitol

Sorbitol is found in mountain ash, apples, apricots and other fruits. It is not a carbohydrate, but belongs in chemical structure to six-hydric alcohols. For the absorption of this substance in the body does not require insulin. Sorbitol is half as sweet as sugar. Calorie content of sorbitol – 2.4 kcal / g. The Adequate Intake of Sorbitol is 15g per day and the upper limit is 40g. Excessive use of this sweetener may cause a laxative effect.

Erythritol

Erythritol, or melon sugar, is a new natural sweetener that does not cause blood sugar to rise. It is a water-soluble, odorless crystals, very similar to sugar. The calorie content of erythritol is so small that in most countries it is taken equal to zero. Erythritol does not cause cavities. The sweetness level of erythritol is about 70% of that of regular sugar. The substitute is perfectly tolerated by the body even in slightly higher dosages than regular sugar, which distinguishes it from sorbitol, which has a laxative side effect. Recently, erythritol can often be found in combination with stevia, as it is able to improve its specific taste.

Stevia

Stevia extract (steviol glycosides) is one of the most popular natural sweeteners today. This sweetener is obtained from the leaves of the herbaceous plant of the same name, which grows in South America and Asia. Stevia is a natural calorie-free sweetener that is 200-400 times sweeter than table sugar, but has a rather specific aftertaste (“herbal” aftertaste). However, now manufacturers have learned how to purify stevia extracts in such a way as to eliminate this drawback as much as possible. The acceptable daily intake level for stevia is 4 mg/kg body weight. Stevia is also known as honey herb and was previously used as a medicinal herb to balance blood sugar levels. An all-natural, calorie-free sweetener that is completely safe and even beneficial for diabetics (glycemic index zero). Currently, there are no reports of toxicity of the components of this sweetener. It is absolutely safe and has no contraindications for use.

Interesting

Stevia has been used medicinally in Paraguay and Brazil for centuries. In Japan, the sweetener derived from it has been sold as a food additive for over 40 years.

Artificial sweeteners

Sucralose

The newest type of sweetener that is made from regular sugar. Sucralose is considered one of the safest substitutes. It is 600 times sweeter than sugar and contains no calories, and most importantly, it does not affect blood sugar levels (the glycemic index is zero). One of the main advantages of sucralose is its taste, which, compared to other intense sweeteners, is the closest to the taste of regular sugar. Sucralose can be used for cooking: it fully retains its qualities during heat treatment and freezing. This premium sweetener has been repeatedly tested not only in animals, but also in humans, as a result of which it has been proven to be completely safe for all populations, including children and pregnant women. Sucralose is approved by the world’s leading food safety organizations in the US, Europe and Canada. In Russia, sucralose is also approved for use. The tolerable daily intake level for sucralose is 15 mg/kg body weight. Sucralose is absorbed by only 15%, which are completely eliminated from the body in a day.

Aspartame

The most popular artificial sweetener, the benefits and harms of which are constantly debated. Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar and has a minimal calorie content. It is about this sweetener that there are many myths that have no basis. The only thing to really pay attention to when using aspartame is that it should not be used in dishes that are subjected to prolonged heating or boiling, as aspartame decomposes at high temperatures.

Table sweeteners are always labeled with their safe daily dose, making it easy to calculate how much you can consume without harming your health.

Saccharin

450 times sweeter than sugar and contains no calories, has a bitter taste. The myth about the dangers of saccharin is based on experiments that were conducted in the 1970s on laboratory rats. However, the conclusions drawn in the course of these experiments have long been refuted. The tolerable daily intake level for saccharin is 5 mg per kilogram of body weight.

Cyclamate

The sweetener cyclamate is 30 times sweeter than sugar and contains no calories. It is produced chemically and can be used for cooking. The tolerable daily intake level for cyclamate is 11 mg per kilogram of body weight. Today, this sweetener is approved for use in Europe and Asia. Cyclamate is most often used in combination with saccharin, which improves the taste of the sweetener and at the same time reduces the dose of both substances.

Advantam

This sweetener is about 20,000 times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose). Advantam is actively used in the US, where the FDA approved it in 2014 for use as a general purpose sweetener and flavor enhancer in foods (except meat, including poultry). Advantham is thermostable, which means that it remains sweet even at high temperatures, making it suitable as a sugar substitute in baked goods.

In determining safety and benefit, the FDA reviewed data from 37 studies (animal and human) conducted to identify potential toxic effects on the immune, reproductive, nervous and developmental systems.

Acesulfame K

200 times sweeter than sugar, low in calories and completely eliminated from the body unchanged. It can be used for cooking. Acesulfame K is approved in the US, Russia and most European countries. A safe daily dose according to WHO is 15 mg per kilogram of body weight.

Interesting

In countries that have been using sweeteners for a long time, there are restrictions on the use of their varieties in certain products. For example, saccharin is permitted in the US only as a sweetener in certain special dietary products and as an additive used for certain technological purposes. Neotame, acesulfame K, advantham are approved as sweeteners and flavor enhancers in foods, except meat and poultry. In contrast, sucralose and aspartame have the status of an additive approved for use as a sweetener in all foods without exception [2] .

Sweeteners: benefits and harms

From the above, we can draw an unambiguous conclusion: modern sweeteners are not as terrible as they are sometimes written about. Most often, such materials are based on unverified information and insufficient scientific research, and are often funded by sugar producers. The clear benefits of using most sweeteners have been proven in numerous studies. The most important recommendation when using any sweetener is not to exceed its daily dose.

How to choose a sweetener

The level of consumption of sweeteners in Russia is lower than in other countries.