Sweetener Safety

 All humans have an affinity for sweetness (some more than others). Historically this need was met through molasses, maple syrup and honey. In more recent history we are getting our sweet fix through foods and beverages containing refined sugars like and cane or beet sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Due to the accessibility, low cost and consumer preference for refined sugars they are now in everything and significantly contributing to the nations expanding waistlines. Enter low-calorie artificial sweeteners! These sweeteners are 200-600 times sweeter than table sugar so only a small amount is needed to reach the sweetness of sugar which is great for those watching their weight, individuals with diabetes and people prone to cavities.

How safe are these artificial sweeteners?

Aspartame
Aliases: Nutrasweet, Nutrataste, Sugar Twin, Equal, AminoSweet, “the stuff in the blue packet”

Aspartame is generally safe for all populations, including children, people with diabetes, and women who are pregnant or lactating. (The only exception is people born with phenylketonuria (PKU).) Aspartame was approved for use by the FDA in 1981. Aspartame is determined to be safe, by other regulatory bodies around the world, including the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (JECFA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Sucralose
Aliases: Splenda, “the stuff in the yellow packet”

Sucralose is generally safe for all populations, including children and women who are pregnant or breast feeding. Sucralose was approved for use in 15 food and beverage categories by the FDA in April 1998 and as a “general purpose” sweetener in 1999.

Saccharin
Aliases: Sweet n’ Low, Sweet Twin and Necta Sweet, “the stuff in the pink packet”

Saccharin is generally safe for all populations, including children, and women who are pregnant or lactating. Saccharin is regarded as safe by the FDA, the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (JECFA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Acesulfame potassium
Aliases: acesulfame K or, Sunette, Sweet One, Sweet & Safe

Ace- K is generally safe for all populations, including children and women who are pregnant or lactating. It has been used in Europe since 1983 and in the U.S. since 1988. In the United States, ace-K was granted approval for use as a general purpose sweetener in December, 2003. Several scientific and regulatory bodies throughout the world, including the FDA, Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (JECFA), and the Scientific Committee for Food of the European Union (SCF), have reviewed the available research on ace- K and concluded that it is safe for use in foods and beverages.

Rebiana
Aliases: PureVia, Truvia, Stevia

Rebiana is generally safe for all populations, including children and women who are pregnant or breast feeding. Recent studies, including human studies on safety, metabolism and intake, have demonstrated the safety of the highly purified steviol glycosides (like stevia).