How to Identify Artificial Sweeteners

Know what's sweetening your food and drinks.

Artificial sweeteners are marketed under a variety of brand names, but the brand names for these sweeteners aren't usually printed on the package. If you want to avoid artificial sweeteners (or if you prefer them over natural sweeteners), review the list of ingredients in a product before buying it. Some artificial sweeteners stand out, but others have names very similar to sugar or sucrose, making it somewhat difficult to find the artificial sweetener in the product.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• a sharp eye
• packaged food products
• a little time

1. Look for the ingredient aspartame. This artificial sweetener was approved by the FDA in 1981. It is packaged under the brand names NutraSweet, Equal and Sugar Twin. It is used in over six thousand products and is usually listed as aspartame in the ingredients list in products like diet soda. It is 220 times sweeter than regular sugar and loses its sweetness when heated.

2. Review for acesulfame-K or Acesulfame potassium. This artificial sweetener has been around since 1988. It is also a flavor-enhancer. Look for any of the following names given for this sweetener: acesulfame k, acesulfame potassium, Ace-K or the brand name Sunnett or Sweet One.

3. Look for the ingredient saccharin. This is the granddaddy of artificial sweeteners, having been around for over 100 years. It's usually listed as saccharin in the ingredients list on products that contain this artificial sweetener. Brand names include; Sweet and Low, Sweet 'N Low, Sweet Twin and Necta Sweet. Saccharin often has a bitter or metallic aftertaste and can't be used for cooking or baking.

4. Search for the ingredient sucralose. This artificial sweetener can be found in over four thousand products, including baked goods. The brand name is Splenda. The name sucralose is very similar to sucrose, which is table sugar, which makes it more difficult to identify. It is 600 times sweeter than regular sugar and retains its sweetness when exposed to heat.

5. Look for the the artificial sweetener Neotame. The FDA approved this updated version of aspartame. It is an artificial sweetener that is not supposed to cause the phenylalanine dangers to persons with PKU that aspartame does.

6. Review products for stevia. Also called sweet leaf, sugarleaf or sweetleaf, this product is a food additive and extracted from the plant "Steveia rebaudiana." It is sold under the brand Truvia, Pure Via and Sun Crystal.

Tips & Warnings

• If the label says 'diet' or 'light', the ingredients most likely contain an artificial sweetener.

• Whether you try to avoid artificial sweeteners, or prefer them over natural sweeteners, be sure to check the ingredients carefully.

References

• MayoClinic.com: Artificial Sweeteners: Understanding These and Other Sugar Substitutes
• MedlinePlus: Sweeteners - Artificial