Sweet Science: A Scientist Reports on Artificial Sweeteners

Introduction
Consumer demand for non-caloric sweeteners has fueled the production of several non-nutritive high-intensity sweetening agents that can be safely used as sugar replacements in foods and beverages. Because artificial sweeteners are not absorbed, they contribute no calories, do not stimulate appetite, and do not raise blood sugar. Newer, artificial sweeteners are more potent, often several thousand-fold sweeter than table sugar. Many are stable enough at high temperatures that they can be used in home baking. Interestingly, artificial sweeteners do not cause tooth decay because they are not broken down into acidic substances that erode tooth enamel. Because of the chemistry involved in making artificial sweeteners, consumers unfamiliar with science or the food industry may question the safety of such products and whether these super-sweet additives are safe, but these concerns are unfounded. In fact, scientists who study artificial sweeteners-and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which approves and monitors these products-agree that these products, when used in recommended amounts in conjunction with a healthy diet, are not only quite safe, but also they are useful for those who are concerned about tooth decay or who need to control their consumption of sucrose for weight or blood sugar management.

Saccharine

Saccharin was developed in response to a perceived need to have non-sugar-sweetened foods for diabetics who could not freely enjoy sweetened foods and drinks without some health risk. Sold under the trade name Sweet'n Low, saccharin is 300-500 times sweeter than table sugar. A reported drawback of saccharine was that it often had a bitter or metallic aftertaste in some products. In 1977, a warning label was added to saccharin-containing foods and beverages because of speculation about saccharine causing cancer. Although scientists found that saccharin, in very high doses, produced bladder tumors in laboratory mice, the warning label was removed from saccharine-containing products in 2000 when further research showed that saccharine was not carcinogenic in humans. All subsequent research to date has confirmed that saccharin is safe.

Acesulfame

Acesulfame-potassium, or acesulfame-K, was developed in 1967 and approved for use in the US in 1988. Marketed under the trade name Sunette, acesulfame-K is two hundred times sweeter than sugar. Unlike aspartame, acesulfame-K is stable when heated, so it can be used in cooking and baking. Unfortunately, in large amounts, the compound has a bitter aftertaste like saccharine.

Cyclamate

Cyclamate is one artificial sweetener that did not survive testing and scrutiny. Thirty times sweeter than sucrose, cyclamate was discovered in 1937 and later banned in 1969 because scientists found that high doses of cyclamate caused bladder tumors in mice. Although this product was reconsidered for approval in 1982, this approval was denied. Presently, cyclamate is not an approved artificial sweetener in the US, but Canada and some European countries permit cyclamate use.

Aspartame

Aspartame, sold as NutraSweet, was discovered in 1969 and approved for use in the US in 1981. Two hundred times sweeter than sugar, aspartame is best used in prepared foods and beverages and not for home baking because it loses its sweetness at high temperatures, and at high concentrations, it may have a bitter aftertaste. Aspartame is unique in that it is made from combining two essential amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Thus, when aspartame is broken down in the body after consumption, phenylalanine is a byproduct. Phenylalanine is safe in healthy individuals, but for persons with a rare and hereditary metabolic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU), phenylalanine. Persons with PKU have a deficiency in the enzyme that breaks down phenylalanine, so it accumulates in the body, which can cause brain development problems that may lead to mental retardation and seizures. Thus, people with PKU must monitor their intake of phenylalanine in the diet. In light of this, the FDA provides labels for any products containing phenylalanine. Because PKU is present at birth, and cannot be detected in unborn children, scientists suggest that pregnant women not use products containing aspartame as a precautionary measure.

Sucralose

Sucralose was discovered in 1976 and approved for use in the US in 1988. Sold under the trade name Splenda, this product is 600 times sweeter than sugar. Sucralose is unique in that it is made from rearranged sugar molecules.

Neotame

Neotame was discovered in 1990 and was approved for use in the US in 2002. Neotame is reported to be 7,000-13,000 times sweeter than sugar. Neotame is similar to aspartame and can be used in cooking and baking. Although neotame is chemically related to aspartame, it is not broken down in the body to phenylalanine like aspartame.

Alitame

Alitame, marketed under the name Aclame was developed in the early 1980s. Alitame is about 2,000 times sweeter than sugar, and it is reported to have no aftertaste like saccharine or aspartame. Alitame has been shown to be safe for humans, but at this time, a petition for use of alitame in the US is being considered.

Stevia

A popular sweetener which can be found at many upmarket food stores (trade name Truvia) that capitalize on the consumer belief that organic food is better carry stevioside (stevia) which is a product derived from the stevia rebaudiana bertoni plant. Stevia, marketed under the trade name Truvia, imparts a sweetness 300 times greater than sugar, and it is completely eliminated from the body in less than 24 hours. This product was approved by the FDA in 2008.

Sugar Alcohols

Newer sugar substitutes are the sugar alcohols which include sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, mannitol, isomalt, and maltitol. Interestingly, these sugar alcohols which are named as such because of their chemical structure, are not technically considered to be true artificial sweeteners. Like artificial sweeteners, they sweeten foods and beverages and do not promote tooth decay or offer extra calories. Sugar alcohols do not raise blood sugar as they are not absorbed by the body; rather, they are excreted or eliminated form the body unchanged. Consumers of products with alcohol sugars have reported gastrointestinal distress such as bloating, intestinal gas, and loose stools after consuming large amounts of these products.

Conclusion

A multitude of artificial high-intensity sweeteners are available for the consumer, either in prepared foods and beverages or in bulk for use in recipes at home. Because each sweetener has been thoroughly tested by scientists and approved by the US FDA, we can be assured that these products, used in conjunction with a healthy diet, are not only safe but also may have many advantages for health maintenance and well being.