Sweet'N Low Ingredient Not Saccharin in Branded Items

The artificial sweeteners in this article are all approved by the FDA. You can search the web and find warnings on all of them where people have had adverse after affects, but millions of people use them every day. The trick is to find the artificial sweetener that suits your needs.

Sweet'N Low
When a family member was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, he switched from using sugar to using an artificial sweetener. At first, the brand selected was Sweet'N Low, which is made from saccharin. I was excited to find a package of candy with the Sweet'N Low brand and snatched it up. However, when I got home and read the label I was astounded to see that the artificial sweetener ingredient was aspartame!

The Sweet'N Low web site FAQ says "Today there are both sugar free and low sugar food manufacturers licensed to use the Sweet'N Low brand name. Although the sweetening ingredients vary in these products, you can be assured that they meet our high standards of quality and taste."

This seemed as though it was false advertising, so I wrote Sweet'N Low and the FDA. Both assured me that it was perfectly acceptable to use a different sweetener in branded items. So, for Sweet'N Low, do not trust that the brand name on packages means the product uses saccharin. Read the ingredients to see if it contains an artificial sweetener you want to use.

Splenda
I switched to buying Splenda and their branded products. So far, all the products marked Splenda include sucralose, their brand of artificial sweetener. Some products marked low-carb or low-sugar are also made with sucralose, although they do not carry the Splenda brand name.

The down side is that at first it was hard to find products made with sucralose. Progress has been made in just the last two years. Now I buy low-carb ice cream, yoghurt, pickle relish, and cheesecake mousse mix all made with sucralose and available in my local store. For drinks, Pepsi One is made with sucralose (the other Pepsi products are made with aspartame). Arizona Tea offers beverages made with sucralose. If you can't find them locally you can buy them on line.

Equal
Equal 's artificial sweetener is aspartame. I don't see a lot of products branded Equal, but tons of low-carb or low-sugar products are made with aspartame so you have a wide selection. The bad news is that we have had some adverse reactions to aspartame such as headaches and not feeling well, so it isn't in our list of artificial sweetener options.

Sugar Alcohols
Some products marked low-sugar are high in sugar alcohols. Typically people are fine eating them in small quantities but we found out the hard way that sugar alcohols can cause diarrhea. Most candies like chocolates and taffy are high in sugar alcohols. Read the labels, watch your portion size.

Agave Nectar
And finally, a nice surprise. When reading up on alternative sweeteners I found agave nectar . It is a syrup made from the agave plant, and has a lower glycemic index. At first I found it only in one specialty food store in my area. Now it is available in my local store! Even better news, it does not raise blood sugar levels for a Type 2 diabetic the way that sugar or normal syrup does. (Disclaimer: Results may vary! Test how it works by measuring your blood sugar levels after trying it.)

Your Choice
No matter how much reading or research you do on artificial sweeteners, the bottom line is choosing something that works for you with few side effects. Read labels every time so you have no surprises.

SOURCES
Sweet n Low, http://www.sweetnlow.com/ , FAQ
Splenda, http://www.splenda.com/faq/no-calorie-sweetener , FAQ
Equal, http://www.equal.com/faq/faq.html , FAQ
Arizona Tea, http://www.drinkarizona.com/index_national.html#carousel_diet , tea made with sucralose
Agave Nectar, http://www.allaboutagave.com/agave-vs-artificial.php , Agave Nectar versus artificial sweeteners