It can be easy to get confused by ingredient and nutrition labels on foods, especially those containing sucralose and other sugar substitutes. Some consumers may be trying to avoid artificial sugar substitutes, but end up buying products with sucralose because they do not realize that sucralose and Splenda are the same chemical additive. While some people try to avoid consuming foods and beverages with Splenda or sucralose, there are also people seek out low-calorie sweeteners.
Whatever your health goal is, recognizing the different names for the same artificial sweetener will help you find the right products to buy.
Five FDA-Approved Artificial Sweeteners
Currently there are only five artificial sweeteners currently approved for use in the U.S. by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), according to the National Cancer Institute. Those five artificial sweeteners are Acesulfame potassium, Aspartame, Neotame, Saccharin and Sucralose. (Cancer.gov)
Typically these low-calorie sweeteners are sweeter than sugar, which allows less of the product to be used to create a sweetened drink or food.
Some of these sugar substitutes are more commonly known by their brand names.
Sucralose
One of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners today is sucralose. According to the New York Times, sucralose holds 63 percent of the artificial sweetener market (NYT).
Sucralsoe has been approved for tabletop use since 1998 (National Cancer Institute). Actually, the FDA approved this sweetener on April 1, 1998, which seems worth noting. In that regard, it joins other low-calories sweeteners includingsaccharin and aspartame.
Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar. (IFIC)
According to the FDA sucralose is safe.
“In determining the safety of sucralose, FDA reviewed data from more than 110 studies in humans and animals. Many of the studies were designed to identify possible toxic effects including carcinogenic, reproductive and neurological effects.”
No such effects were found, and FDA’s approval is based on its finding that sucralose is safe for human consumption.” (FDA)
Because the FDA deems sucralose safe, products containing sucralose do not need any warning labels. Consumers looking to avoid sucralose needs to read labels carefully.
Not everyone believes that sucralose is safe, some consumers do have adverse reactions to it, and it continues to undergo different studies. One of the controversies surrounding sucralose is the chlorine that has been added to it.
Chemically, sucralose contains three chlorine atoms to a sugar molecule. Some argue that chlorine is a naturally-occurring ingredient in different foods. Others do not see this as being the same as chemically added chlorine.
Splenda is Just a Brand Name
Just because a product label does not have the brand name Splenda on it does not mean the product does not contain the sucralose.
While some products with reduced sugar and calories do use the Splenda name and logo to indicate that it contains the sweetener sucralose, not all products containing sucralose bear the Splenda logo or name.
One of these new products is Gatorade’s new G2 sports beverage. Nowhere on the bottle does it read, “Splenda,” nor does it need to read Splenda. In the ingredients list, it very clearly lists “sucralose.”
Other Artificial Sweeteners
Acesulfame potassium
Acesulfame potassium is one of the lesser known sugar substitutes used in food and beverage products. This artificial sweetener first gained limited approval in 1988 (Cancer.gov) and is now used as a “general purpose sweetener.
Acesulfame potassium is 200 times sweeter than sugar. (IFIC)
When you read an ingredients list, this sugar substitute could be listed under its chemical name, Acesulfame potassium, or under one of its brand names. Brand names for this sugar substitute include ACK, Sweet One, and Sunett (registered trademark).
Acesulfame potassium was approved by the FDA in 1988 for use in specific food and beverage categories, and was later approved as a general purpose sweetener (except in meat and poultry) in 2002.
Acesulfame potassium is another sugar substitute used in Gatorade’s G2 low-calorie electrolyte beverage.
Neotame
Neotame “was approved by the FDA as a general purpose sweetener (except in meat and poultry) in 2002.” (IFIC) Chemically it resembles aspartame, and it is a product of the NutraSweet Company.
Neotame is about 7,000 to 13,000 times” sweeter than sugar. (FDA)
Brand-name products that contain include Crystal Clear and Tang.
More Commonly Known Low-Calorie Sugar Substitutes and Brands
Aspartame Quick Facts
Aspartame can appear on food product labels under the word aspartame or under the brand names of NutraSweet or Equal.
Aspartame has been approved for use by the FDA since 1981 (IFIC). It is 200 times sweeter than sugar (FDA).
Saccharin Low-Calorie Sugar Substitute
Saccharin can appear on food product labels under the word saccharin or i under the following brand names: Necta Sweet, Sweet’n Low or Sweet Twin. (FDA)
You might also find warning labels on products containing saccharin. Product with saccharin have not been required to come with warning labels since the year 2000 (IFIC, FDA).
Saccharin is 300 times sweeter than sugar.
Conclusion
When searching product labels for artificial sweeteners, either to avoid them, or to help you find low-calorie sweetener, it is equally important to know the brand names and the chemical names of these sugar substitutes.
Sources
“Everything You Need to Know About Acesulfame Potassium,”http://www.ific.org
National Cancer Institute, http://www.cancer.gov
Neotame, http://www.neotame.com
Gatorade bottle ingredients list
Makers of Artificial Sweeteners Go to Court”, New York Times Business section, April 6, 2007
Neotame, http://www.neotame.com
Spenda.com Http://www.splenda.com
Truth About Splenda, http://www.truthaboutsplenda.com
