Table 2.
| Sweetener | Sweetness Compared to Table Sugar | kcal/g | ADI (mg/kg Body Weight/day) | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-nutritive high-intensity sweeteners | ||||
| Acesulfame K | ×200 | 0 | 15 (FDA) 9 (EFSA) |
Can be used for cooking and baking; bitter taste |
| Aspartame | ×200 | 4 | 50 (FDA) 40 (EFSA) |
It is not heat-stable and loses its sweetness when heated, so usually it is not used in baked goods. It is a source of phenylalanine. People with phenylketonuria should control their intake of phenylalanine from all sources, including aspartame |
| Saccharin | ×200–700 | 0 | 15 (FDA) 5 (EFSA) |
It is the first to be discovered (1879). Suitable for cooking or table use |
| Neotame | ×7000–10,000 | 0 | 0.3 (FDA) 0–2 (EFSA) |
Derivative of aspartame. It is heat-stable |
| Cyclamate | ×30–50 | 0 | Banned by FDA 7 (EFSA) |
To improve palatability cyclamate is often blended with saccharin |
| Sucralose | ×600 | 0 | 5 (FDA) 4 (EFSA) |
It is heat stable |
| Advantame | ×20,000 | 0 | 32.8 (FDA) 5 (EFSA) |
FDA-approved in 2014. It is heat-stable |
| Steviol glycosides | ×200–400 | 0 | 4 (EFSA) * 4 (FDA) * |
It can be used for cooking and baking |
| Sugar alcohols | ||||
| Erythritol | 0.7 | 0.2 | NA Maximum non-laxative dose 0.66–1 g/kg body weight |
Stable at high temperatures. Found naturally in fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and fermented foods (wine, soy sauce). Used as bulk sweetener in several low-calorie foods |
| Sorbitol | 0.6 | 2.5 | NA Maximum non-laxative dose 0.17–0.24 g/kg body weight |
Stable at high temperatures. It is commonly used in dietetic foods including ice cream and diet drinks, sugar-free chewing gum, mints, and cough syrups |
| Isomalt | 0.45–0.65 | 2 | NA Maximum non-laxative dose 0.3 g/kg body weight |
Stable at high temperatures. Used in hard candies, toffee, chewing gum, chocolate, and cough drops |
| Maltitol | 0.75 | 2.7 | NA Maximum non-laxative dose 0.3 g/kg body weight |
Stable at high temperatures. Obtained from starch by hydrogenating maltose.Used in hard candies, chewing gum, chocolates, baked goods, and ice cream |
| Xylitol | 1 | 2.5 | NA Maximum non-laxative dose 0.3–0.42 g/kg body weight |
Stable at high temperatures. It is commonly used in chewing-gum |
ADI: acceptable daily intake. FDA: Food and Drug Administration. EFSA: European Food Safety Authority * ADI established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).