10 Artificial/natural sweeteners sweeter than sugar
Sugar is one of the most critical ingredients in food products. Can you imagine pastry, beverages, sweets without it. No you can't
A few months ago my father decided to make a cup of strawberry drink from one of those powdered drink mixes. The package was so small (about the length of his index finger) he thought he needed to use all of it in the cup. To cut a long story short, he kept adding water, seemingly endlessly, for it to become bearable for drinking. It turns out that that very small pack was intended for a liter of water rather than a cup. This of course could not be regular sugar, hence I'm gonna take some time to make you aware of some sweeteners out there. Some very controversial but all much cheaper than sugar.
Note: When we speak of sugar we are speaking of sucrose which is common household sugar. Sucrose is the reference point of sweetness hence has a sweetness index of 1.00
A few months ago my father decided to make a cup of strawberry drink from one of those powdered drink mixes. The package was so small (about the length of his index finger) he thought he needed to use all of it in the cup. To cut a long story short, he kept adding water, seemingly endlessly, for it to become bearable for drinking. It turns out that that very small pack was intended for a liter of water rather than a cup. This of course could not be regular sugar, hence I'm gonna take some time to make you aware of some sweeteners out there. Some very controversial but all much cheaper than sugar.
Note: When we speak of sugar we are speaking of sucrose which is common household sugar. Sucrose is the reference point of sweetness hence has a sweetness index of 1.00
#10- Honey
One of the few natural sweeteners in this list, honey has a similar composition to sucrose. The difference with sucrose is that it is a disaccharide made up of glucose and fructose bonded together, whereas honey is made up of mainly non-bonded monosaccharides (38.2% frucose, 31.3% glucose, 7.1% maltose), 17.2% water, trace minerals and antioxidants, and small amounts of higher sugars (oligasaccharides) .
Honey is 1-1.5 times sweeter than sugar. (There are a few man-made copies of honey such as invert sugar, golden syrup, corn syrup, and high fructose corn syrup)
One of the few natural sweeteners in this list, honey has a similar composition to sucrose. The difference with sucrose is that it is a disaccharide made up of glucose and fructose bonded together, whereas honey is made up of mainly non-bonded monosaccharides (38.2% frucose, 31.3% glucose, 7.1% maltose), 17.2% water, trace minerals and antioxidants, and small amounts of higher sugars (oligasaccharides) .
Honey is 1-1.5 times sweeter than sugar. (There are a few man-made copies of honey such as invert sugar, golden syrup, corn syrup, and high fructose corn syrup)
#9- Fructose
Fructose is a naturally occurring sugar found mainly in fruits. It is also is one of the two sugars that make up the sucrose.
Fructose is 1.14 to 1.73 times sweeter than sugar
Fructose is a naturally occurring sugar found mainly in fruits. It is also is one of the two sugars that make up the sucrose.
Fructose is 1.14 to 1.73 times sweeter than sugar
#8- Acesulfame K
This is a zero calorie artificial sweetener because it is not metabolized in the body, it passes out. It is almost always used with another sweetener(s) in products such as shakes, chewable and liquid medications. It is a controversial sweetener, like many artificial sweeteners, thought to be linked to problems such as cancer, and hypoglycemia.
It is said to have a bitter after-taste
Ace K is 200 times sweeter than sugar
This is a zero calorie artificial sweetener because it is not metabolized in the body, it passes out. It is almost always used with another sweetener(s) in products such as shakes, chewable and liquid medications. It is a controversial sweetener, like many artificial sweeteners, thought to be linked to problems such as cancer, and hypoglycemia.
It is said to have a bitter after-taste
Ace K is 200 times sweeter than sugar
#7- Aspartame
This is one of the most controversial FDA approved sweeteners (this was the sugar found in the drink my father was trying to mix, see top of page). Controversial because it is said to be addictive, linked to several cancers, obesity, birth defects, and is thought to be an exitotoxin. This is one of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners. It is found in sodas, variety of beverages, snacks and sweets.
Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar. (For a better understanding of how sweet this is imagine dividing up the spoon of sugar at the top of the page into 200 equal parts. Only one of those small portions would be needed to achieve the same effect of sweetness as that spoonful of sugar.
This is one of the most controversial FDA approved sweeteners (this was the sugar found in the drink my father was trying to mix, see top of page). Controversial because it is said to be addictive, linked to several cancers, obesity, birth defects, and is thought to be an exitotoxin. This is one of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners. It is found in sodas, variety of beverages, snacks and sweets.
Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar. (For a better understanding of how sweet this is imagine dividing up the spoon of sugar at the top of the page into 200 equal parts. Only one of those small portions would be needed to achieve the same effect of sweetness as that spoonful of sugar.
#6- Saccharin
One of the oldest artificial sweeteners, it is an approved dietary sweetener commonly found in those small packets. Saccharin also has its shares of controversy, this sweetener was an accidental discovery following an experiment which had nothing to do with sweeteners.
I guess we owe these discoveries to bad lab practices. (Avoid tasting)
Saccharin is 200 to 700 times sweeter than
One of the oldest artificial sweeteners, it is an approved dietary sweetener commonly found in those small packets. Saccharin also has its shares of controversy, this sweetener was an accidental discovery following an experiment which had nothing to do with sweeteners.
I guess we owe these discoveries to bad lab practices. (Avoid tasting)
Saccharin is 200 to 700 times sweeter than
#5- Sucralose
You may be more familiar with the brand Splenda, which it is sold under. The story behind the discovery of sucralose is not the best of stories. This sweetener was as a result of scientists trying to develop an insecticide. As to why they would eventually decide to taste it I don't know the logic behind that.
It is a popular zero calorie sweetener, though controversial it is FDA approved.
Sucralose is about 600 times sweeter than sugar.
You may be more familiar with the brand Splenda, which it is sold under. The story behind the discovery of sucralose is not the best of stories. This sweetener was as a result of scientists trying to develop an insecticide. As to why they would eventually decide to taste it I don't know the logic behind that.
It is a popular zero calorie sweetener, though controversial it is FDA approved.
Sucralose is about 600 times sweeter than sugar.
#4- Thaumatin
This is the last natural sweetener left on this list. The sweetener comes from the Katemfe fruit of Sudan in West Africa.
Thaumatin is approved as safe and is generally used alongside other sweeteners. It has no known health concerns but has an after-taste similar to that of licorice.
Thaumatin is up to 2000 times! sweeter than sugar.
This is the last natural sweetener left on this list. The sweetener comes from the Katemfe fruit of Sudan in West Africa.
Thaumatin is approved as safe and is generally used alongside other sweeteners. It has no known health concerns but has an after-taste similar to that of licorice.
Thaumatin is up to 2000 times! sweeter than sugar.
#3- Neotame
Neotame is a newly developed artificial sweetener. It is one of those controversial ones. It is said to be a neurotoxin but it is still FDA approved. The argument is that amount of neotame used is so small these effects are negligible.
Neotame is up to 13,000!! times sweeter than sugar.
Neotame is a newly developed artificial sweetener. It is one of those controversial ones. It is said to be a neurotoxin but it is still FDA approved. The argument is that amount of neotame used is so small these effects are negligible.
Neotame is up to 13,000!! times sweeter than sugar.
#2- Advantame
Advantame is a new FDA approved zero calorie artificial sweetener, great for use in baking,cooking, food and drink
Advantame is 20,000 times!!! sweeter than sugar.
Advantame is a new FDA approved zero calorie artificial sweetener, great for use in baking,cooking, food and drink
Advantame is 20,000 times!!! sweeter than sugar.
#1- Lugduname
Lugduname is a guanidine sweetener, sweetest known compound. It has not yet been approved due to issues of toxicity.
Lugduname is up to 300,000 times!!!!! sweeter than sugar
Now if you go back to the picture of the spoon of sugar at the top of the page. If that's the amount of sugar needed to sweeten a cup of tea then a single grain of Lugduname would make that tea sweeter than the spoon of sugar.. Amazing!!!
Lugduname is a guanidine sweetener, sweetest known compound. It has not yet been approved due to issues of toxicity.
Lugduname is up to 300,000 times!!!!! sweeter than sugar
Now if you go back to the picture of the spoon of sugar at the top of the page. If that's the amount of sugar needed to sweeten a cup of tea then a single grain of Lugduname would make that tea sweeter than the spoon of sugar.. Amazing!!!
Written by Andrew Moore
References
http://www.sugar.org/other-sweeteners/artificial-sweeteners/
http://www.honey.com/images/downloads/carb.pdf
http://owlsoft.com/pdf_docs/WhitePaper/Rel_Sweet.pdf
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/28/neotame-more-toxic-than-aspartame.aspx
http://www.caloriecontrol.org/sweeteners-and-lite/sugar-substitutes/advantame
http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/sci/chem-faq/part5/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/12/03/sucralose-dangers.aspx
http://www.sugar.org/other-sweeteners/artificial-sweeteners/
http://www.honey.com/images/downloads/carb.pdf
http://owlsoft.com/pdf_docs/WhitePaper/Rel_Sweet.pdf
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/28/neotame-more-toxic-than-aspartame.aspx
http://www.caloriecontrol.org/sweeteners-and-lite/sugar-substitutes/advantame
http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/sci/chem-faq/part5/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/12/03/sucralose-dangers.aspx