Tag: Nutritive sweeteners

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there is no single scientific name for 'sugar-free sugar' because the term encompasses a diverse group of substances, from artificial compounds to natural plant extracts. These sugar substitutes, or non-nutritive sweeteners, are chemically distinct from table sugar (sucrose) and are classified based on their origin and chemical structure.

According to nutritional classifications, honey is not a non-nutritive sweetener because it contains calories and carbohydrates, mainly in the form of fructose and glucose. Non-nutritive sweeteners, by definition, provide little to no energy when consumed. This distinction is crucial for understanding how honey impacts diet and overall health, especially for those managing sugar intake.

According to the World Health Organization, there is no evidence of a long-term benefit from non-sugar sweeteners for weight loss, which highlights the critical need to understand what is the difference between nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners. These two categories of sweeteners impact the body in distinct ways, from calorie count to metabolic effects.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as 'Generally Recognized as Safe' (GRAS) since 1983, finding no evidence that it is less safe than other traditional nutritive sweeteners like sucrose. This official position, however, has not silenced the public debate over whether high-fructose corn syrup is bad for you.

Lugduname, a synthetic substance developed in the 1990s, has been recorded as being over 200,000 times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose), making it one of the most intensely sweet compounds ever created. However, the concept of the 'most sugary' is more complex than it first appears, involving natural fruits, refined sugars, and powerful artificial sweeteners.

While sucralose is known for its zero-calorie sweetness, research on its effects on insulin is not straightforward and often conflicting. A meta-analysis published in the `British Journal of Nutrition` noted inconsistent findings across various studies concerning the impact of non-nutritive sweeteners on blood sugar and insulin levels. However, the consensus among many studies is that a single dose of sucralose in isolation does not cause an immediate insulin spike in most healthy individuals.

Over 90% of food industry professionals consider polyols and sugar alcohols an important tool for sugar reduction. The truth is, there is no difference between them, as 'sugar alcohol' is simply a more common name for a broader chemical group known as polyols.

Over 50% of the world's sweeteners consumed are bulk sweeteners, with sugar and glucose syrup leading the market. These ingredients are used in significant amounts to achieve the desired sweet taste, while also providing structure and volume in foods and beverages. Understanding what a bulk sweetener is can clarify why certain foods are formulated the way they are and what goes into creating a low-sugar product.

Based on a sweetness scale where sucrose (table sugar) is the benchmark at 1.0, lactose is consistently rated as the least sweet natural sugar. This milk-based sugar offers a mild, almost undetectable sweetness compared to other common sugars like fructose and glucose. Its unique chemical structure and digestive properties contribute to its low sweetness perception, making it an important ingredient in specific food applications.

Contrary to a common misconception, fructose is significantly sweeter than sucrose, not the other way around. This surprising fact challenges the notion that sucrose is 30% sweeter than fructose, a claim that is entirely false. This article explores the relative sweetness of these two common sugars and clarifies the factors influencing our taste perception.