What was the first sugar substitute in 1957?

December 17, 2025 •

4 min read

Before 1957, artificial sweeteners were generally available only in liquid or tablet form. It was in this year that the brand Sweet'n Low introduced the first widely marketed powdered sugar substitute, which contained cyclamate, packaged in individual servings. This innovation marked a turning point in the diet food industry, bringing a convenient, calorie-free sweetener to the mass market for the first time.

Quick Summary

The first widely available powdered sugar substitute in 1957 was Sweet'n Low, containing cyclamate. Initially considered safe and popular in diet foods, cyclamate's use was ultimately banned in the U.S. due to safety concerns raised by animal studies.

Key Points

Initial Sweet'n Low: The first sugar substitute in 1957 was cyclamate, initially used in the powdered version of the Sweet'n Low brand.
Pioneering Convenience: The introduction of individual, single-serving packets in 1957 revolutionized how consumers used artificial sweeteners.
Accidental Discovery: Cyclamate was first discovered accidentally in 1937 by a chemist named Michael Sveda while working on a different project.
U.S. Ban: The use of cyclamate was banned in the United States by the FDA in 1969 following controversial studies linking it to bladder cancer in rats.
International Status: While still banned in the U.S., cyclamate is approved for use in over 100 countries and the European Union.
Saccharin vs. Cyclamate: The original Sweet'n Low was cyclamate-based, but was reformulated with saccharin after the 1969 ban.
The Diet Revolution: The product's timing coincided with the rise of the diet food industry, making calorie-free sweetness a mass-market commodity.

The Introduction of Cyclamate and Sweet'n Low

In 1957, the sugar substitute landscape was changed forever with the introduction of Sweet'n Low. The company behind the product, Cumberland Packing Corporation, launched the first artificial sweetener available in individual, single-serving packets, a direct outgrowth of their work on sugar packets. While many associate the brand name Sweet'n Low with saccharin, its original formulation in 1957 was based primarily on cyclamate. This was a significant development, as cyclamate offered a more palatable taste profile than the much older sweetener saccharin, which was known for its bitter aftertaste.

The story of cyclamate itself dates back to 1937, when it was accidentally discovered by a University of Illinois graduate student named Michael Sveda. By the 1950s, it was being marketed under the brand name Sucaryl by Abbott Laboratories, typically as a 10:1 mix with saccharin to enhance the flavor. However, Sweet'n Low's powdered packet format made it more convenient and appealing for everyday use, especially as the demand for diet products surged in the post-war era.

The Rise of Cyclamate in the Diet Food Market

During the 1950s and 1960s, the popularity of cyclamate and other artificial sweeteners soared. The growing health consciousness and rise of the diet industry made calorie-free options highly desirable. Cyclamate, being heat-stable and easily soluble, found its way into a wide array of products, from diet sodas and canned fruits to baked goods and salad dressings. For a time, it was considered a safe and effective tool for those looking to manage their weight or sugar intake, including people with diabetes.

1937: Cyclamate is accidentally discovered by chemist Michael Sveda at the University of Illinois.
1950: Abbott Laboratories launches its cyclamate-based sweetener, Sucaryl, in liquid and tablet form.
1957: Cumberland Packing Corporation introduces Sweet'n Low, the first powdered, individually packaged sugar substitute, initially containing cyclamate.
1958: The Delaney clause is added to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which would later play a pivotal role in cyclamate's fate.
1960s: Cyclamate becomes a staple in the diet food industry, used in hundreds of products across the U.S..

Cyclamate's Controversial Downfall

Despite its initial success, cyclamate's tenure as a popular sugar substitute was relatively short-lived in the United States. In the late 1960s, animal studies began raising alarm bells. A specific study, conducted for Abbott Laboratories, showed that rats fed extremely high doses of a cyclamate-saccharin mixture developed bladder tumors. While the dosage was equivalent to hundreds of cans of diet cola daily for a human, the findings, combined with the strict conditions of the 1958 Delaney clause, were enough for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take drastic action.

On October 18, 1969, the U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare announced a ban on cyclamate, which went into effect early the following year. This decision led to a significant media uproar, mass product reformulation, and the destruction of millions of cans of diet soda.

How Cyclamate Compares to Other Sweeteners


Feature	Cyclamate	Saccharin (Original Sweet'n Low)	Aspartame (NutraSweet)
Year Discovered	1937	1879	1965
Sweetness (vs. Sugar)	30-50 times sweeter	300-500 times sweeter	180-200 times sweeter
Initial 1957 Status	Contained in Sweet'n Low packets.	Later became the primary ingredient in Sweet'n Low.	Not yet discovered.
Key Characteristic	Heat-stable, good taste.	Calorie-free, but has a bitter aftertaste.	Clean, sugar-like taste, not heat-stable.
U.S. Regulation	Banned since 1969.	Allowed with warning label until 2000, now considered safe.	Approved by FDA, considered safe for most.

The Aftermath and Modern Legacy

After the ban, Sweet'n Low's manufacturer, Cumberland Packing Corporation, reformulated its product to be saccharin-based. Saccharin, though discovered decades earlier, saw a resurgence in popularity due to the absence of its main competitor. Subsequent studies have cast doubt on the initial findings that led to the cyclamate ban, with many countries outside the U.S. eventually reapproving its use. Today, cyclamate remains banned for food use in the United States and South Korea but is used in many other nations. Its story highlights the complex interplay between science, politics, and public perception in shaping food regulations.

In conclusion, while the brand Sweet'n Low introduced the powdered convenience that popularized sugar substitutes in 1957, the product itself initially contained cyclamate, not the saccharin for which it is now known. This sweetener's journey from diet revolution to a decades-long ban in the U.S. offers a fascinating glimpse into the history of artificial sweeteners and the evolving understanding of food safety.

The Role of Branding in 1957's Sugar Substitute Market

Beyond the scientific aspects, the branding strategy employed by Cumberland Packing Corporation was critical to the success of the first sugar substitute in 1957. The individual pink packets of Sweet'n Low were revolutionary, moving the concept of artificial sweeteners out of a clinical context and into everyday, public settings like restaurants and cafes. This shift in accessibility was key to consumer adoption. The brand identity became so strong that even after switching the main ingredient to saccharin following the ban on cyclamate, Sweet'n Low continued to thrive. The story is a testament to how convenience and marketing can alter consumer behavior and perception, sometimes more effectively than the chemical composition of the product itself.

Conclusion: The Long Shadow of Cyclamate

The first sugar substitute in 1957 was cyclamate, marketed in the iconic pink packets of the Sweet'n Low brand. Its introduction marked a significant moment in food history, popularizing artificial sweeteners and driving the growth of the diet food industry. Despite its initial success, safety concerns, though debated, led to its ban in the U.S. in 1969. The legacy of cyclamate is a cautionary tale of food regulation and public reaction, but also a story of innovation that set the stage for the wide variety of sugar substitutes available today.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, Sweet'n Low was not always made with saccharin. When it was first introduced in 1957, the popular powdered sugar substitute contained cyclamate. The formula was changed to a saccharin base after the FDA banned cyclamate in the U.S. in 1969.

The first widely available powdered sugar substitute in 1957 was Sweet'n Low, introduced by Benjamin and Marvin Eisenstadt of the Cumberland Packing Corporation. The actual chemical ingredient, cyclamate, was discovered much earlier, in 1937, by Michael Sveda.

Cyclamate was banned in the U.S. in 1969 after studies suggested a link between high doses of cyclamate and bladder cancer in laboratory rats. The ban was implemented under the strict Delaney Clause of U.S. food law.

Yes, cyclamate is still used today in over 100 countries around the world, including in the European Union, where it is considered safe. It remains banned in the United States and South Korea.

The first sugar substitute in 1957, cyclamate in powdered form, helped popularize artificial sweeteners and fueled the growth of the diet food industry. The convenience of single-serving packets made calorie-free sweetness accessible to a broader consumer market.

Cyclamate is a much less potent sweetener (about 30-50 times sweeter than sugar) and is known for its clean taste. Saccharin is significantly sweeter (300-500 times) but can have a bitter aftertaste. They were often used together to improve the flavor profile.

Sweet'n Low initially used cyclamate because it offered a cleaner, more palatable taste compared to the notorious bitter aftertaste of saccharin. The combination with saccharin helped to mask the bitterness and produce a more balanced sweetening effect.