If you have a sweet tooth and you love soda, but you don't want all the sugar and calories in it, artificial sweeteners were made for you. Some girls who have diabetes enjoy the occasional sweet food without a problem thanks to artificial sweeteners. back to top

Which products use artificial sweeteners?
Check the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods. You'll find artificial sweeteners like aspartame and saccharin in sodas and iced tea mixes, chewing gum, sugar-free candy, yogurt, sauces, and alcoholic beverages. And those little blue and pink packets on restaurant tables are also sugar substitutes. Believe it or not, some cosmetics, vitamins, and medications contain artificial sweeteners. back to top

Do artificial sweeteners have calories?
Artificial sweeteners contain no (or almost no) calories. On the other hand, they do not provide your body with energy. And some people believe saccharin is not safe to eat in large quantities. back to top

Can artificial sweeteners be used for cooking and baking?
Artificial sweeteners do not provide the same bulk as sugar. That means they are not recommended for baking. But some brands have made improvements recently, and some people bake with them. When in doubt, check the package and follow the directions. back to top

Is saccharin safe?
Can you believe that saccharin has been around since 1879? Saccharin is the most widely used and inexpensive artificial sweetener in the world. Found in Sweet 'N Low (the pink packets), saccharin is 200 to 700 times sweeter than sugar. Although reports have linked saccharin to bladder cancer in lab animals, studies done on people who consume a lot of it have not confirmed those results. back to top

What other artificial sweeteners are there?
Most diet soft drinks contain aspartame. It is the ingredient in Equal (the blue packets) and NutraSweet. Aspartame is 16 to 220 times sweeter than table sugar. New forms of aspartame can be used when cooking and baking. You may see Sunett or acesulfame-K on some food labels. Acesulfame-K is 200 times sweeter than table sugar. It can withstand high cooking and baking temperatures. It's often used in combination with other sweeteners to reduce bitterness. back to top

Are there any artificial sweeteners made from real sugar?
Sucralose is currently the only artificial sweetener that it is made from real sugar. Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than table sugar. It passes straight through the gastrointestinal tract without being absorbed by your body. back to top