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What are sugar substitutes?

Sugar substitutes are chemical or plant-based substances used to sweeten or enhance the flavor of foods and drinks. You may also have heard them called “artificial sweeteners” or “non-caloric sweeteners.” They can be used as a tabletop sweetener (for example, to sweeten a glass of iced tea) or as an ingredient in processed foods and drinks.

Most sugar substitutes are many times sweeter than sugar. It takes a smaller amount of these sugar substitutes to provide the same level of sweetness. Some sugar substitutes are low in calories, while others have no calories.

In Canada, food additives such as sugar substitutes, which cover both artificial sweeteners and intense sweeteners obtained from natural sources, are subject to rigorous controls under the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations.  New food additives (or new uses of permitted food additives) are only permitted once a safety assessment has been conducted and regulatory amendments have been enacted.

Why are sugar substitutes added to foods and drinks?

Sugar substitutes provide sweetness and enhance the flavor of food without adding the calories of sugar. Most of them do not raise blood sugar levels. This may be helpful if you have diabetes and have to be careful about how much sugar you consume.

Sugar substitutes may also be helpful if you are trying to control the amount of calories you consume. They are found in most of the “light,” “reduced calorie,” and “sugar-free” foods and drinks available today. Although sugar substitutes have fewer calories than sugar, it’s best to limit them and focus on healthy food choices. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains are the best sources of nutrition for your body.

What sugar substitutes/artificial sweeteners are approved in Canada?

The following sugar substitutes are approved in Canada:

• Acesulfame Potassium (added to packaged food/beverages by manufacturers)
• Aspartame (two brand names: Equal and Nutrasweet)
• Cyclamate (two brand names Sugar Twin and Sweet’N Low)
• Saccharin
• Sucralose (brand name: Splenda)

According to Health Canada, highly purified stevia extract, also called “steviol glycosides” (two brand names: Pure Via and Truvia), are sugar substitutes that are also regulated as food additives. It has undergone a full safety review and has been approved for use in various foods sold in Canada.

Sugar alcohols are another class of sweeteners that can be used as sugar substitutes. Examples include mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol. Health Canada scientists have determined that sugar alcohols are generally recognized as safe for use in foods and drinks.

I’ve heard that sugar substitutes can cause cancer or other serious health problems. Is that true?

Medical research studies have shown that these sweeteners are safe for most people when used in moderation. For example, consuming too many foods containing certain sweetening agents, such as sugar alcohols, may cause some stomach discomfort and have a laxative effect. One exception is for people who have phenylketonuria (PKU). People who have PKU cannot have the sugar substitute aspartame because they are unable to metabolize phenylalanine, which is one of its components.

How can I tell if a food or drink contains a sugar substitute?

Sugar substitutes are used in many processed foods and drinks, including baked goods, soft drinks, powdered drink mixes, candy, puddings, canned foods, jellies, and dairy products. Check the ingredient list on the Nutrition Facts Table for the names of the sugar substitutes. Unless you add a sugar substitute yourself, it is often hard to know exactly how much a food or drink contains.

I’m pregnant. Are sugar substitutes/artificial sweeteners safe for me?

Consumption of sugar substitutes during pregnancy does not pose a health risk. However, pregnant women should avoid consuming too many products containing sugar substitutes, since they may be replacing nutrient-dense, energy-yielding foods needed for a healthy pregnancy. 

Aspartame

What is aspartame?

Aspartame (two brand names: Equal and Nutrasweet) is a low-calorie sugar substitute. It is a combination of 2 amino acids: aspartic acid and phenylalanine. It is about 200 times sweeter than sugar.

Aspartame provides sweetness and enhances the flavor of food without adding as many calories as sugar. Unlike sugar, it does not contribute to tooth decay. It also does not raise blood sugar levels. This may be helpful if you have diabetes and have to be careful about how much sugar you consume.

What products contain aspartame?

Aspartame can be found in thousands of processed foods and drinks. Products that contain aspartame include yogurt, frozen desserts, pudding, dry dessert mixes, chewing gum, and soft drinks. It is also used as a tabletop sweetener (for example, to sweeten a glass of iced tea). Aspartame can also be found in some medicines (for example, cough drops) and vitamins.

Aspartame should not be used as a substitute for sugar when you are baking. It loses its sweet taste when it is heated.

Who should not consume aspartame?

People who have a rare condition called phenylketonuria (PKU) should not consume aspartame. This is because their bodies are unable to metabolize phenylalanine, which is one of the amino acids in aspartame.

If you are concerned that consuming aspartame is affecting your health, contact your family healthcare provider.

Is aspartame safe?

Aspartame, a low-calorie artificial sweetener, has been permitted for use as a food additive in Canada since 1981. Food additives such as aspartame are subjected to rigorous controls under the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations. There is no evidence to suggest that the consumption of foods containing this sweetener, according to the provisions of the Food and Drug Regulations and as part of a well-balanced diet, would pose a health hazard to consumers.

Acesulfame Potassium

What is Acesulfame Potassium?

In Canada, Acesulfame Potassium is not available for purchase as a single ingredient.  It is added to packaged food and beverages only by food manufacturers.

What products contain Acesulfame Potassium?

Acesulfame K can be found in a variety of processed foods and drinks, including baked goods, candy, frozen desserts, and soft drinks.

Is Acesulfame Potassium safe?

Food additives are subjected to rigorous controls under the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations. There is no evidence to suggest that the consumption of foods containing this sweetener, according to the provisions of the Food and Drug Regulations and as part of a well-balanced diet, would pose a health hazard to consumers.                                                   

Saccharin

What is saccharin?

In Canada, Saccharin (brand name Hermesetas ) is a non-nutritive sweetener.  In 2016, Health Canada approved saccharin after it had previously been a restricted food additive since the 1970s.

What products contain saccharin?

Saccharin is found in many processed foods and drinks, including chewing gum, canned fruit, baked goods, and soft drinks. It is also used as a tabletop sweetener (for example, to sweeten a glass of iced tea).

Is saccharin safe?

Saccharin is approved by Health Canada as a food additive. This means that Health Canada has reviewed scientific evidence to be sure that it is safe for use in foods and drinks.

In the 1970s, studies raised concerns that saccharin could be carcinogenic (cause cancer) in laboratory rats. On this basis, saccharin was de-listed as a food additive in Canada, although restricted access to saccharin as a table-top sweetener was maintained.

Health Canada has completed an extensive evaluation of saccharin data. The evaluation concluded that results of the previous studies on rats are not applicable to humans. This is in agreement with the conclusions of other regulatory agencies world-wide.

Stevia Sweeteners

What is stevia?

Stevia (two brand names: Pure Via and Truvia) is a plant-based sugar substitute that has no calories. The term “stevia” refers to Stevia rebaudiana , which is a South American plant. Only certain parts of the plant are sweet. Highly purified extracts from the leaves of the plant are called “steviol glycosides.” They are 200 to 400 times sweeter than sugar.

The term “stevia” can refer to the whole Stevia rebaudiana plant. However, in this article, “stevia” refers to the sugar substitute made from steviol glycosides. That is how the term is commonly used.

Stevia provides sweetness and enhances the flavor of food without adding the calories of sugar. Unlike sugar, it does not contribute to tooth decay. It also does not raise blood sugar levels. This may be helpful if you have diabetes and have to be careful about how much sugar you consume. Some people may notice an aftertaste when they consume stevia.

What products contain stevia?

Stevia is found in many processed foods and drinks, such as desserts, chewing gum, baked goods, candy, and yogurt. It is also used as a tabletop sweetener (for example, to sweeten a glass of iced tea).

Stevia can be used as a substitute for sugar when you are baking. For best results, follow the package instructions for using it in your recipes.

Is stevia safe?

Purified stevia extract is regulated as a food additive in Canada. It has undergone a full safety review and has been approved for use in various foods sold in Canada.

Sucralose

What is sucralose?

Sucralose (brand name: Splenda) is a no-calorie sugar substitute. It is about 600 times sweeter than sugar.

Sucralose provides sweetness and enhances the flavor of food without adding the calories of sugar. Unlike sugar, it does not contribute to tooth decay. It also does not raise blood sugar levels. This may be helpful if you have diabetes and have to be careful about how much sugar you consume.

What products contain sucralose?

Sucralose is used in thousands of processed foods and drinks. Some examples include soft drinks, juices, sauces, syrups, candy, desserts, baked goods, and canned fruits. It is used in medicines, nutritional supplements, and vitamins. It is also used as a tabletop sweetener (for example, to sweeten a glass of iced tea).

Sucralose can be used in baking because it does not lose its sweet taste at high temperatures. For best results, follow the package instructions for using it in your recipes.

Is sucralose safe?

Food additives are subjected to rigorous controls under the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations. There is no evidence to suggest that the consumption of foods containing this sweetener, according to the provisions of the Food and Drug Regulations and as part of a well-balanced diet, would pose a health hazard to consumers.

Sugar Alcohols

What are sugar alcohols?

Despite their name, sugar alcohols aren’t sugar and they aren’t alcohol. They are carbohydrates that occur naturally in certain fruits and can also be manufactured. They get their name because they have a chemical structure similar to sugar and to alcohol. Sugar alcohols are also called “polyols.”

Sugar alcohols provide sweetness and enhance the flavor of food without adding as many calories as sugar. Unlike sugar, they do not contribute to tooth decay.

What products contain sugar alcohols?

Sugar alcohols are found in many processed foods, including hard candies, ice cream, puddings, baked goods, and chocolate. They can also be found in chewing gum, toothpaste, and mouthwash. They may be used in combination with another sugar substitute.

The following sugar alcohols are permitted as food additives in Canada:

• Erythritol– 0.2 calories per gram and 60% to 80% as sweet as sugar
• Isomalt- 2 calories per gram and 45% to 65% as sweet as sugar
• Lactitol– 2 calories per gram and 30% to 40% as sweet at sugar
• Maltitol– 2.1 calories per gram and 90% as sweet as sugar
• Mannitol– 1.6 calories per gram and 50% to 70% as sweet as sugar
• Sorbitol– 2.6 calories per gram and 50% to 70% as sweet as sugar
• Xylitol- 2.4 calories per gram and the same sweetness as sugar

By comparison, there are 4 calories per gram of sugar.

How do I find sugar alcohols on a Nutrition Facts Table?

If a food is labeled as “sugar free,” the amount of sugar alcohol (in grams) must be listed. If the food only contains 1 sugar alcohol, the name of that specific sugar alcohol is listed. Sugar alcohols are easy to spot on the label because most of them end in “tol.” If the food contains more than 1 sugar alcohol, the term “sugar alcohols” is listed.

How do sugar alcohols affect blood sugar levels?

Your body doesn’t completely absorb sugar alcohols, so they don’t affect your blood sugar levels as much as sugar and other carbohydrates do.

If you have diabetes, it is important to consider sugar alcohols when you are managing your blood sugar level. Check the Nutrition Facts Table on a processed food to find the amount of sugar alcohol per serving (listed in grams). If a food has fewer than 5 grams of sugar alcohol per serving, it will likely have a very small effect on your blood sugar level.

Are sugar alcohols safe?

Health Canada scientists have studied the human health effects of these compounds and have concluded that the addition of sugar alcohols and/or polydextrose to foods is safe. Because sugar alcohols aren’t completely absorbed by your body, eating large amounts can lead to bloating and diarrhea.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Health Canada
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/food-additives/sugar-substitutes.html

Diabetes Canada
https://www.diabetes.ca/diabetes-and-you/healthy-living-resources/diet-nutrition/sugar-sweeteners