Be Sweetener SAAVY!

If you have diabetes or are looking to lose weight, artificial sweeteners/sugar substitutes are a way you can enjoy sweetened foods and beverages but still manage your blood sugar and weight. Which artificial sweetener should you use and how should you use it? Use this handout as a guide to choosing which artificial sweetener is right for you.

Sweeteners What is it? Examples

Sugar A naturally occurring carbohydrate. It contains calories and raises your blood sugar level.

Brown sugar, Cane sugar, Confectioners sugar, Fructose, Honey, Molasses

Reduced- calorie sweetener (Sugar Alcohols)

Have about half the calories of sugar. They can raise your blood sugar level, but not as much as other carbohydrates. Caution: too much may cause diarrhea!

Isomalt, Maltitol, Mannitol, Sorbitol, and Xylitol. (Found in sugar free candy and gum)

Artificial sweeteners Created in a lab rather than found naturally. Contain no calories and are considered “free foods.”

Splenda, Equal, Sweet ‘N Low

What about Packaged Foods? What does it mean when food products say NO SUGAR, NO ADDED SUGAR, SUGAR FREE, or ALL NATURAL?

Term Meaning

No Sugar The product does not contain “real” sugars at all. It may contain sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners.

No Added Sugar During processing, no extra “real” sugar was added. However, the original source might naturally contain sugar such as fructose in fruit juice. Additional sweeteners such as sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners may be added.

Sugar free The product contains no “real” sugars. It may contain sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners.

All Natural The product does not contain artificial ingredients. It may contain natural sweeteners, such as sugars or sugar alcohols.

Artificial Sweeteners for People with Diabetes: Listed below are Food Drug Administration (FDA) approved and American Diabetes Association recommended sugar substitutes for use by individuals with diabetes.

Type Brands Sweetness Daily Limits

How to cook with it Comments

Saccharin FDA Approved

Sweet’N Low & Sweet Twin

200-700x sweeter than sugar

Equivalent to 9-12 packets per day

Replace 1cup of sugar with 24 packets, 2 tablespoons of saccharin liquid, or 1c of brown sugar saccharin

Aspartame 1981 FDA Approved

Equal, NutraSweet, Natra Taste

160-220x sweeter than sugar

Equivalent to 97 packets per day (About 18 – 19 cans of diet soda)

High temperatures can diminish aspartame’s sweetness. Avoid using with baking.

Contains phenylalanine, which can be harmful to individuals with phenylketonuria. Should be avoided by these individuals.

Sucralose 1998 FDA Approved

Splenda 600x sweeter than sugar

Equivalent to 29 packets a day (About 6 cans of diet soda)

Granular version measures cup for cup of sugar. If you use the half sugar or brown sugar blend, replace 1cup of sugar w/ a ½cup of the blend.

Stevia 2008 FDA Approved

Truvia, PureVia, SweetLeaf, Stevia in the Raw, Sun Crystals

250-300x sweeter than sugar

Daily allowance not established for U.S. adults at this time.

Each brand recommends its own sugar-to-stevia ratio. Start by replacing a cup of sugar with 24 teaspons or 8 tablespoons of stevia.

Derived from the whole leaf of the stevia plant.

Agave Nectar

Wholesome Sweeteners, Madhava, and Volcanic Nectar

somewhat sweeter than sugar

Replace each cup of sugar with two-thirds to three-quarters cup of agave nectar, and then reduce all other liquids in the recipe by a quarter. Lower your oven temperature by 25 degrees to prevent burning, and shorten the cooking time on cookies by 3-5 minutes and cakes by 7 – 10 minutes.

Has the same amount of calories and carbs as sugar. It has a low glycemic index so will not raise your blood sugar as much.