Find a wealth of information to help you understand artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols and sugar substitutes
Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners: Understanding these and other sugar substitutesMayo Clinic.
Health benefits, concerns and uses of artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols and natural sweeteners.
Sugar AlcoholsAmerican Diabetes Association.
Examples of sugar alcohols, carb counting for diabetics and advantages/disadvantages of consumption.
Artificial Sweeteners and CancerNIH. National Cancer Institute.
Discusses how artificial sweeteners are regulated in the US and the relationship of artificial sweeteners to cancer.
Dietary Sugar and Alternative Sweeteners (PDF | 130 KB)Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.
Defines the types of sugars found in foods, describes the chemical structure, function and metabolism of sugars, provides tips for lowering sugar intake through the food guide pyramid, and describes the role of sugars in health and modified diets. Includes a list of the sugar content (in teaspoons) of commonly selected foods, labeling terms for the sugar content of foods, and definitions of sugar substitutes.
Position of the American Dietetic Association: Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweeteners (PDF | 342.77 KB)Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly American Dietetic Association).
Examines nutritive sweeteners, sugar alcohols and nonnutritive sweeteners effect on health and obesity (2004).
Low-Calorie Sweeteners: Their Role in Healthful Eating (PDF | 112 KB)
International Food Information Council.
Examines how low calorie sweeteners can decrease the calorie content of food. Reviews research on the role of low calorie sweeteners in weight management. Outlines the Food and Drug Association (FDA) approval process and includes a chart of qualities of approved sweeteners. Sweeteners discussed include: acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, and polyols (sorbitol, mannitol, etc.) Also reviews several that have not yet been approved by the FDA.
How are non-caloric sweeteners related to energy intake and body weight?USDA. Nutritional Evidence Library.
How are non-caloric sweeteners related to energy intake and body weight? Conclusion: "Moderate evidence shows that using non-caloric sweeteners will affect energy intake only if they are substituted for higher calorie foods and beverages. A few observational studies reported that individuals who use non-caloric sweeteners are more likely to gain weight or be heavier. This does not mean that non-caloric sweeteners cause weight gain, rather that they are more likely to be consumed by overweight and obese individuals."