Sweetener

Sweetener refers to a substance used to provide a sweet taste in food and beverages. Sweeteners can be classified into two broad categories: natural sweeteners and artificial sweeteners.

Natural Sweeteners

Natural sweeteners are derived from plants, fruits, and other natural sources. They include sugar, honey, maple syrup, and agave nectar. These sweeteners are often used in cooking and baking, and are also found in many processed foods and beverages.

Sugar

Sugar is the most common natural sweetener, derived from the sugarcane and sugar beet plants. It is used in a wide variety of foods and beverages for its sweet taste and its ability to enhance other flavors.

Honey

Honey is a sweet, viscous substance produced by bees. It is used as a sweetener in many foods and beverages, and has been used for its medicinal properties for thousands of years.

Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners, also known as non-nutritive sweeteners, are synthetic sugar substitutes. They are often used in diet and low-calorie food and drinks because they are much sweeter than sugar but contribute few or no calories. Some common artificial sweeteners include aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin.

Aspartame

Aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener used in many diet foods and beverages. It is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar.

Sucralose

Sucralose, marketed under the brand name Splenda, is a zero-calorie sweetener. It is approximately 600 times sweeter than sugar.

Health Effects

The health effects of sweeteners are a topic of ongoing research and debate. Some studies suggest that consuming large amounts of sugar can lead to health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Artificial sweeteners, while they do not contribute calories, have also been linked to health problems in some studies, though the evidence is less clear.

See Also

• Sugar substitute
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Stevia