You’ve probably heard it a thousand times: too much sugar isn’t great for your health. If you’ve ever taken a look at the ingredients lists on some of the popular low-calorie and low-sugar products out there, you know that many rely on sugar substitutes. But what exactly are these alternatives? Where do they come from, and are they really a better choice than sugar?
How Much Sugar Should I Eat Per Day?
All carbohydrates are made up of small building blocks called monosaccharides or simple sugars, including glucose, fructose, and galactose (1). Starches and fibers are made up of many simple sugars that bond together. Therefore, all carbohydrates (including sugar) that you consume are eventually broken down into these three simple sugars and then used for energy (1).
Simply put, sugar is everywhere, and it’s necessary to fuel your body.
Natural sugar is found in all sorts of whole foods and it’s generally nothing to worry about. But the sugar you may want to watch for is added sugar. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend Americans to limit added sugars as much as possible, ideally less than 50 grams per day (2). There are no guidelines on how much total sugar is recommended, since sugar naturally occurs in fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.
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Can Sugar Ever Be Good for Me?
When you eat the natural sugar in whole foods such as bananas, apples, blueberries, carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, you’re getting a variety of nutrients. These whole foods provide essential:
- Carbohydrates
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Fiber
Natural sugars not only give you energy, but the whole foods that you consume them through have additional nutritional benefits.
If you’re an athlete, simple carbs with naturally occurring or even added sugars can actually work in your favor. Research shows they can give you a boost in energy and help improve performance. (3).
About the Expert
Stephanie Saletta, MS, RD, is a dietitian and is MyFitnessPal’s in-house nutrition expert and nutrition scientist. Passionate for promoting healthy lifestyles, Stephanie graduated from San Diego State University with a focus on research and disease prevention.
Cons of Excess Added Sugar
Consuming too much added sugar is associated with increased risk of:
- Insulin resistance (4)
- Type 2 diabetes (4)
- Weight gain (5)
- Fat accumulation in the liver (6)
- Heart disease (4)
These risks occur when you consume high amounts of added sugar. “Excess of anything in our diet has the ability to be harmful to us,” MyFitnessPal nutrition intern Taylor Joa says.
While added sugar comes in many forms, Joa says there is not really one type of added sugar that is better or worse for you, as all sugars are broken down into the three monosaccharides.
“What really matters is the amount,” MyFitnessPal dietitian Stephanie Saletta says. If you’re limiting your added sugar intake, be sure to check the nutrition facts panel under the “Added Sugars” and ingredients list sections to see how much sweetener is being added and which kind.
What You Should Know About Artificial Sweeteners
If you’re looking to limit the amount of added sugar in your diet, you may be wondering about artificial sweeteners. In the United States, there are three big artificial sweeteners you’re likely to see in your food (7):
Aspartame
Aspartame may have a bitter aftertaste to some (8). Joa says aspartame has received negative press in recent years regarding possible cancer risk (9), but there’s been significant pushback from the food and nutrition industry on the high doses of aspartame that would need to be consumed to be considered potentially harmful.
Sucralose
Sucralose is about 600 times sweeter than sugar (10). Research has shown that it can potentially be toxic when used at high temperatures, and may alter glucose and insulin levels (11).
Saccharin
Saccharin has previously shown to be harmful to rodents, but further research found saccharin to be safe for human consumption (12).
All About Natural Sweeteners
Derived from plants, fruits, and other naturally occurring foods, natural sweeteners can vary in sweetness, taste, and calories compared to sugar (13).
Stevia
Stevia is a zero-calorie sweetener that’s extracted from the stevia leaf (14). It’s now commonly found in prebiotic sodas, tabletop sweeteners, chewing gum, and more. Stevia can sometimes leave a mouth-cooling sensation or odd aftertaste. Stevia is significantly more sweet than sugar, so Joa says it’s often combined with other ingredients such as erythritol or allulose to “bulk” it up, making it easier to use at home (14).
Allulose
Allulose is a natural sweetener that is found in fruits like figs and raisins (15). It is less sweet than sugar, but tends to have a typical sugar taste (16). Allulose is sometimes used as a sugar substitute or bulking agent for other more intense natural sweeteners.
Monk fruit
Monk fruit sweetener is derived from the monk fruit plant, which is a small melon-like fruit native to Southeast Asia (17). Monk fruit is a zero-calorie sweetener that can be used in a variety of food products.
Picking Your Ideal Sugar Alternative
No alternative sweetener is an exact match for the sweetness and overall taste of sugar, but by taste-testing the different options, you can find your preferred sugar alternative. While each sugar alternative varies in how it’s produced, they’re all low in calories.
If you are a baker, Joa says to be aware that you are not only substituting taste, but volume and texture. “If you are looking to make your own recipe adjustments, I would recommend looking for baking substitutes of alternative sweeteners with bulking agents to help make the swap easier,” she says.
Joa notes that allulose tastes similar to sugar, adds moisture to baked goods, and can also brown (16).
If using sugar alternatives in drinks, Joa recommends using a powder or liquid that can fully dissolve into your beverage. Stevia, aspartame, saccharin, and other sweeteners are available in powder form.
Sugar Alternatives and Weight Health
The World Health Organization does not recommend using zero-calorie sweeteners for weight loss (18). “In theory, zero-calorie sweeteners should help with weight reduction over time, but the research doesn’t show this as people will only sub in zero-calorie sweeteners at certain food choices or not do so consistently,” Joa says.
The takeaway? Avoid added sugars—and if you do need an extra bit of sweetness, use sugar alternatives in moderation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sugar Alternatives
Which sugar alternative tastes the most like regular sugar?
Preference for certain sugar alternatives all depend on you. Joa says taste can be impacted depending on if the sweetener is mixed with a bulking agent and what the sweetener brand recipe is. “Allulose, among other artificial sweeteners, are often cited as being quite similar to sugar,” she notes (16).
Is it possible to mix sugar alternatives for a better taste?
Feel free to mix and match sugar alternatives however you like. If you are sensitive to off tastes, the flavor and sweetness of your food or drinks may be impacted.
Are any sugar substitutes considered more ethical or sustainable?
Not necessarily. “Sugar substitutes vary greatly in which country or region they are sourced from, farming methods, soils, plants, processing, and overall production methods,” Joa says.
The Bottom Line
When choosing the best sugar alternative for you, it’s a matter of testing what flavors you like best—as no sugar substitute carries the exact flavor profile of table sugar.
Joa says she prefers stevia and monk fruit, as she values taste—but it’s really your choice as to what sugar alternative is best for you.
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