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March 2009

No-calorie sweeteners

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  • No-calorie sweeteners
    Do we need to be concerned about the latest no-calorie sweeteners?

    Because the common, chemical-based, artificial sweeteners aspartame (NutraSweet or Equal), saccharin (Sweet’N Low), and sucralose (Splenda) have been linked to several health concerns, major food manufacturers have been seeking a “natural” no-calorie sweetener to use in their products.

    The logical natural sweetener seems to be stevia, a plant native to South America. Although stevia-based natural sweeteners have been in widespread use in most countries with no negative side effects since 1887, in the U.S. the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified stevia as an "unsafe food additive" in 1991 and banned its use in food products in the U.S. It is reported that this was done at the request of the manufacturer of a competing artificial sweetener. Recently, however, the FDA has granted a few major food manufacturers approval to use the sweeteners Truvia™ and PureVia™, which are patented chemical derivatives made up of extracts from the leaves of the stevia plant combined with erythritol (a naturally fermented sugar alcohol), and other flavorings. It appears that to get a patent and the much-needed FDA approval, they had to alter the natural product. (Note: The FDA continues its ban on the use of pure stevia in food products.)

    With the above information in mind, you can take a look at the marketing of these new sweeteners. Most give the impression that Truvia™ and PureVia™ are pure, all natural, stevia extract products.

    Issue: Are the new no-calorie sweeteners pure and safe?
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