Sweetener

A sweetener is a substance added to foods and drinks to impart sweetness. Sweeteners can be nutritive, providing calories, or non-nutritive, providing little to no calories. They are used to reduce sugar content, manage caloric intake, improve mouthfeel, or alter texture. Sweetness is sensed by taste receptors on the tongue, principally the T1R2/T1R3 receptor complex, which responds to a wide range of sweet compounds.

Common categories include sucrose and other natural sugars (glucose, fructose, lactose), caloric sweeteners that provide energy; sugar substitutes such as artificial sweeteners (saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, neotame, advantame); natural non-nutritive options such as steviol glycosides from Stevia and mogrosides from monk fruit; and sugar alcohols (polyols) like xylitol, sorbitol, and mannitol that provide some calories and can cause digestive upset in excess.

Regulatory agencies assess safety and approve substances for use as sweeteners. In the United States, many approved sweeteners are considered Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) or require FDA approval; the European Food Safety Authority establishes acceptable daily intakes (ADIs). Labeling guidance varies by jurisdiction, with products often listing total carbohydrates, sugars, and the type of sweetener used.

Uses include reducing sugar intake for diabetes management or weight control, providing sweetness without raising blood glucose in some cases, and improving shelf life and texture. Side effects are generally rare at typical exposures; some sugar alcohols may have laxative effects, and there is ongoing research on long-term impacts on gut microbiota and appetite, though major health agencies maintain safety at established limits.