Sweeteners

Sweeteners

Over the centuries, various foods, like honey or sugar, have been used to sweeten our food. Today, many of us choose to use sweeteners as an alternative to sugar. Because they are intensively sweet, only very small amounts are needed and they are used to provide sweetness to low-calorie and sugar-free foods and beverages. Sweeteners can play a role in contributing to the healthfulness of a diet without having to sacrifice the pleasure of eating sweet foods.


Sweeteners: Addressing Common Questions and Debunking myths

31 July 2024

Many kinds of sweeteners, natural or artificial, are available to provide low-calorie alternatives to sugar. Are they safe and healthier than normal sugar?


Stevia (Q&A)

08 December 2013

Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) is a herb native to Central and South America. It belongs to the same family of plants as sunflower and chicory. The plant was described and given its name by the Italian-Swiss botanist...


The role of low-calorie sweeteners in weight management

07 June 2012

Amid rising obesity rates, low-calorie sweeteners have been proposed as a potentially useful tool for weight management. By providing the sweet taste without the calories, low-calorie sweeteners...


Stevia: A natural sweetener with potential

14 November 2009

Used by the indigenous peoples of South America for centuries, the plant Stevia has recently hit the headlines. Stevia contains natural sweeteners, called steviol glycosides, which taste up to 300 times sweeter than sugar without providing calories. A new addition to the sweetness portfolio that could help with weight management? European consumers will need to wait.