Other Sweeteners

Around the world, the search continues for a sweetening substance without the calorie (kcal) content of sugar. Several sweeteners from a variety of sources are being investigated or are awaiting approval. The chemical structure of alternative sweeteners varies tremendously and includes peptides, amino acids, carbohydrates, inorganic salts, and synthetic compounds.

• Glycyrrhizin – An extract from the licorice root, it is 50 to 100 times sweeter than sucrose and is used only in confections.
• Dihydrochalcones – Obtained from citrus peel, these compounds are several hundred times sweeter than sucrose, with a slow taste onset and a lingering aftertaste.
• L-sugars – The chemical mirror image of natural sugars, these are not metabolized by body enzymes and are noncariogenic.
• Stevioside – derived from the leaves of the South African plant Stevia rebaudiana, it is 300 times sweeter than sucrose.
• Thaumatin – An extract of the fruit of a West African plant, Thaumatococcus danielli, it is one of the sweetest substances known – 1,600 times sweeter than sucrose. It has a licorice like taste when used in high concentrations, is very stable to heat and acid, and is used in chewing gums.