Sugar substitutes for the familiar table sugar (sucrose) are a hot topic. Naturally occurring sugar substitutes are enjoying increasing popularity as an alternative to table sugar. They are low in calories and have little to no effect on blood sugar and insulin levels (Wenzel, 2020). But what sugar substitutes are available? And are they really "better" than regular table sugar? Having already examined glucose and fructose, the two main components of sugars, in detail in another article , this article presents a selection of alternatives to conventional table sugar and explores the significance of the sweetener aspartame.
Sugar substitute options
Basically, there are two groups of sugar alternatives: sugar substitutes , such as birch sugar, which are of natural origin, and sweeteners , which are mostly artificially produced, such as aspartame. They can all taste different and have a different consistency than table sugar.
Sugar substitutes are mostly sugar alcohols , which are produced through chemical processes such as reduction of their chemical structure or conversion by living organisms. In Germany, only certain sugar alcohols are permitted for use in food products. Sugar alcohols have a similar sweetness to sucrose but fewer calories. Therefore, they have a less pronounced effect on blood sugar levels. Sweeteners have a lower calorie count than table sugar but vary in their sweetness (Bickel, 2018). However, some sugar substitutes can have a laxative effect if consumed in excess, so moderate consumption is recommended. A wide variety of sugar alternatives are now available in German supermarkets. We present a few of them here:
Sugar substitutes
Coconut blossom sugar
Coconut blossom sugar is a natural sugar substitute made from the sweet sap that flows from the blossoms of the coconut palm. This sap is then thickened and dried. Compared to refined sugar, coconut blossom sugar is less processed and therefore retains some of its natural components. Because coconut blossom sugar also contains a certain amount of fiber, it causes a less pronounced rise in blood sugar levels.
Its taste is somewhat reminiscent of caramel – similar to brown sugar. The sugar has a very fine consistency, which is why it can be used for baking, cooking, and sweetening liquids, just like regular sugar.
Birch sugar (xylitol)
Xylitol is another sugar alcohol found in many fruits and vegetables. It is produced through a complex process using residues from birch wood, corncobs, straw, or other woods (Bickel, 2018). Its sweetness is similar to that of table sugar, but xylitol contains about 40% fewer calories. Furthermore, it has a lower impact on blood sugar levels because it is metabolized more slowly by the body than table sugar.
Xylitol can have a slightly cooling effect in the mouth. Furthermore, xylitol is known for its tooth-friendly properties, as it is not metabolized by caries-causing bacteria. It can therefore help reduce the risk of tooth decay and promote dental health. For this reason, it is frequently used as an additive (E967) in sugar-free chewing gum, dental care products, and mouthwashes (NDR, 2023a).
Erythritol
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that occurs naturally in some fruits, such as melons and pears. For use as a food additive, it must be labeled with the number E968 (Bickel, 2018). Erythritol has a similar sweetness and consistency to table sugar but contains only about 6% of the calories. Erythritol is not metabolized in the body, meaning it does not affect blood sugar levels. Furthermore, erythritol does not inhibit the growth of caries-causing bacteria and is therefore often considered tooth-friendly.
Honey
Honey is also a natural sweetener produced by bees from flower nectar. Its sweetness is stronger than that of table sugar. Due to its natural enzymes, antioxidants, and antimicrobial compounds, honey is often seen as a healthy alternative to table sugar. However, be careful: honey also contains large amounts of fructose and glucose , and therefore carbohydrates. You can learn more about what exactly fructose and glucose are , which foods they occur in, and how they are processed in the body in another article in our magazine .
Vonig
Vonig refers to vegan "honey" and encompasses several plant-based alternatives that can be used as a substitute for honey. These include rice syrup made from cooked rice, date syrup made from the sweetness of dates, agave syrup, and jelly made from dandelion blossoms or other plants. Furthermore, vegan honey products are now available that closely resemble bee honey in both taste and consistency. For example, Vegablum 's delicious Wonig is guaranteed free of animal cruelty, palm oil, and fruit shipped from afar. Even the labels are casein-free and vegan. From classic varieties like daisy, dandelion, marigold, or nettle, Wonig is also available in more unusual flavors such as apple-mint, gingerbread, mulled wine, vanilla, cinnamon, and chili.
Alternatively, you can also make your own vegan honey from dandelion blossoms, sugar (or sugar substitute) and lime juice – and your own dandelion jelly is ready ☺
agave syrup
Agave syrup is a natural sugar substitute derived from the sap of the agave plant. It has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its perceived health benefits, including the fact that it causes a less pronounced rise in blood sugar levels. Overall, agave syrup is sweeter than table sugar and consists primarily of fructose .
Agave syrup is wonderful for sweetening all kinds of dishes: It's a perfect addition to banana bread, especially if the overripe bananas aren't sweet enough already. It also gives salad dressings a delicious sweet note, or you can use it in your hot chocolate or even coffee if you prefer it a little sweeter. ☺
Sweeteners
Aspartam
Aspartame is a type of sweetener that is 200 times sweeter than table sugar and very low in calories. It comes as a white, odorless powder and is used to sweeten various foods such as beverages, confectionery, yogurt, and chewing gum. In the EU, aspartame must be labelled on food products or identified by its E number (E951) (Butchko, Stargel, Comer et al., 2002).
According to the European Food Safety Authority's safety assessment, aspartame is safe for human consumption and has therefore been approved for use as a food additive in many countries worldwide, including Germany, for 30 years. The acceptable daily intake (ADI) is 40 mg per kilogram of body weight. This means that this amount of aspartame can be consumed daily without any significant health risk. To exceed this maximum ADI, a person would have to drink 36 cans of diet soda (330 ml each) every day for a lifetime. This demonstrates that the maximum recommended intake is difficult to reach (European Food Safety Authority, 2023).
Stevia
Stevia is a natural sugar substitute derived from the leaves of the stevia plant, which grows in the tropical and subtropical regions of South America. The plant material is processed to create the artificial sweetener stevia. Since 2011, stevia has been approved as a sweetener in the EU with the designation E960 (Bickel, 2018). It contains no calories and is much sweeter than table sugar. Depending on its purity, stevia can be 200-400 times sweeter than sugar. In larger quantities, stevia has a slightly metallic, bitter aftertaste. Due to its low volume, stevia is not well-suited for baking, but it is excellent for sweetening other foods such as coffee, cocoa, or yogurt (NDR, 2023a).
What does "sugar-free" mean?
Many food packages bear the label "sugar-free," but this claim is misleading. Legally, this label doesn't guarantee that the product is completely free of sugar; it allows for up to 0.5 grams of sugar per 100 grams of food (NDR, 2023b). Often, the label "sugar-free" is used when little or no added sugar has been added. However, many other types of sugar, such as glucose, fructose, and lactose, have similar health effects (German Federation of Consumer Organizations, 2022). We provide more information about lactose and its properties in another magazine article .
The label "no added sugar" means that no additional ingredients have been added to the product for their sweetening effect. This applies to all simple and double sugars, as well as all other possible sweetening ingredients. Since natural sugar sources can be mentioned, but are not required to be, the label "no added sugar," like "sugar-free," does not mean that the product contains no sugar at all (German Federation of Consumer Organizations, 2022). Therefore, when buying food, the ingredient list should always be checked to avoid being misled by ambiguous advertising claims. For a more detailed breakdown of the various sugar labels on food products, we recommend the information provided by the German Federation of Consumer Organizations, which explains the different terms very precisely.
Conclusion
Overall, the precise effects of sugar substitutes, and especially their long-term effects on the body from regular consumption, are still poorly understood by science. The question of whether alternative sweeteners are better than table sugar can therefore only be answered subjectively by considering the various ingredients and their effects on the body. Despite good alternatives to table sugar, every sugar substitute also contains glucose and fructose , the two simple sugars that should only be consumed in moderation. Agave syrup, stevia, and erythritol are thus promising natural sweeteners, but should also be used with caution.
Far better than adding sugar is to rely on naturally sweet foods like fruits and vegetables and to use as little additional sweetener as possible. While most sugar substitutes cause little or no rise in blood sugar levels, they can increase cravings for sweets and thus lead us to eat more sugar. I·DO cold-pressed juices contain only sugars naturally occurring in fresh fruits, vegetables, and spices, and no added sugar.
Sources
Bickel, S. (2018). All sugar - or what? Biology In Our Time (48,5). pp. 310-317.
Butchko, H.; Stargel, W.; Comer, CP; Mayhew, D.A. et al. (2002). Aspartame. Review of Safety, Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology (35.2). pp. 1-93.
European Food Safety Authority (2023). Aspartame . Retrieved from: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/de/topics/topic/aspartame
North German Broadcasting (2023a). Sugar substitutes: How healthy are xylitol, stevia, and erythritol? Retrieved from: https://www.ndr.de/ratgeber/gesundheit/Zuckerersatz-Wie-gesund-sind-Xylit-Stevia-Erythrit,zuckerersatz108.html
North German Broadcasting (2023b). Sugar: The biggest misconceptions about glucose, honey, and other sugars. Retrieved from: https://www.ndr.de/ratgeber/verbraucher/Die-groessten-Irrtuemer-ueber-Zucker,zucker125.html
Society of Nutrition and Food Science (2020). Sugar & Sugar substitutes – myths and facts . Dialogue event of the Society of Nutrition and Food Science and Charité Berlin on February 6, 2020.
German Federation of Consumer Organizations (August 23, 2022). Sugar and sugar substitutes: How to recognize sweeteners in food. Retrieved from: https://www.verbraucherzentrale.de/wissen/lebensmittel/gesund-ernaehren/zucker-und-zuckerersatz-so-erkennen-sie-suessmacher-in-lebensmitteln-11552#:~:text=%22Zuckerfrei%22%3A%20Bei%20der%20Angabe,zu%205%20g%20Zucker%20enthalten.
