Ever wonder why your drink says “Diet” or “No Sugar Added” but still taste as sweet? Check out the billion dollar artificial sweetener market and the kinds of chemicals blended into commercial liquid available to consumers everyday:

1. Aspartame (APM, aspartyl-phenylalanine-1-methyl ester, E951)

Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sucrose (sugar) in normal concentrations. It is not stable under raised temperature and high-pH thus not suitable for baking and long shelf life products. It is known as one of the sugar substitutes for people with diabetes. Aspartame is commonly used in diet soft drinks where the chemical is reasonably stable in the pH of between 3 to 5 (shelf life of about 300 days). For longer shelf life, Aspartame is mixed with more stable sweetener like saccharin. It is losing its market share to a newer sweetener called sucralose.

2. Acesulfame Potassium (Acesulfame K, Ace K, potassium 6-methyl-2,2-dioxo-oxathiazin-4-olate, E950)

Ace K is about as sweet as Aspartame. Unlike Aspartame, Ace K is stable and it will not break down under heat and it may be used in products for a longer shelf life. Ace K is normally used in carbonated drinks in conjunction with other sweeteners like Aspartame or Sucralose. Critics argue that this chemical has not been studied adequately and may be carcinogenic, although the claim has been dismissed by USFDA and such authorities in Europe.

3. Saccharin (1,1-Dioxo-1,2-benzothiazol-3-one, E954)

Saccharin is 300 times sweeter than sucrose. It is more stable than Aspartame under heat or acidic conditions, does not chemically react with other food ingredients, and stores well. For diabetic, saccharin is an important discovery because it goes straight through the digestive system without being digested. It does not affect blood insulin levels and contains no effective food energy. Saccharin use has been associated with bladder cancer and researches has shown mixed results in the correlation of saccharin consumption and increased risk to cancer.

4. Sucralose (Altern, (chemical name too long), E955)

Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sucrose. It has won more market share than Aspartame-Equal under the brand name Splenda. Sucralose is stable under heat and suitable for a broad range of pH, baking, and long shelf life products. Although stable, sucralose is mixed with filler or carrier like dextrose or maltodextrin to approximate sugar’s volume and texture. Although sucralose has been approved by USFDA and even 60 countries around the world, there have been many cases of researches suggesting that sucralose consumption can be linked to cancer, migrain-trigger, and effects on thymus, an organ that matures T-cells and beefs up human immune system.

Source: (what else.. Wiki). Disclaimer: the contents above have been extracted from its original source, any insufficient details for your perusal and dietary plan, please consult professionals. Eat healthy. You are what you eat. Take care of your body and your body will take care of you.