The real truth about non-nutritive sweeteners Published: Sunday,
February 3, 2013 at 6:01 a.m. Last Modified: Thursday, January
31, 2013 at 4:21 p.m. Sugar, or sucrose, is one of the most
widely used ingredients in the foods you buy. All other
sweeteners basically are compared to how they stack up against
sugar. Nutritive vs. Non-Nutritive Sugar and other sweeteners
like fructose, dextrose, lactose, maltose, honey, corn syrup and
concentrated fruit juice sweeteners are called nutritive
sweeteners. Sugar alcohols, including sorbitol, mannitol,
xylitol, maltitol and erythritol, also are considered nutritive
sweeteners. Nutritive sweeteners add energy, or calories, to the
diet. Non-nutritive, or artificial, sweeteners don't add energy.
The FDA has approved four non-nutritive sweeteners — saccharin,
aspartame, acesulfame-K and sucralose. When substituting
sweeteners, remember to check the label directions or
manufacturer's website for sugar equivalents, preparation tips
and other specifications pertaining to that