What's the Best Sugar Substitute?
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Chemically similar to aspartame, it's made by NutraSweet and is 8,000 times sweeter than sugar. Just approved by the FDA in 2002, it's heat-stable with only tiny amounts needed to be used for sweetening. Because of its similarities to aspartame, there's concern that it may pose a health threat to people suffering from PKU.
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ACESULFAME POTASSIUM
Also known as acesulfame K or Ace K, it can be found as Sunett or Sweet One and is 180 times sweeter than sugar. It has a bitter aftertaste, like saccharin, so it's often blended with other sweeteners like sucralose or aspartame. Heat-stable, it can be used in baking by substituting 6 packets for each quarter cup of sugar.
NATURAL SUGAR SUBSTITUTE: STEVIA
Stevia derives from the subtropical/tropical herbs known as sweetleaf or sugarleaf. The leaf extracts can be more than 250 times sweeter than sugar but also have a bitter or even licorice-like aftertaste. Widely used a sweetener in Japan, it can only be labeled as a supplement in the US and Canada. It's favored by diabetics and those on carbohydrate-controlled diets but is still controversial regarding its safety.
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