Human Beings
Are Born Liking the Sensation of Sweetness.
by ADA
The claim that
nutritive sweeteners have caused an increase in chronic disease (eg,
obesity,
cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dental caries, behavioral disorders)
is
not substantiated but many consumers want the taste of sweetness
without
added energy.
Use of nutritive and nonnutritive
sweeteners --
Position of ADA
J Am Diet Assoc. 1998;98:580-587.
Human beings are born liking the sensation
of
sweetness. A number of food
ingredients stimulate this sensation by interacting with taste buds in
the mouth and throat. The sweetening power of these ingredients varies
with the properties of the food system, such as physical state,
temperature,
and the presence of other flavors. Furthermore, perception of sweet
taste
can be influenced by genetics, health status, and aging (1). Nutritive
sweeteners provide a sweet taste and a source of energy; nonnutritive
sweeteners
are sweet without providing energy. The claim that nutritive sweeteners
have caused an increase in chronic disease (eg, obesity, cardiovascular
disease, diabetes, dental caries, behavioral disorders) is not
substantiated
(2) but many consumers want the taste of sweetness without added
energy.
The food industry has responded to this demand by producing a number of
energy-reduced or nonnutritive sweeteners.
POSITION STATEMENT
It is the position of The American
Dietetic
Association that consumers
can safely enjoy a range of nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners when
consumed in moderation and within the context of a diet consistent with
the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
TYPES OF SWEETENERS
Although sweeteners can be grouped a number
of
different ways, the grouping "nutritive" and "nonnutritive"
acknowledges a difference in the amount of energy provided by
sweeteners. Nutritive sweeteners include sugar sweeteners
(eg, refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, crystalline fructose,
glucose,
dextrose, corn sweeteners, honey, lactose, maltose, various syrups,
invert
sugars, concentrated fruit juice) and reduced-energy polyols or sugar
alcohols (eg, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, isomalt, and hydrogenated
starch hydrolysates). Nonnutritive sweeteners (eg, saccharin,
aspartame, acesulfame-K, and sucralose) offer no energy, and, as they
sweeten with little volume, can also be referred to as high-intensity
sweeteners. Both polyols and nonnutritive sweeteners can replace sugar
sweeteners and are therefore termed macronutrient substitutes, sugar
substitutes, sugar replacers, or alternative sweeteners.
Some sweeteners are considered Generally
Recognized As Safe (GRAS) ingredients and others are considered food
additives. These terms were defined by the 1958 Food Additives
Amendment to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The 1958
amendment also states that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
must
approve the safety of all additives (3). The safety limit of food
additives
or conditions of use are expressed as the acceptable daily intake
(ADI),
that is, the estimated amount per kilogram body weight that a person
can safely consume every day over a lifetime without risk. ADI is a
conservative level--it usually reflects an amount 100 times less than
the maximum level at which no observed adverse effect occurs in animal
(very occasionally human being) studies. The ADI concept is used by FDA
and the Joint Expert Committee of Food Additions (JECFA) of the United
Nations Food and Agricultural Organization and World Health
Organization.
The Table provides a summary of the amount of energy provided, the
regulatory
status, and descriptions of the approved nutritive and nonnutritive
sweeteners.
Table
Descriptions, other names, regulatory status, and amount of energy
provided
by nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners |
| Sweetener |
Kcal/g |
Regulatory
status |
Other
names |
Description |
|
| Sucrose |
4 |
GRASb |
Granulated:
coarse, regular, fine;
powdered: confectioner's; brown: turbinado, demerara; liquid: molasses |
Sweetens;
enhances flavor; tenderizes,
allows browning, and enhances appearance in baking; adds characteristic
flavor with unrefined sugar |
|
| Fructose |
4 |
GRAS |
High
fructose
corn syrups: 42%, 55%,
90% fructose; crystalline fructose: 99% fructose |
Sweetens;
functions like sucrose in
baking. Some persons experience a laxative response from a load of
fructose
(greater than or equal to 20 g). May produce lower glycemic response
than
sucrose |
|
| Polyols-monosaccharide |
|
|
|
|
| Sorbitol |
2.6 |
GRAS
(label
must warn about a laxative
effect) |
Same as
chemical name |
50% to
70% as
sweet as sucrose. Some
persons may experience a laxative effect from a load of sorbitol
(greater
than or equal to 50 g)
|
| Mannitol |
1.6 |
Permitted
for
use on
an interim basis (label must warn about a laxative effect) |
Same as
chemical name |
50% to
70% as
sweet as sucrose. Some
persons may experience a laxative effect from a load of mannitol
(greater
than or equal to 20 g)
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