Sucralose : Recent Study
A recent study from India examining the effects of replacing sucrose or table sugar with an artificial sweetener, sucralose, found no adverse impact on glucose or HbA1c levels and indicated a slight improvement in body mass index (BMI).
- Sucralose is a no-calorie sweetener that can be used to lower one’s intake of added sugars while still providing satisfaction from enjoying the taste of something sweet.
- While some types of sweeteners in this category are considered low-calorie (e.g., aspartame) and others are no-calorie (e.g., sucralose, monk fruit sweeteners, and stevia sweeteners). Collectively, they are often referred to as sugar substitutes, high-intensity sweeteners, nonnutritive sweeteners, or low-calorie sweeteners.
- Like other no-calorie sweeteners, sucralose is intensely sweet.It is about 600 times sweeter than sugar.
- It can be used as an ingredient in any type of food or beverage.
- Sucralose is exceptionally stable, so foods and beverages sweetened with sucralose stay sweet under a wide range of conditions.
- Sucralose is made from a process that begins with regular table sugar (sucrose); however, sucralose is not sugar.
- Three select hydroxyl groups on the sucrose molecule are replaced with three chlorine atoms.
- Sucralose’s structure prevents enzymes in the digestive tract from breaking it down, which is an inherent part of its safety.
- Most (about 85 per cent) of consumed sucralose is not absorbed by the body and is excreted, unchanged, in the feces.
- Of the small amount that is absorbed (about 15 per cent), none is broken down for energy—therefore, sucralose does not provide any calories.
- All absorbed sucralose is excreted quickly in the urine.
