A Buyer's Guide to Sugar Substitutes

The good, the bad and the unacceptable.



Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)

  • Commonly added to packaged foods and beverages

What is it? A compound made by combining two amino acids— phenylalanine and aspartic acid—with a methyl ester that becomes methanol, a by-product of carbohydrate fermentation. FDA-approved in 1981, aspartame is digested but because such small amounts are used to sweeten foods, its calories are negligible.

Sweetness factor: 180 x sugar

Take note: People with a rare condition known as phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot break down phenylalanine, so it can accumulate to toxic levels; thus, people with PKU must avoid all foods containing phenylalanine, including aspartame.

Our taste test: Some tasters found it to have a nice level of sweetness in hot and cold tea; others called it too sweet and “fake” tasting. Most detected a bitter aftertaste.

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