Consumer Health: What do you know about sugar substitutes?

March is National Nutrition Month, which makes this a good time to learn more about sugar substitutes.

Sugar substitutes are sweeteners that can be used instead of regular table sugar. Types of sugar substitutes include:

• Natural sweeteners, such as fruit juices, honey, molasses and maple syrup, which often are promoted as healthier options than sugar or other sugar substitutes.
• Artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin and aspartame, which are synthetic sugar substitutes.
• Novel sweeteners, such as stevia and tagatose.
• Sugar alcohols, which are carbohydrates that occur naturally in certain fruits and vegetables, although they also can be manufactured.

Learn more about sugar substitutes, including their uses, potential health benefits and possible health concerns.