Sucralose is a synthetic sweetener that is currently used to replace sugar in a number of food products. Discovered in 1976, Sucralose has been tested and safety approved in 80 countries worldwide.
Sucralose is actually derived from sugar; it is synthesized through the selective chlorination of the sugar molecule. Specifically, chlorine molecules are substituted for 3 hydroxyl groups that form the naturally occurring sugar molecule. The result is a very sweet substance – about 600 times sweeter than sucrose – which is remarkably safe and has no aftertaste, but, because it is not metabolized by the body, has no calories.
Currently, Sucralose is used in a wide variety of food products, including soft drinks and breakfast bars. It has several unique properties which make it suitable for cooking, canning or baking. Sucralose is, perhaps, the safest synthetic sweetener.
Because of its high safety rating and flexible use, Sucralose is of great benefit to those wishing to consume less sugar in order to enhance health and cut calories. Sucralose is most common in prepared food products such as candy and breakfast bars. However, the fact that it is heat stable also makes it suitable for cooking, canning and baking. It is conceivable that Sucralose may be a satisfactory substitute for sugar in every capacity that sugar is currently used.
Because Sucralose is derived from sugar, its taste is very natural, not at all ‘chemical’, and it has no unpleasant aftertaste. In short, using Sucralose literally enables people to consume ‘sugar’ without the health detriments normally associated with sugar consumption, such as weight gain, tooth decay, and the risk of diabetes.
References 1) Facts About Sucralose, American Dietetic Association, 2006. 2) Artificial Sweeteners: No Calories…Sweet FDA Consumer; Jul/Aug2006, Vol. 40 Issue 4, p27-28, 2p, 1c.
