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Stevia vs Sucralose – which is healthier and how are they different? Sarah Bond, vegetarian food blogger and nutritionist, weighs in on what makes these artificial sweeteners different (and which is best)!
For centuries people used sugar, honey, and a few other sweeteners to flavor their coffee, tea, and food. Today, however, there are a variety of different options, many of them artificial. These have become popular as they contain few or no calories. Two types have become very popular and extensively used: Stevia and Sucralose.
Stevia is a natural sweetener extracted from the leaves of the stevia plant. Sucralose, on the other hand, is an artificial sweetener created through chemistry.
In this article, we will examine the history, taste, sweetness, uses, and safety of both to help you understand their differences and make an informed decision about which sweetener, if either, is best for you.
History
Stevia: People tend to think of Stevia as a newcomer in the world of sweeteners, but this isn’t the case at all. The leaves of the stevia plant were used by the Indigenous people of modern-day Peru long before Europeans came to the “New World.” The plant’s sweetening properties were “discovered” by Swiss botanist Moisés Santiago Bertoni in the late 19th century. It wasn’t until the 1970s, however, that stevia began to gain international attention as a sugar substitute.
Sucralose: British researchers accidentally discovered sucralose in 1975 while investigating potential new insecticides (talk about an ominous start). Sucralose comes from sucrose, or table sugar, through a process that substitutes three chlorine atoms for three hydroxyl groups. That is all the chemistry we will get into, but basically, this chemical modification makes sucralose non-caloric and much sweeter than sugar.
Taste
Stevia: It has an herbal taste with a hint of licorice. Some people really like the taste and think it tastes pretty close to table sugar. Others, however, detect a bitter aftertaste especially when a lot is used.
Sucralose: Sucralose, on the other hand, has a more clearly sugar-like taste, without a bitter aftertaste. This has made it a popular choice among those seeking a sugar substitute that closely mimics the flavor of real sugar.
Sweetness
Stevia: Stevia is intensely sweet and has been taste-tested to be 50 to 300 times sweeter than sugar, depending on the specific steviol glycoside compounds present.
Sucralose: Sucralose is also extremely sweet and has been taste-tested to be around 600 times sweeter than sugar. This high level of sweetness means that only tiny amounts of sucralose are needed to achieve the desired sweetness in foods and beverages.
Common Commercial Uses
Stevia: Due to its natural origin and popularity, stevia is used in a wide range of products, including diet soft drinks, teas, flavored water, yogurt, desserts, protein bars, dietary supplements, and numerous packaged foods.
Sucralose: Sucralose’s stability under high heat makes it a favorite for cooking and baking. It is frequently used in processed foods like diet sodas, sugar-free energy & sports drinks, sugar-free juices, sugar-free chewing gum, and as a tabletop sweetener.
Are they Safe?
Stevia: Stevia’s safety has been studied extensively, and major health organizations including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have declared it safe for consumption.
Sucralose: Sucralose is also approved by the FDA and the EFSA. Numerous studies have been conducted to evaluate its safety, and it has been approved for use in food and beverages.
It is not our intent here to convince you one way or the other about the safety of zero-calorie sweeteners. We encourage you to read further on this at the FDA’s Site on this Important Topic.
Most people get their opinion on these products from the internet, but if you ask them what site and what studies they never really know. The US Government spends over $7 billion every year funding the FDA to be the watchdog over food, and they appear to be pretty conservative. They have been looking at Sucralose, Stevia, Aspartame, Saccharin, and Xylitol for years.
If this is an area of concern for you, we strongly encourage you to check out the FDA Position and Limits on Artificial Sweeteners. The FDA provides a chart showing the safe limits (measured in packets) of each sweetener for a 132-lb person. You can extrapolate the safe amount for your weight from there. The FDA also published its position on the WHO’s concerns with Aspartame.
You might also get the position of the National Cancer Institute on Sweeteners or the American Heart Association on Sweeteners. And finally, if you need help getting to sleep at night the National Institute of Health has a lengthy deep dive on the topic.
Conclusion
Both sweeteners have their merits.
Stevia comes from a plant rather than a chemistry lab and is very sweet. This has made it an attractive option for people who prefer a plant-based alternative to sugar. However, its taste and slight aftertaste can be a drawback for some people.
Sucralose, with its sugar-like taste and exceptional sweetness, has become a go-to choice for many food and beverage manufacturers trying to reduce the calorie and sugar content in foods and drinks without compromising on flavor. However, it is an artificial sweetener, and some people prefer the natural aspect of stevia.
