In 1999, the FDA calculated that the average American ate the equivalent of 20 teaspoons of sugar a day - more than half from the corn sweetener used in sweetened drinks. Given continuous demand from dieters to help them reduce this amount, no wonder the food industry keeps trying to improve on artificial sweeteners. In two previous columns, I discussed solid and liquid sugars; here's an update on the alternatives.

Saccharin, e.g. Sweet 'n Low, Sugar Twin, Sweet Magic, Zero-Cal was first discovered in 1879. Its usage and acceptance escalated during the World Wars to help compensate for the sugar shortage. Despite ongoing questions as to its possible connection to cancer, saccharin has remained popular.

Saccharin is 300x sweeter than regular sugar. It is inexpensive to make, has a good shelf life, and can sweeten baked goods as it doesn't degrade when heated. The FDA, AMA, American Cancer Society and American Dietetic Assoc. all agree that moderate saccharin use - less than six servings/day - is acceptable. Saccharin's biggest drawback is its bitter aftertaste.

Aspartame, e.g. NutraSweet and Equal, also has been targeted for safety concerns, especially on the Web where the attacks have achieved the status of an urban legend. However, the FDA is adamant that over 200 studies have confirmed that aspartame is safe for everyone except those with a rare disease called phenylketonuria; these conclusions are seconded by the major medical associations.

Aspartame was approved in 1981 for use; it is less sweet than saccharin at 180x sugar. It is used as a table sweetener, but can not be used in baking as it does degrade in heat. Its major advantage is the lack of an aftertaste.

Be careful when using Equal that you know which type of Equal you're using. One packet of Equal is roughly equivalent to 2 teaspoons of sugar; however, the manufacturer also makes a product called Equal Spoonful which measures teaspoon for teaspoon like sugar. This product has a starch added for bulk.

Sucralose, e.g. Splenda is the newest commercial sweetener, approved in 1998, and has gained rapidly in popularity. It is the only low calorie sweetener made from actual sugar (sucrose) which has been molecularly modified to be 600 times sweeter than regular sugar. Further, the body does not recognize it as sugar, so it cannot be digested and therefore it contributes no calories. When packaged, like Equal Spoonful, it has starch added so it can actually be measured in teaspoons. Like aspartame, it can resist heat, and many professional chefs now use sucralose as their preferred low calorie baking sweetener.

Acesulfame Potassium, e.g. Sunett was approved in 1988 and is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is most similar to saccharin as it has both excellent shelf life and can be used in baking.

Neotame e.g. Sweetener 2000 was approved by the FDA in 2002. Made by NutraSweet, depending on its food application, neotame is approximately 7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar. Neotame is heat stable and can be used in cooking. Because of the way the body metabolizes it, neotame does not affect people who have phenylketonuria and therefore carries no warning label. So far, it is largely used in manufacturing where, given its high sweetness, a little goes a long way.

Sweeteners Pending Approval include:

·        Stevia is derived from a South American plant, and has been around for many years. It is currently marketed as a dietary supplement as it does not have FDA approval as a food additive.

·        Cyclamate was sold in the 60's but banned in 1970 after a cancer linkage; however, there is a petition to reapprove it as those studies are now suspect.

·        Alitame is also under FDA review. It is 2,000 times sweeter than sugar and stable at high temperatures. It can be used in cooked or baked products. There is no known cancer connection with this substance, and it is apparently not toxic in any other way.

Cooking Tips:

When cooking with any sugar substitute it is necessary to remember that sugar does other things in baking besides sweetening. Sugar also keeps baked goods moist, tender, and is responsible for browning. So even when using sugar substitutes that can handle heat, recipes need to be adjusted.

Here are some tips from the  Baking 911 website, which recommends using Splenda for baking:

·        If the recipe calls for sifting the dry ingredients, measure the amount you need before sifting. One cup of SPLENDA® Granular equals the sweetness of one cup of sugar - but Splenda does not sift like sugar because the sugar granules are different.

·        When the recipe calls for beating ingredients together, such as butter, sugar and eggs, you may need to beat the ingredients a bit longer to get enough air into the mixture to result in a more fluffy and even texture.

·        Baked goods will last longer if stored in a refrigerator.

·        Check your baked goods for doneness a bit earlier than the recipe calls for, generally 7-10 minutes for cakes and 1-2 minutes for cookies.

·        The addition of molasses, cocoa or other dark ingredients can help you achieve browning in recipes like those for cookies and cakes. For browning, add 1 tablespoon of molasses for every cup of SPLENDA® Granular used.

·        For longer storage, baked goods can be frozen.