visit sniclinic dot com here

Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes – Which are allowed in Canada?

Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes – Which are allowed in Canada?

Most of us can’t deny enjoying something sweet to drink or eat every now and then. With the knowledge that too much sugar isn’t great for our diets, food and beverage companies have been trending towards sugar substitutes and sweeteners.

Not all are created equally though, and some in fact are not even permitted in the Canadian market! This is extremely important information, especially for those who sell or who are planning to sell products in Canada. Sugar substitutes are regulated in Canada by Health Canada, and sweeteners are only approved when scientific evidence confirms that they are safe.

Check out our list of list below of sweeteners and substitutes, and whether they are allowed, cautioned or banned in Canadian products. Do any surprise you?

Sugar Substitute and Artificial Sweetener

GREEN LIGHT – Generally allowed and considered safe

Green Light
1. Honey

Calories: 21 calories / teaspoon

Source: Honey is often considered to be more natural, but it is still sugar, a concentrated source of calories with very few other nutrients. The body can’t tell the difference between these calories and regular white sugar.

Common Use: breakfast cereal, salad dressings, baked goods

Green Light
2. Agave Fruit

Calories: 20 calories / teaspoon

Source: Agave Fruit a nectar, the product of the agave cactus, the taste and texture are similar to that of honey. Like honey, agave is no healthier than other types of added sugar.

Common Use: breakfast cereal, syrups

Green Light
3. Sugar Alcohols – Maltitol, Mannitol, Sorbitol, Xylitol

Calories: ~10 calories / teaspoon

Source:

Sugar alcohols are not metabolized by the bacteria in the mouth, so they have little to no contribution to tooth decay. Like other sugar alternatives, sugar alcohols should be limited. All sugar alcohols are found naturally, but when used commercially they are derived from certain products and are no longer really considered to be natural.

Maltitol
Naturally: chicory leaves
Commercially derived from:  wheat and corn

Mannitol
Naturally: mushrooms and algae
Commercially derived from: fructose or glucose syrup

Xylitol
Naturally: birch and small amounts in fruits and vegetables
Commercially derived from: wheat and corn

Sorbitol
Naturally: many fruits
Commercially derived from: starch (usually from corn, wheat and potato starches)

Common Use: candy, frozen desserts, ice cream products

YELLOW LIGHT – Cautionary /Allowed under specific circumstances

yellow_light
1. Acesulfame potassium

Calories: 0 calories / teaspoon

Brand name(s): Sunett, Sweet One

Common Use: soft drinks, candy

Caution: Allowed to be used as table top sweeteners if used according to GMP. Otherwise, added to certain foods, in certain amounts ranging from – 0.007 to 0.5%

yellow_light
2. Aspartame

Calories: 0 calories / teaspoon

Brand name(s): Equal™, NutraSweet™

Common Use: soft drinks, yogurt, candy

Caution: Allowed to be used as table top sweeteners if used according to GMP. Otherwise, added to certain foods, in certain amounts ranging from – 0.05 to 1.0%

yellow_light
3. Neotame

Calories: 0 calories / teaspoon

Brand name(s): Hermestas®

Common Use: dairy products, frozen desserts, puddings, fruit juices

Caution: Can only be bought at pharmacies in Canada. Allowed to be used as table top sweeteners if used according to GMP. Otherwise, added to certain foods, in certain amounts ranging from – 0.002 to 0.032%

yellow_light
4. Saccharin

Calories: 0 calories / teaspoon

Brand name(s): Sweet Twin, Necta

Common Use: canned fruit, chewing gum, frozen desserts, toppings/topping mixes, alcoholic liqueurs

Caution: Can only be added to certain foods, in certain amounts ranging from – 0.0025 to 0.25%. Saccharin sweeteners can also be sold for direct consumer use under specific conditions and can only be sold in pharmacies.

yellow_light
5. Steviol glycosides (Stevia)

Calories: 0 calories / teaspoon

Brand name(s): Truvia, Pur Via

Common Use: candy, gum, baking mixes, snacks.

Caution: Allowed to be used as table top sweeteners if used according to GMP. Otherwise, added to certain foods, in certain amounts ranging from – 0.013 to 0.35%.

yellow_light
6. Sucralose

Calories: 0 calories / teaspoon

Brand name(s): Splenda™

Common Use: soft drinks, baked goods, frozen desserts, canned fruits, syrups

Caution: Allowed to be used as table top sweeteners if used according to GMP. Otherwise, added to certain foods, in certain amounts ranging from – 0.015 to 2.5%

yellow_light
7. Monk fruit extract (Luo Han Guo)

Calories: 0 calories / teaspoon

Brand name(s): NectresseTM, PurefruitTM, Fruit-SweetnessTM, Monk Fruit in the Raw®

Common Use: beverages, baked good, yogurts, sauces, desserts, candies

Caution: Allowed to be used as table top sweeteners at 0.8% (calculated as mogroside V). Not permitted in manufacturing.

RED LIGHT – Not permitted

redlight
1. Cyclamate sweeteners

Calories:  0 calories / teaspoon

Brand name(s): Sucaryl®, Sugar Twin®, Sweet ‘N Low®

Common Use: table top sweetener

Caution: Cyclamate sweeteners are not permitted in foods in Canada, and may only be sold for direct consumer use under specified conditions outlined in the Food and Drug Regulations. Cyclamates are used as sweeteners in many parts of the world, including Europe.

redlight
Other Unapproved Sugar Substitutes/Sweeteners

Curculin – Approved only in Japan

Glycyrrhizin – Approved in the USA as GRAS. Approved in the EU as E958. Not in Canada

Glycerol – Recognized as a sugar alcohol by the FDA and classified as GRAS (Generally approved as safe). Approved in the EU as E422.

Inulin – Approved by the FDA as GRAS. Approved in many countries

Miraculin – Approved in Japan and some other countries

Monellin – Japan is the only country so far to have approved it.

Tagatose – Approved in the USA in 2003. Approved in the EU in 2006. Approved in many other countries. But not in Canada

Advantame – Approved by the FDA in the USA in May 2014. Not yet approved in Japan – where it is manufactured. Approved in the E.U as food additive 969. Approved in Australia and New Zealand. But not in Canada.

Alitame – Not yet approved in the USA or Canada. Approved in the EU as E956. Approved in Mexico, China

Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone – Not approved in the USA or Canada. Approved in the EU as E959.

What is your go-to sugar substitute? Or, what are your thoughts on this growing market? Add your comments below.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

Loading...