ZERO CALORIE SWEETENER
2025 BUYING GUIDE
In my quest to help home cooks navigate the chaos of zero-calorie sweeteners in U.S. stores, I found thousands of options. To make sense of it all, I’ve created the ultimate guide, sorting every sweetener into two easy-to-navigate groups: natural and artificial.
WHAT DOES "ZERO-CALORIE" MEAN?
By law, a sweetener may be labeled calorie-free, no-calorie, or zero-calorie if it provides less than 5 calories per serving. One serving is usually the amount of product (teaspoon, drops, squeezes, packets) with sweetness equivalent to 1 or 2 teaspoons of table sugar.
Zero Calorie Sweeteners are available in various forms — granulated, powdered, sachet, cube, tablet, and liquid (drops and syrups). The color code for them tends to be:
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Artificial: yellow for sucralose, blue for aspartame, and pink for saccharin.
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Natural: green for stevia, and, launching in 2025, neon pink for WhatSugar-approved sweeteners, our very own zero-calorie, certified organic line of sugar alternatives.
WHAT'S A HIGH INTENSITY SWEETENER?
Most zero-calorie sugar substitutes you find in stores contain High-Intensity (HI) Sweeteners — either as the sole ingredient or listed last. When pure, they deliver intense sweetness without calories, and no nutritional benefits. Since they're several hundred times sweeter than table sugar, only tiny amounts are needed.
At such small amounts, HI sweeteners don’t add volume or affect texture—they won’t thicken, bind, or make your recipe viscous.
Unlike table sugar, they are used mainly for sweetening purposes and no other culinary role.
That’s why they’re often blended with bulk sweeteners, which help them in four key ways:
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give them an overall resemblance to table sugar
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make them spoonable and pourable
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mask their off-flavors
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improve mouthfeel by adding weight and volume.
Pure high-intensity sweeteners (without any additives or fillers) work best in recipes that don't rely on sugar for texture, shelf life, moisture retention, color, or flavor.
Zero Calories vs High Intensity
Here's a common misconception: zero-calorie and high-intensity mean the same thing.
But that’s not the case. Take erythritol and allulose — both can be labeled as zero-calorie, but they're not high-intensity. In fact, both are less sweet than table sugar. In addition, they are not completely free of calories as high-intensity sweeteners. They provide about 1 to 1.5 calories per teaspoon or 40 to 70 calories per cup.
FDA-APPROVED HIGH-INTENSITY SWEETENERS
Nine high-intensity sweeteners are permitted for use in food in the US. When artificial, they're regulated as a food additive. When natural, they have their use as a sweetener generally recognized as safe (GRAS).
The key difference is that food additives undergo premarket review and approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
GRAS substances, on the other hand, have their safety evaluated by "experts qualified by scientific training and experience" — not by the FDA. In most cases, these experts are industry scientists, meaning companies often self-certify the ingredients they sell as safe. That said, it's not an easy process — the FDA still expects thorough toxicology studies, clearly defined safe use levels, and does an in depth review of all the supporting scientific evidence.
‘Nutritive’ Sweeteners But Don’t Add Calories
Among all the HI sweeteners, only two — aspartame and thaumatin — are nutritive. Since both are proteins, they provide 4 calories per gram. However, because they're used in such small amounts due to their intense sweetness, they're effectively non-nutritive. Aspartame is 100 to 400 times sweeter than sugar, and thaumatin ranges from 2000 to 5000.
Non-Nutritive Sweeteners
Stevia, monk fruit, sucralose, saccharin, acesulfame K, neotame, and advantame are non-nutritive sweeteners (0 cal/gram).
NATURAL & HIGH-INTENSITY
WHAT'S A NATURAL SWEETENER?
If you're wondering "What exactly is the difference between natural and artificial? — here's how the FDA views it.
Natural ingredients are those "found in nature". However, some of these substances exist in nature only in tiny amounts and must be "manufactured artificially" to be produced on a large scale. The FDA still considers these “natural” [but for clarity, here at WhatSugar we refer to them as synthetic].
To explain this, the FDA uses vitamin C (ascorbic acid) as an example. It can be derived from an orange or artificially produced via fermentation, but the final ingredient is identical. The same applies to synthetic sweeteners like erythritol and allulose, which exist in nature but are commercially produced from corn.
On the other hand, the FDA defines artificial ingredients as those "not found in nature and therefore must be artificially produced". So, in short: Both synthetic and artificial sweeteners are manufactured artificially ("yeast/enzyme made" vs "human made"), but synthetic ones exist in nature, while artificial ones do not.
Note that synthetic is not the same as artificial. Vitamin C made via fermentation would not be considered artificial as it’s indistinguishable from the vitamin C found naturally in fruits. Learn more about natural vs artificial HERE and HERE.
Which high-intensity sweeteners are FDA-approved as natural?
Natural sweeteners are directly extracted from plants. The FDA has permitted the use of three natural sweeteners, as GRAS substances:
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Stevia
As of March 2025, stevia (leaf extract) holds the title of the most popular high-intensity sweetener. As I explain in my Guide to Buying Stevia, products can contain a blend of different steviol glycosides (the sweet compounds of the stevia leaf) or just some of them, like reb A or stevioside.
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Monk Fruit
While stevia has been used as a sweetener for many years and is widely accessible, monk fruit is relatively new and may not be as readily available in all stores. Monk fruit is also more expensive than stevia and appeals to those that do not like the taste of stevia.
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Thaumatin
Thaumatin comes from a mixture of proteins isolated from the katemfe fruit of West Africa. It's the sweetest natural substance known to man — yet it’s rarely used just for sweetness. Instead, it’s valued for its unique flavor-modifying properties, which work at extremely low concentrations.
Explore products with natural high-intensity sweeteners by clicking below:
ARTIFICIAL & ZERO-CALORIE
WHAT'S AN ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER?
Artificial sweeteners are entirely man-made and do not exist in nature. Even if produced from a source material found in nature OR if their component parts are common in nature, it does not make them a natural sweetener. For instance, sucralose is made from table sugar. Aspartame is split in our bodies into 3 components widely found in foods such as meats, fish, dairy products, eggs, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.
Which artificial sweeteners are FDA-approved?
The FDA has permitted the use of six artificial sweeteners, as food additives:
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Sucralose
The most widely used today found in the Splenda yellow packets (Splenda also offers stevia, monk fruit, and allulose sweeteners with no sucralose).
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Aspartame
The only nutritive sweetener because, being a protein, it provides 4 calories per gram, but it’s used in such tiny amounts that it’s effectively calorie-free.
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Acesulfame potassium (ace-K)
The blend aspartame-acesulfame works well to create a more sugar-like taste profile.
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Saccharin
The first artificial sweetener sold in stores, known for its popular brand Sweet’N Low.
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Neotame
A newer sweetener but is rarely used in consumer products.
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Advantame
The most recently approved but not commonly found in sugar substitutes.
Explore artificial products by clicking below:
ARE SWEETENERS SAFE?
Are sweeteners worse than sugar? What's the safest sweetener to use? These are questions that come up often—and for good reason with the sea of information out there. So here's what you need to know.
By law, all sweeteners sold in stores must be safe for consumption. You can read how the FDA assesses their safety HERE.
All nine FDA-approved high-intensity sweeteners (HIS) are over a hundred times sweeter than table sugar, so we consume them in tiny amounts.
Based on scientific evidence, they're considered safe for the general population when consumed as intended. The FDA has determined that the estimated daily intake of HIS remains within safe limits, even for heavy users.
High-intensity sweeteners hasn’t been linked conclusively to any specific health problems. They do not cause cancer in humans at the levels we consume. They are safe for people with diabetes, children, and pregnant or breastfeeding women, plus they're non-cariogenic.
Three areas regarding the effects of high-intensity sweeteners need more research to fully understand their effects:
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There's lack of evidence showing high-intensity sweeteners are effective in helping people lose weight in the LONG TERM (over 6 to 18 months), even though studies have shown small weight loss in the short term (3 months or less). You can read the position of World Health Organization and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans on that.
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Research on their impact on the gut microbiome is conflicting.
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It's controversial whether consuming something sweet without calories could influence appetite and food cravings.
If you’re concerned about their conflicting effects, remember that how you use them matters. So, keep reading to find the #1 rule to use them wisely.
SWEETENERS DONE RIGHT
Wondering if there’s a right way to enjoy sweeteners? Or how to get the most out of them? I’m talking about consuming any sweetener—whether it’s zero-calorie or regular sugar.
The key mistake is pairing sweeteners with foods that don’t promote satiety—those that don’t keep you full and make hunger return quickly. These are foods that simply don’t "stick with you" for long.
For example, one common "wrong" way of having sweeteners is between meals in liquid form—think sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, black coffee, and tea.
So, here's the one rule for eating sweeteners:
No matter the type—sugars or alternatives—always pair sweeteners with satiating foods. Choose whole, nutrient-dense options that include protein, fat, or fiber-rich components like fruits, vegetables, cream, milk, and whole grains.
These foods do two important things:
✅ They fill you up
✅ They provide a slower, steadier release of energy.
Turns out, your mom was right: dessert is best enjoyed after a well-rounded meal.
The secret to using sweeteners in a way that actually works for you?
Try to avoid consuming sweeteners in liquid form between meals — whether in sodas, energy drinks, or sports drinks (diet or regular). Even sweetened black coffee throughout the day may not be the best choice, unless you add cream or milk to increase satiety.
When it comes to zero-calorie sweeteners, why is food pairing crucial?
Because it helps you avoid areas still under research or debate. For example, studies have mixed findings on whether consuming something sweet without calories could increase appetite and food cravings. By pairing sweeteners with satiating foods, you minimize these risks and and support healthier choices.
ASPARTAME UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
Aspartame is one of the most studied food additives in the human food supply, yet it remains the most controversial sweetener. Approved in more than 90 countries, Americans have been sweetening with it for nearly 50 years.
The latest controversy arose in July 2023, when the World Health Organization (WHO) released a risk assessment of aspartame and cancer. They classified aspartame as a possible carcinogen on the basis that there's limited evidence for cancer in humans, specifically liver cancer. This means the consumption of aspartame isn’t entirely risk-free.
However, the FDA's strongly disagrees with IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of WHO) with this conclusion. In their response, they stated: "The FDA disagrees with IARC’s conclusion that the studies support classifying aspartame as a possible carcinogen to humans. FDA scientists reviewed the scientific information included in IARC’s review in 2021 when it was first made available and identified significant shortcomings in the studies on which IARC relied."
The FDA emphasizes that the WHO did not raise safety concerns for aspartame at the current levels of use. In addition, WHO did not change the prior Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of aspartame of 40 mg/kg of body. WHO affirmed that an intake within this range is safe for a lifetime of daily use.
Wondering what exactly is the ADI?
ADI is the amount of a substance considered safe to consume every day over the course of a person's entire life. To understand what this limit means for aspartame, a 150-pound (68 kg) person would need to consume a total of 75 packets per day of Equal, every single day of their entire lifetime.
To read what the American Cancer Society has to say about that, go HERE.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the sea of information about sweeteners safety, I’ve created a resource to help you make sense of it all. [Access it here.]
"ZERO" CALORIE COUNT
HOW MANY CALORIES ARE IN SWEETENERS?
I often get questions about counting calories in food products with sweet carbohydrates—erythritol, allulose, maltodextrin, and glucose—such as:
• How come a product have carbs but no calories?
• I bought a product containing monk fruit, allulose, and erythritol. The Nutrition Facts label states 10 grams of total carbs. Why it's zero calories?
I covered maltodextrin and glucose in the Hidden Calories in Sweeteners, but here's what you need to know.
How are the calories of sweeteners calculated?
According to the FDA, different methods can be used to calculate calories on Nutrition Facts label, such as:
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Atwater or 4-4-9 Method:
Developed over 100 years ago, this is the oldest method for estimating calories content. However, it's the least accurate because it uses average factors – 4 cal/g for carbohydrate, 4 cal/g for protein, and 9 cal/g for fat. These factors tend to overestimate calories as specific ingredients often have fewer calories than these averages. For example, glucose contains 3.75 cal/g, not 4.
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Adjusted 4-4-9 Method and Specific Factors:
These methods use the average Atwater factors above, with reduced calorie counts for specific carbohydrate sweeteners, such as
• Erythritol (0 cal/g)
• Allulose (0.4 cal/g)
• Xylitol (2.4 cal/g)
• Sorbitol (2.6 cal/g)
• Mannitol (1.6 cal/g)
• Soluble fibers (2 cal/g)
And that’s why a product with 10 grams of carbs can still be zero calories (<5 cal/serving). The type of carbohydrate matters!
PICK YOUR ZERO-CALORIE SWEETENER
Brands and Products
There is A LOT to explore, and you can jump straight to what you need by clicking a category below:
Ready to Skip the Sweetener Guesswork?
You don't have to go through trial and error with different sweeteners, wasting time, pricey ingredients, and not to mention ruined recipes.
That's why I created the Sugar Swap Starter Kit — your shortcut to choosing and using sugar alternatives with confidence. It is designed for home cooks who want to understand how different options stack up, find the best ones, and get practical tips to use them. This kit offers a quick way to get all your questions answered — all in one easy-to-follow resource!
