SUGAR SUBSTITUTE

Growing interest in health and an aging population has changed the very idea of seeing food technology. Nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners add to the pleasure of eating. Consumers can enjoy a wide range of sweeteners in a wide variety of foods and beverages. Consumers can incorporate nutritive sweeteners into a healthful eating plan and meet current guidelines for healthful diets. The range of nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners allows choice in the type and number of sweeteners to include in the diet. The ingredients declaration on the food label provides information to consumers on types of sweeteners contained in food and beverages, although the number of added sugars is not listed in the Nutrition Facts panel. Nonnutritive sweeteners are safe for use within the approved regulations. They can increase the palatability of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain breads/cereals and thus have the potential to increase the nutrient density of the diet while promoting lower energy intakes. National surveillance of intakes of nonnutritive sweeteners, the foods and beverages, to which they are added, is important to assess whether they assist consumers in meeting recommended dieta.