What are sweeteners and why is everyone using them

Do you take your coffee with sugar, or agave syrup, sucralose, saccharin, stevia leaves, etc.? Nowadays, beyond traditional sugar cubes or delicious piloncillo, there are many options on the market to sweeten food and beverages. If you are not yet familiar with the alternatives to sugar, here we tell you everything you need to know about sweeteners.What are sweeteners?Sweeteners are substances that give a sweet taste to food but have fewer calories. There are non-caloric sweeteners (NCS) that are natural, like stevia leaves, and artificial ones, which are obtained through chemical processes, like sucralose.The main function of these additives is to add sweetness to food or beverage preparations without adding as many calories as a teaspoon of traditional sugar would. The concentration of some artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, is so high that only a small amount is required to sweeten.What are the most known sweeteners?Sweeteners can be divided into natural and artificial. The former are basically foods that are sweet due to their natural composition, and the latter are synthetically generated.Natural sweeteners:Fruit juices and nectarsHoneyMolassesMaple or agave syrup Artificial sweeteners:Saccharin: commonly used in instant drinks, soft drinks, candies, pastries, jellies, etc.Aspartame: is 200 times sweeter than sugar and enhances the flavors of citrus fruits and some fruits.Cyclamate: generally used together with saccharin to enhance the flavor of both additives.What are the benefits of consuming sweeteners?Much has been said about the consumption of sweeteners. Some people believe that replacing cane sugar with synthetic sweeteners is a way to lose weight, while others think they may be harmful to health. The reality is that the use of these additives depends on individual needs.According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), the office responsible for overseeing everything related to food and medicines in the United States, the use of sugar substitutes is safe for the general population, as long as it is done in moderation. In any case, it is important for a doctor to supervise your diet if you have a medical condition, such as diabetes.How can I incorporate sweeteners into my daily diet?Reducing calorie intake is possible by replacing regular sugar with a non-caloric sweetener. The easiest way to include them in your diet is to stop adding sugar to coffee or beverages and sweeten them with sucralose or stevia, for example. When it comes to food preparation, sucralose is recommended for cooking baked or hot recipes, and stevia for cold dishes or beverages.Replacing sugar is very easy. In this infographic, we share the equivalences so you know how much sweetener you need according to the amounts of sugar indicated in a recipe.