CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION:

A sugar substitute is a food additive that duplicates the effect of sugar in

taste usually with less food energy. Some sugar substitutes are natural and

some are synthetic. Those that are not natural are in general called artificial

sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes are found in a

variety of food and beverages marketed as sugar free or diet including soft

drinks chewing gum jellies baked goods candy fruit juice and ice-cream

and yoghurt. [Whitney 2011]

People may not all like the same kind of baked treats but one thing we all

agree on is that baked treats should be sweets usually sugar is used to lend

sweetness to foods but would cake taste just as good if the baker used a

sugar substitutes instead of sugar? Many people prefer not to use sugar often

due to health reasons and instead depend on sugar substitutes to sweeten

their foods. But are sugar substitutes the same as sugar? What exactly are the

differences between sugar and sugar substitutes?

Sugar also known as sucrose comes from plants like sugar cane and sugar

beets and is a carbohydrate. Sugar adds bulk to cakes cookies and all kinds

of treats; sugar also causes browning and caramelizing in foods when it is

heated as when cookies turn golden brown in the oven sugar is a natural

substance something that our bodies can use for energy.

Sugar substitutes come in three categories; artificial sweeteners sugar

alcohols and natural sweeteners. Artificialsweeteners are attractive because

they add almost no calories to foods and are sometimes a part of weight loss

programs. Also they donot increase blood sugar levels which mean that

diabetics can use them. Many artificial sweeteners like sucralose were

discovered by accident in the laboratory. In 1976 a scientist in England was

studying different compounds made from sugar. The scientist asked a

student to test the compounds but instead the student tested them. Another

category of sugar substitutes is sugar alcohols. Sugar alcohols are not

alcoholic beverages they do not contain ethanol which is found in alcoholic

beverages. Sugar alcohols like sugar have calories and energy but not

asmuch as sugar. Sugar alcohols like artificial sweeteners do not contribute

to tooth decay and affect blood sugar levels slowly so diabetics can use them.

Although sugar alcohols like xylitol sorbitol and erythritol are manufactured

products the sources are often natural.

The last category of sugar substitutes is called natural substitutes. The

categories include maple syrup agave nectar and honey. These substances

are absorbed by our digestive system and contain calories and nutrients that

our bodies can use. [Michelle 2002]

The chart lists some popular sugar substitutes and how they‟re commonly

categorized:

Artificial

sweeteners

Acesulfame

potassium

(sunettsweet

one)

Sugar alcohols

Erythritol

Novel

sweeteners

Stevia extracts

(pure via truvia)

Natural

sweeteners

Agave nectar

Aspartame

(Equal

Nutrasweet)

Hydrogenated

starch

hydrolysate.

Tegatose

(Naturlose)

Date sugar

Neotame Isomalt Trehalose Fruitjuice

concentrate

Saccharin

(sugartwin sweet

“N” low

Lactitol Honey

Sucralose

(splenda)

Maltitol Maple syrup

Mannitol Molasses

Sorbitol

Xylitol

1.1 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

AIM: To create an alternative to sugar by replicating the sweetnessfound in

natural sugar.

Objectives:

To determine how the sweetness of sugar substitutes compare to the

sweetness of sugar. In this research sugar and sugar substitutes will be

tested and the sweetness will be compare in relation to sugar.

To compare the availability and affordability of the active components

in the artificial sweetener and sugar

To know the components of this artificial sweetener and what makes

them taste sweet

1.2 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

Artificial sweetener mimicking the taste of sugar will be a better alternative

to people who are suffering from diabetics. Unlike sugar artificial

sweeteners generally don‟t raise blood sugar levels because they are not

carbohydrates.