Artificial Sweeteners Using Saccharin

It's the first ever artificial sweetener, discovered more than 100 years ago. And despite controversial health scares and growing competition, saccharin is still a common choice for those looking to replace sugar with a zero calorie sugar substitute.

Saccharin is 300 times sweeter than sugar and is heat stable, making it suitable for cooking. Since it passes through the body undigested, it’s completely calorie free. It also has no impact on blood sugar levels, so is suitable for diabetics as well as slimmers.



It’s found widely in foods ranging from baked goods to chewing gum. And of course, saccharin is commonly used as a calorie free alternative to tabletop sugar.

One of the drawbacks of saccharin is a slightly bitter aftertaste which may put some people off using it. However, it’s still a popular artificial sweetener, and is generally the cheapest option.

The table below shows some of the artificial sweeteners currently sold in the UK which contain saccharin as the sweetening ingredient.

Artificial Sweeteners Using Saccharin

Sweetener		Calories per Teaspoon/Tablet	Ingredients
	Boots 1000 Sweetener tablets	trace	Sodium saccharin, Magnesium Stearate, Silicon Dioxide)
	Boots 1000 Saccharin Tablets	trace	Sodium Bicarbonate, Sweetener (Saccharin), Sodium Carbonate, Tartaric Acid, Anticaking Agents (Stearic Acid, Magnesium Stearate). Acacia (Tabletting aid)
	Hermesetas Mini Sweeteners	0	Sodium Saccharin
	Kruger Sugarel Sweeteners	0.02	Sweetener Sodiumcyclamate , Sodiumhydrogencarbonate, Acidity Regulator Sodiumcitrate, Sweetener Saccharine-Sodium, Lactose
	Slimmer 1000 Tablets	trace	Sodium saccharin BP, Stearic Acid (E570), Anti-caking agent: Colloidal silicon dioxide
	SupaSweet 2000 mini sweeteners	trace	Sodium saccharin, anticaking agents: stearic acid, silicon dioxide
	Sweetex Tablets	trace	Sweetener (Sodium Saccharin), Anticaking Agents (Silicon Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate)
	Tesco Value Sweeteners	0	Sweeteners (Sodium Cyclamate, Sodium Saccharin), Sodium Bicarbonate, Acidity Regulator (Sodium Citrate), Milk, Sugar

There has been controversy in the past over the safety of saccharin. This was mainly due to laboratory test results on rats who subsequently developed bladder tumours after being fed high doses of sodium saccharin. There has been extensive testing since then. But no links between the use of saccharin and cancer has been found in human populations.

For more information on the discovery of saccharin in 1879 - Dr. Constantine Fahlberg.


© Diets and Calories 2012

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