Experts generally agree that Americans consume too much added sugar every day, so many of us turn to zero-calorie sweeteners to satisfy a sweet tooth.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved six for use as food additives: saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium (also known as acesulfame-K or Ace-K), sucralose, neotame and advantame. Others like stevia and monkfruit extract are made from plants or fruits, and sugar alcohols like erythritol are carbohydrates.
All are safe to use in moderation, the agency says. However, some recent headlines have raised concerns about zero-calorie sweeteners and possible links to health conditions like weight gain, heart disease and cancer.
This post appeared first on cnn.com