What are low-calorie sweeteners?
Low-calorie sweeteners provide a sweet taste without calories, or with very few calories. Most low-calorie sweeteners are not digested by the body and provide no calories. Low-calorie sweeteners are also called non-nutritive sweeteners, high intensity sweeteners, or alternative sweeteners. The consumption of low-calorie sweeteners continues to increase where consumer demand for low-calorie foods and beverages has been the major force behind this growth. The increasing interest in a health-conscious lifestyle and advances in food technology are pushing the development of more and better tasting low-calorie foods and beverages. In 2002, in terms of sugar equivalence, the global intense sweeteners market grew by 4.3%; global consumption of sugar, in comparison, grew by 3.1%. Low calorie sweeteners in 2002 accounted for almost 11% of the overall sweetener market compared to about 8% in 1990.
