Sweeteners: the hard truth you don't wanna know
A phone-first guide to the 10 most common sweeteners in your food. What they are, how they're made, what the newest studies say, and which ones I'd actually put in my own food.
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65 pages · 10 sweeteners
Fair warning: you might not want this guide. You can't unread it.
Sound familiar?
You switched from Coke to Coke Zero and called it a win.
Your protein powder, your bars and your "keto" ice cream are three different brands with the same sweetener in them. You've never checked which one.
Every few months there's a new headline. Erythritol and heart attacks. Aspartame and cancer. Allulose lawsuits. But nobody tells you what to actually do.
Why is there a sweetener in almost everything now? Baby food. Ketchup. Yogurt. Pizza. Protein powder. Gum. Toothpaste. Chocolate bars.
I had the same questions. So I went and read the actual studies, the FDA files, the EFSA opinions and the court filings. Not the press releases. This guide is what I found.
What you'll find out
Is "Zero Sugar" a health hack, or a bill you haven't seen yet?
You cut the calories. Science is now asking what you got in exchange: your microbiome, your blood sugar, your cravings. The answer isn't the same for every sweetener.
If I want to use a sweetener, which ones can I actually use?
Not what the packaging says. What the research up to 2026 says.
Nature MedicineBMJEuropean Heart JournalEFSAWHOWhy does the US allow things the EU won't, and the other way round?
USEUAnd my personal ranking.
10 sweeteners, from worst to least bad
What's inside: 10 sweeteners
- 01SucraloseE955, INS 955
- 02AspartameE951, INS 951
- 03Acesulfame KE950, INS 950
- 04SteviaE960, INS 960
- 05ErythritolE968, INS 968
- 06XylitolE967, INS 967
- 07Alluloseno E-number, no INS
- 08Monk fruitno E-number, no INS
- 09SorbitolE420, INS 420
- 10Sweet proteinsE957, INS 957
Get it if
- You drink diet soda, or anything "zero," and want to know what you're actually trading
- You live on protein bars and protein powder
- You buy "natural" sweeteners (stevia, monk fruit) and want to know what's really in the bag
- You're keto or low carb and bake with erythritol, xylitol or allulose
- You're pregnant, feeding a toddler, or have a dog that eats things off the floor
- You read labels and want E950 and INS967 to mean something
Skip it if
- You want to hear that sweeteners are fine. Some aren't.
- You want medical advice. This isn't it. Talk to your doctor.
What you get
The full guide, 65 pages, PDF built for your phone
10 sweeteners, each with origin story, how it's made, approval status and "what science knows today"
My 10-to-1 ranking, worst to least bad
The "so what" page: what I actually do about sweeteners in my own kitchen
Think about it. Maybe you don't need this guide.
You'll never look at a Diet Coke the same way again. Or a stevia packet. Or a "sugar free" label. Or your dog near a pack of gum.
$29
By buying, you agree to the Terms.
FAQ
Does it tell me which sweetener to use, or just scare me?
It tells you. Page 63 is my ranking, 10 to 1, worst to least bad. Page 64 is what I do myself.
I'm on keto. Does it cover baking?
Yes. Erythritol, xylitol and allulose each get a chapter, including what happens at the 30 g doses you hit when you bake with them, and what happens to sucralose above 120°C.
I only drink diet soda. Is that in here?
Aspartame and acesulfame K are the two chapters you want. Plus why they're almost always used together.
Is this medical advice?
No. It's what the published research says, with the sources linked. If you have diabetes, PKU, a heart condition or you're pregnant, read it and then talk to your doctor.
How long does it take to read?
About 30 minutes. 65 short pages, built for a phone screen.
What format is it?
A PDF. Opens on any phone, tablet or laptop. Nothing to install.