Sweet Talk

The dangers of consuming too much sugar are well known, but there are a number of sweet alternatives to consider.

- Nicky Pellegrino

We consumers are a demanding bunch. We want to enjoy sweet treats but without the adverse health effects of consuming too much sugar: weight gain, rotten teeth, spikes in blood sugar. We’re not keen on low-calorie artificial sweeteners such as aspartame that, although deemed safe for consumption, have had negative press over the years. According to recent research, they may cause changes to the way the body processes fat and energy, promoting metabolic dysfunction. We would prefer more “natural” plant-based sweeteners. Oh, and please could the products they are used in taste as good as the full-sugar version?

No wonder, then, that the food and beverage industry is on a quest to develop a new generation of sweeteners to replace sugar on supermarket shelves. In the future, we may be consuming products flavoured with the so-called African “miracle berry” Synsepalum dulcificum, which contains a molecule that binds to receptors on the tongue, making sour foods taste sweeter. An extract of Chinese monk fruit is currently creating a lot of interest, and a plant-based product called Cweet has been developed that is 2000 times sweeter than cane sugar.