People who love candy, desserts, and sugary beverages but are concerned about their health and weight do not have to deny their sweet tooth. Sugar substitutes, both natural and artificial (chemical), can sweeten food without the calories. One artificial sweetener which is widely used is acesulfame K. Knowing more about this sugar substitute will help the consumer make a more educated decision on which sweetener is best for them to use.

Also known as acesulfame potassium and ace K, acesulfame K is a no-calorie sweetener that is 200 times sweeter than sugar, and is often used in combination with other sweeteners. It is found in products such as candies, baked goods, gum, beverages, frozen desserts, dessert mixes, and tabletop sweeteners.

Acesulfame K was discovered by Karl Clauss and Harald Jensen in 1967 at the chemical manufacturer Hoegst AG in Frankfurt, Germany. Clauss, after picking up a chemical he was working with, licked his finger to pick a piece of paper and noted that it tasted sweet. Further research showed the new chemical synthesized easily. In 1978, the World Health Organization gave Acesulfame K its name. Though, initially, the Center for Science in the Public Interest requested the FDA to not approve acesulfame due to doubts about its safety and the reliability of the testing done on it, in 1988 it was approved for use in the U.S.

Acesulfame K is composed of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and potassium. Acesulfame K is also known by the brand names Sunett and Sweet One. Acesulfame gives a synergistic sweetening effect by enhancing and sustaining the sweetness of food when used in combination with other sweeteners. Besides its use in food and beverages, it is also used in products like cough drops, toothpaste, and mouth washes.

Many studies have been conducted by independent and government agencies to determine the safeness of acesulfame K. More than 90 studies have shown no adverse results in humans after using acesulfame K in moderate amounts.

The acceptable daily intake of acesulfame K is 15mg/kg body weight. As an approved artificial sweetener, it is used in over 5,000 products in more than 100 countries.

 

There are many advantages to using acesulfame K. Because it is 200 times sweeter than sugar, less is needed. It is quickly soluble, stable over wide range of pH and temperature, and suitable for dry and semi-dry applications, so it can be used for baking.

When used in moderate amounts in conjunction with other sweeteners, it has no aftertaste. Since the body does not metabolize it, it has no caloric value. Instead, it is excreted in the urine without being changed.

Because it does not affect glucose or triglyceride levels in the body, it's safe for diabetics to use. Unlike sugar, it does not promote tooth decay.

Acesulfame K has cons just like any other artificial sweetener. When used by itself in large amounts, it leaves a slight aftertaste.

Also, some studies show that acesulfame K causes cancer in rodents and contributes to many complications in rodents, like tumor development in lungs, breast, and thymus, and chronic respiratory disease.