This post is part of our Battle of the Brands feature. Let us know which brand you prefer, and check out other Battle of the Brands posts.
Among the phrases that mystify me is "Too sweet" -- I was born with 28 sweet teeth. The sweetener holder in most restaurants today holds at least two different ersatz sugars; Sweet'N Low and Splenda. Which is better?
Sweet'N Low has the history. It first came on the market back in 1957 when the key ingredient, saccharin was packaged in the same single-serving sleeves used for sugar. It is still owned by the originators, privately held Cumberland Packing Group. Although the intensely sweet saccharin had been around since the start of the century, it took Sweet'N Low marketing and an increasing focus on the nation's waistline to popularize it.
The product's primary advantage is cost; a packet sells for slightly over a penny a serving. Downsides include bitterness that some users distinguish, and the inability to use it in baking and cooking, as it breaks down under heat.
Splenda, owned by a division of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) is the brand name of another sweetener, sucralose, invented in the UK in 1976. It has become popular both for its flavor, which many deem more sugarlike, and its ability to withstand the heat of baking and cooking. Splenda is found not only in single-pack portions, but in a wide variety of prepared foods.
On the downside, Splenda is more than twice as expensive per serving, and some health concerns still remain, primarily about its effect on the thymus.
My take? Although Splenda is more expensive, it is still a reasonably priced alternative to sugar, and to my tongue a much closer flavor. In this battle, I find Splenda just splendid.
Vote in our poll for Splenda or Sweet'N Low as your preferred brand, and let us know in the comments why you love it.








Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
4-29-2008 @ 8:35PM
kevin said...
ALL FAKE SWEETENERS ARE POISON.........
4-29-2008 @ 8:41PM
Carlos said...
I have heard and understand that the ingredient in sugarfeee sweetners, Aspertame, turns into formaldehyde when it breaks down. I was told that Aspertame was originally made as an ant poison. I have used Nutrasweet as an ant poison, and it works. I placed two packets where ants were, I moistened them and the ants took it inside their nests. I have not had ants there for over a year. I would like to hear from others concerning this issue.
4-29-2008 @ 9:04PM
Donna said...
Years ago, when Sweet'n Low AND Equal were introduced...I thought they were BOTH awful. But then I was young and healty. As one advances in years, and ailments such as Diabetes and Obesity become more of a threat, it seems healthier to eliminate as much sugar from one's diet as possible. Having tried Equal, Sweet'n Low AND Splenda, my vote is for the Splenda. Of the three, it's taste is closest to sugar, and in baked goods, you can barely tell the difference. While at times, you CAN pick up a slight after-taste, it is no where near as strong or noticeable as the "Pink" and Blue" brands.
4-29-2008 @ 9:22PM
Steve said...
I replaced Splenda and the rest with Stevia .... its all natural and low cal .... and priced well........ The choice is obvious when you don't know the long term effects of these chemicals..
4-29-2008 @ 10:02PM
Sue said...
Both of these products are very toxic
4-29-2008 @ 10:07PM
Helen said...
I am being treated for Polymyalgia Rheumatica, or PMR for short. It is a condition that affects your muscles. Aspartame, in most sweeteners is very bad for your muscles - healthy or not. Splenda is the only one who doesn'r use it.
4-29-2008 @ 10:57PM
Robin said...
I get pretty intense migraines from aspartame (nutra sweet) and it's pretty hard to find anything that isn't sweetened with it. A majority of gums, breath mints, low cal jellos and puddings, and diet sodas are predominantly sweetened with aspartame. (a slim few are now Splenda) It makes it hard on anyone trying to watch calories, but perhaps the best is to use natural sugar - in just very low quantities. (I'd sure like a piece of gum once in a while, though!)
4-29-2008 @ 11:12PM
Diana said...
The problem with artificial sweeteners is first, they're artificial and second, they're sweet. And, as Sue said, they're toxic. In my book, "Go Lite on White and Be Discreet with Sweets" I give you great ideas for getting yourself off the sweets kick and ways to satisfy the sweet tooth while getting a bit of nutrients in the process. Sorry, Donna, none of the artificial sweeteners contributes to good health.
4-30-2008 @ 1:00AM
margaret fitzgerald said...
most important, splenda's sucralose is not recognized by the body as a sugar or carb so it does not metabolize it making it suitable for diabetics.
4-30-2008 @ 2:08AM
Bill said...
Splenda has, to me, an icky aftertaste. As far as sweetnening "power" is concerned, I perceive much more sweetening power by combining Sweet 'n Low and Equal . . . much more than by using the same amount of just one ot the other.
4-30-2008 @ 2:11AM
John Smith said...
OH Boy are you guys gonna get SUED! Sacherine, the ingredient in SWEET & LOW DOES NOT BREAK DOWN UNDER HEAT! Your headlines and everything else are WRONG WRONG WRONG!
EQUAL contains Aspartame and ONLY aspartame breaks down under heat and can't be used for high heat cooking. Contrary to popular belief, Aspartame doesn't break down the instant it hits hot water. You can use it in oatmeal or something that only biols a couple of minutes. I had problems with Aspartame the first few times I used it but once you get used to it, it doesn't bother 99.999% of people. Every chemical, including sugars, has some fraction of the population alergic to it.
Here's a chart:
EQUAL = Aspartame
SWEET & LOW = Sacherine
SPLENDA = Sucralose
Many Gums, candy, mints = "Sugar Alcohols"(these have sugar calories but are slowly absorbed which helps diabetics)
This kind of inacuracy is very damaging to the companies and people like me, a diabetic who depends on artificial sweetners for sanity and weight control. It was not fun when artificial sweetners were rare. I can tell you there is no doubt I would have been dead years ago without artificial sweetners. The best aproximation of sugar? Use 2 or all 3 mixed. That gives the most natural tasting sweetness. Try to get it right the first time AOL.
John
4-30-2008 @ 7:43AM
Sharon Shannon said...
Greetings,
Splenda is better all around.
You get what you pay for.
Regards, Sharie
4-30-2008 @ 2:23PM
musicstar1 said...
Thanks John; for clearing that up. And as for Sue who said that fake sweeteners are toxic; sugar is toxic too, it gets you in trouble just as bad. All sweeteners (e.g. aspartame,sacherine,sucralose,honey,syrups-all kinds-maple,corn,cane are all bad for you I wish I never developed a taste for them. So play it safe
all things in moderation!
musicstar1
4-30-2008 @ 4:06PM
AllenFood27 said...
I believe should try to make a better product by
combining 95% aspartame with K-Acesulfame. This would theortically make a better product. I have tasted it and it is better and closer to table sugar. TRY IT,YOU WILL LIKE IT.
I prefer aspartame Equal over Splenda. My taste buds have get use to a high concentration of Apartame.
4-30-2008 @ 4:30PM
Allen Skillicorn said...
Willing to do reformulations.
B.S. in Food Technology
4-30-2008 @ 4:39PM
Allen Skillicorn said...
Equal can be made like sugar by mixing 95% Aspartame with 5% K-Acelsulfame. This gives a clearer, more sugar like flavor;
Splenda is a chlorinated sugar molecule or a sugar molecular with two chlorine atoms stick to it. I prefer aspartame.
Other comments. Stevia taste bad by itself, but when combined with Reboside it has a reason sweet taste to it, if you do not things too sweet.
Both are natural and are sold in health stores.
Some of the other comments are reasonable , but not all.
4-30-2008 @ 5:41PM
John said...
I would rather die of thirst or starvation than taste Splenda ever again. That stuff is nasty.
All in, Sweet'n Low, baby.
5-01-2008 @ 7:04AM
al coholic said...
Both of these products constitute an unnecessary health risk.
5-02-2008 @ 9:12AM
ellen weiss said...
Sweet'N Low is much better and has that special sweet pop. Sweet'N Low has NO warning label, the US government found it safe and warning label is off the product many years ago. Tastes better than sugar. Does not contain aspartame is sweetened with Saccharin
Splenda is made with chlorine.
5-08-2008 @ 5:07PM
ThatHollie said...
Splenda - made from chlorine so it tastes like chlorine. (If it is still around after everyone is done suing them for that "made from sugar" hogwash, I still won't be buying it.) I hear Cargill and Coke are pushing Stevia through the FDA approval process?