Intense sweeteners possess these characteristics (and differ from Sugar Replacers)

• Are nonnutritive (noncaloric)
• Provide virtually no bulk, only sweetness
• Are 150 to 500 times as sweet as sugar
• Are mostly artificial/synthetic

Aspartame — an artificial, calorie-free sweetener made by joining two naturally-occurring amino acids (aspartic acid and phenylalanine). Aspartame is about 200 times as sweet as sucrose, and is marketed under various trade names, the best known of which is NutraSweet.® Trademark of Nutrasweet Co.

Acesulfame-K — an artificial, calorie-free sweetener, about 150 times as sweet as sugar, marketed under the "Sunette," "Swiss Sweet" and "Sweet One" brands.

Cyclamate — an artificial sweetener, 30 times as sweet as sugar, long banned in the US, but allowed in Canada and some other countries.

Equal® — a consumer version of NutraSweet-brand aspartame. Equal consists of asparatme, with a small amount of dextrose added to make it useable as a table sweetener. ®Trademark of the Nutrasweet Co.

NutraSweet® — see Aspartame ®Trademark of The NutraSweet Co.

Saccharin — a white, crystalline artificial sweetener about 300 to 500 times as sweet as sugar. The oldest of nonnutritive sweeteners, its use is allowed in the US but banned in some countries.

Splenda® — see Sucralose ® Trademark of Johnson & Johnson McNeil Specialty Products and Tate & Lyle PLC

Stevia — natural, noncaloric plant extract 200 to 300 times as sweet as sugar, possessing a licorice-like flavor. In the US, FDA prohibits the use of stevia as a sweetener or food additive, but allows it to be sold as a dietary supplement.

Sucralose — a white, crystalline powder made from sugar, and about 600 times sweeter than sugar. Marketed under the name "Splenda ®-- Presently available in several countries, sucralose received FDA approval in 1998.

Sunette® — see Acesulfame K®Trademark of Hoechst Celanese.

Sweet One® — see Acesulfame K®Trademark of Stadt Corp.

Swiss Sweet® — see Acesulfame K®Trademark of Estee Corp.