Sweeteners are substances added to foods or beverages to provide sweetness. They can be classified into natural and synthetic sweeteners based on their source. An ideal sweetener should have high safety, good taste, high stability, and good water solubility. Natural sweeteners are typically derived from plants, and they tend to have a better taste compared to synthetic sweeteners, making it easier to impart unique flavors to foods. In addition to providing sweetness, natural sweeteners can also increase the viscosity of food, cause foods to expand and become fluffy, and enhance color and aroma. Therefore, the development of new natural plant-based sweetening substances to replace synthetic chemical sweeteners has become a mainstream trend both domestically and internationally.
Advantages of Natural Sweeteners
Natural sweeteners can be hundreds of times sweeter than sucrose but with very low calories, almost providing no energy. They can satisfy people’s cravings for sweets without the concern of excessive calorie intake, making them suitable for special consumer groups such as diabetics, obese individuals, and the elderly, who need to control their energy and carbohydrate intake. As people’s living standards rise and the call for reduced sugar intake increases, low-calorie, high-sweetness natural sweeteners are gaining more attention.
