5 Best Saccharin Substitutes

Have you ever heard the term “saccharin sweet”? This phrase essentially means something so sweet that it’s fake, annoying, or over-the-top and has a negative connotation. While the phrase might not be the most positive thing associated with saccharin, it’s still one of the most popular artificial sweeteners.

If you want to substitute saccharin with another non-caloric sweetener, what are your best options? We’re glad you asked! 

We dug into the options and consider the following to be the best saccharin substitutes:

• Stevia
• Monk fruit sweetener 
• Sucralose
• Acesulfame potassium
• Aspartame

How do all of these saccharin substitutes stack up? Read on for a description of each option as well as a side-by-side summary of our top picks so you can decide which option is best for you.

5 Best Saccharin Substitutes

Saccharin is around 600 times sweeter than regular sugar (table sugar, white sugar, etc.) It’s one of six artificial sweeteners approved by the Food and Drug Administration but was invented in the late 1800s!

Some artificial sweeteners are much sweeter than saccharin – for example, neotame is an artificial sweetener that is around 6,000 times sweeter than regular sugar! We don’t include these high-intensity sweeteners as saccharin substitutes because they are SO much sweeter than saccharin. 

1. Stevia

If you want a sugar substitute that isn’t considered an artificial sweetener, then stevia will likely come up as the #1 natural alternative. Unlike saccharin which is manmade, stevia occurs naturally in the leaves of the stevia plant. Stevia is around 200-300 times sweeter than table sugar, so it’s close to the sweetness of saccharin.

The aftertaste of stevia can be considered bitter by some, but like most sugar substitutes it is very subjective and an individual preference. 

You can find stevia in granulated forms, as well as extracts in liquid drops. Stevia is a common sweetener in natural sugar-free drinks, protein powders, and many other foods and drinks.

2. Monk fruit extract

Another natural sugar substitute, monk fruit isn’t as sweet as saccharin and is around 100-250 times sweeter than sugar. Some people consider monk fruit sweetener to have a more pleasant flavor compared to stevia and describe the flavor as fruity with caramel-like notes. Again, this seems to be very individualized – you might like stevia better than monk fruit extract!

Another benefit of monk fruit sweetener as a saccharin substitute is that it’s a paleo-friendly sweetener. (The paleo diet excludes all artificial sweeteners like saccharin and only includes natural foods that were available in the “caveman era” for hunters and gatherers.)

3. Sucralose

Also known as Splenda, sucralose is one of the most popular artificial sweeteners. At around 600 times sweeter than regular, sucralose is made from real sugar – it’s just chemically modified to make it a no-calorie, no-sugar sugar substitute.

Even though it’s made from real sugar, sucralose is considered an artificial sweetener since it’s chemically altered and man-made. If you’re okay with substituting saccharin for another artificial sweetener, then sucralose is a good one to try.

4. Acesulfame potassium

Also known as ace-K (K is the chemical symbol for potassium), acesulfame potassium is around 200 times sweeter than regular table sugar. When combined with aspartame (the next saccharin substitute on the list) it makes Equal, a popular tabletop sugar substitute (it’s usually in a blue packet!)

Ace-K is a common sweetener in many protein powders, but it can be found in many other low-sugar and sugar-free products. Because it’s sweeter than sugar, a little bit goes a long way – similar to saccharin.

5. Aspartame 

Aspartame is one of the most popular artificial sweeteners alongside sucralose. Aspartame (aka Nutrasweet) is around 200 times sweeter than regular sugar, and is combined with acesulfame potassium to make Equal.

Like other artificial sweeteners, aspartame is used in no-sugar-added, sugar-free, and reduced-sugar products. Which artificial sweetener food and beverage manufacturers choose to use depends on the product, the desired level of sweetness, and other factors.

Are artificial sweeteners safe?

With some of these chemical names you might be wondering – are these artificial sweeteners safe to eat? This is a bit of a controversial topic, with some claiming that artificial sweeteners are bad for your health and it’s “better to eat the real thing.” 

However, given the studies done on artificial sweeteners and the FDA approval process, it’s generally thought that artificial sweeteners, when used in moderate amounts, can be a safe alternative to sugar, especially considering the health concerns that come with a diet high in added regular sugar.

Comparison of saccharin substitutes

K=keto-friendly; P=paleo-friendly; V=vegan

Sweetener (per serving)	Calories	Total carbs (incl. sugar)	Artificial or natural	Special diet-friendly
Saccharin	0	0 g	Artificial	K, V
Sucralose	0	0 g	Artificial	K, V
Stevia	0	1 g (0 g)	Natural	K, P, V
Monk fruit sweetener	0	0 g	Natural	K, P, V
Acesulfame potassium	0	0 g	Artificial	K, V
Aspartame	0	0 g	Artificial	K, V

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