| Sugar substitutes and caffeine: Acceptable daily intake | 1454.00000000000 | Sugar substitutes and caffeine: Acceptable daily intake | Sugar substitutes and caffeine: Acceptable daily intake | S | English | Nutrition | Child (0-12 years);Teen (13-18 years) | NA | Digestive system | Healthy living and prevention | Caregivers
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First nations | NA | | 2021-05-13T04:00:00Z | | | | | | 10.5000000000000 | 47.5000000000000 | 961.000000000000 | | Flat Content | Health A-Z | <p>Discover the sources and acceptable daily intake limits, if any, of sweeteners and caffeine.</p> | <p>The <a href="https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article?contentid=1952&language=English">Nutrition Facts table</a> tells us about specific nutrients in a food, but we know that many foods have ingredients that do not contain required nutrients. Sweeteners and <a href="https://teens.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article?contentid=4032&language=English">caffeine</a> are just two ingredients that have entered our daily diet without adding much, if any, nutritional value.</p> | | <h2>Key points</h2><ul><li>Sugar substitutes, sometimes referred to as artificial sweeteners, include sugar alcohols, aspartame, cyclamate, saccharin and sucralose. Most are safe within acceptable daily intake limits, but some should be avoided during pregnancy or if there is a pre-existing medical condition.</li><li>Caffeine is a drug that can be found in coffee, tea, cola beverages, energy drinks, chocolate and some medicines.</li><li>As caffeine is a stimulant, it is not recommended that children under the age of 12 consume caffeine. For children 12 years of age and older, no more than 100 mg of caffeine should be consumed daily.</li></ul> | <h2>Artificial sweeteners</h2><p>
<a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/food-additives/sugar-substitutes.html">Health Canada</a> groups artificial sweeteners under food additives. They have become more popular in recent decades because they sweeten food without causing tooth decay or adding calories. However, like other additives, they must be approved for use in Canada.</p><p>Health Canada provides an estimate for the acceptable daily intake (ADI) of sweeteners (see table below). This is the amount that a person can consume each day over a lifetime without any harmful effects. In reality, most of us consume well below the ADI.</p><p>There are no well-established health benefits associated with the intake of sweeteners; therefore, nutritious foods and beverages that are unsweetened should be promoted instead. It is especially important to encourage young children to eat unsweetened foods because regularly consuming sweet foods can lead to a preference of sweet tastes. This can impact their eating habits as they get older.</p><table class="akh-table"><thead><tr><th>Sweetener</th><th>Forms and uses</th><th>"Good to know"</th><th>Acceptable daily intake (ADI)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Sugar alcohols and polydextrose:
<ul><li>names that end in "ol"</li><li>isolmalt</li><li>hydrogenated starch</li><li>hydrolysates</li></ul></td><td>Found in cough and cold syrups, other liquid medications and sugar-free gums</td><td><ul><li>Not sugar or alcohol</li><li>Only partly absorbed by the body</li><li>Fewer calories than sugar and no major effect on blood glucose</li></ul></td><td>
<em>Less than 10 g a day</em> - high levels can cause gas, bloating or diarrhea</td></tr><tr><td>Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K)</td><td>Added to food and drinks by food manufacturers, not available to buy as a single ingredient</td><td><ul><li>Safe in pregnancy</li></ul></td><td>
<em>15 mg per kg of body weight</em><br> Presence in food:<br>
<ul><li>20 mg in six sugar-free candies</li><li>42 mg in one can of diet pop</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>Aspartame<br><em>Brand names:</em> Equal and Nutrasweet</td><td>Available in packets and added to drinks, yogurts, cereals, low-calorie desserts, chewing gum and many other foods</td><td><ul><li>Safe in pregnancy</li><li>Not appropriate for those with PKU (phenylketonuria)</li><li>Flavour may change when heated</li></ul></td><td>
<em>40 mg per kg of body weight</em><br>
<ul><li>15 mg in 1 tsp Equal</li><li>125 mg in a 355 mL can of diet pop</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>Cyclamate<br><em>Brand names:</em> Sucaryl, Sugar Twin, Sweet 'n' Low </td><td>Cannot be added to packaged foods and drinks</td><td><ul><li>Avoid when pregnant</li><li>Flavour may change when heated</li></ul></td><td>
<em>11 mg per kg of body weight</em><br>
<ul><li>264 mg in one packet of Sugar Twin</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>Saccharin<br><em>Brand name:</em> Hermesetas </td><td>Cannot be added to packaged foods and drinks</td><td><ul><li>Avoid when pregnant</li><li>Available only in pharmacies</li></ul></td><td>
<em>5 mg per kg of body weight</em><br>
<ul><li>One tablet contains 12 mg</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>Sucralose<br><em>Brand name:</em> Splenda </td><td>Added to packaged foods and drinks</td><td><ul><li>Safe in pregnancy</li><li>Can be used for cooking and baking</li></ul></td><td>
<em>9 mg per kg of body weight</em><br>
<ul><li>One packet has 12 mg</li><li>One cup has 250 mg</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table><h2>Natural sweeteners</h2><p>A number of natural sweeteners are also available within Canada.</p><table class="akh-table"><thead><tr><th>Sweetener</th><th>Forms and uses</th><th>"Good to know"</th><th>Acceptable daily intake (ADI)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Steviol glycosides (Stevia)</td><td>Available in packets and added to drinks, yogurts, cereals, low-calorie desserts, chewing gum and many other foods</td><td><ul>Safe in pregnancy
<li>Approved by Health Canada as a non-medicinal ingredient and as a medicinal ingredient in some natural health products</li></ul></td><td><em>4 mg per kg of body weight</em><br>
<ul><li>A 150-pound person could safely eat up to 10 packets of stevia a day</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>Natural sugars and syrups:<br>
Honey, maple syrup, molasses, agave nectar, brown rice syrup, sorghum syrup, date sugar
</td><td>Available in packets or bottles for tabletop use, and added to many foods</td><td><ul><li>Safe in pregnancy</li><li>Can be used for cooking and baking</li></ul></td><td><em>It is recommended that Canadians limit their intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total daily calorie intake.</em></td></tr></tbody></table><h2>Caffeine</h2><p>Common sources of <a href="https://teens.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article?contentid=4032&language=English">caffeine</a> include coffee, tea, cola beverages, energy drinks, chocolate and certain medicine.</p><p>Caffeine is a stimulant drug. For some people, too much caffeine can affect sleep patterns or result in heart palpitations. People's tolerance for caffeine can change throughout their life. It is a good idea to be aware of how much caffeine you and your family are getting and to limit caffeine intake, especially for children. It is not recommended that children under the age of 12 consume caffeine. For children 12 years of age and older, no more than 100 mg of caffeine should be consumed daily. <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/food-additives/caffeine-foods/energy-drinks-frequently-asked-questions.html">Health Canada</a> warns that children are at increased risk of experiencing behaviour changes when consuming caffeine.</p><p>Energy drinks (not to be confused with sports drinks) are also not recommended for children or teens.</p><p>If you want to consume less caffeine, reduce your intake gradually to help your body adapt. Caffeine is a drug, so you could have uncomfortable side effects if you stop it immediately. If you still like the taste of caffeinated drinks, there are many caffeine-free options that you can switch to. Some ideas for delicious caffeine-free beverages for kids include:</p><ul><li>fruit-flavoured sparking water</li><li>unsweetened 100% juice</li><li>smoothies</li><li>milk and milk alternatives like oat, soy and almond milk</li><li>fresh, cool plain water</li></ul> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Sugar substitutes and caffeine: Acceptable daily intake | | False | | | | | | | | |
