This article was published in Prevention and I thought I would share it with y'all.

Artificial sweetners - and the snacks and drinks that contain them are gobbling up ever more supermarket shelf space. Engineered to be much sweeter than sugar, these substances add flavor minus the calories. Here's the lowdown from the FDA and other sources.

Name: Saccharin (Sweet'N Low, Sugar Twin, Sweet'N Low Brown,

Necta Sweet)

What is it? Chemical derived from coal tar

Caveats - FDA approved, but a study suggested a link to bladder cancer.

Daily Limit? Yes: 12 packets

Name: Aspartame - NutraSweet, Equal

What is it? Combination of amino acids

Caveats - None

Daily Limit? - Yes: 74 packets, or 22 cans of diet soda

Name: Sucralose - Splenda

What is it? Compound of sucrose (sugar) and chlorine

Caveats - None

Daily Limit? - Yes: 28 packets

Name: Acesulfame Potassium - Sunett, Sweet One

What is it? Combo of potassium, sulfur, nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen

Caveats: FDA approved, but a few animal studies suggest a link to cancer

Daily Limit? Yes: 20 packets, or 30 cans of diet soda

Name: Sugar Alcohols - sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, erythritol

What is it? Sugar combined with hydrogen, which hinders digestion

Caveats - None

Daily Limit? No, but large amounts may cause gas or bloating

Name: D-Tagatose - Naturlose

What is it? Milk-based sugar altered to hinder digestion

Caveats: None

Daily Limit? No, but large amounts may cause gas or bloating

I wonder where Stevia comes into this? I have been using stevia since I read about it here. My whole family loves it.~Mandy

It wasn't listed, and I wondered that myself, I have been trying it too.

Great info Betty!

Name: Sugar Alcohols - sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, erythritol

What is it? Sugar combined with hydrogen, which hinders digestion

Caveats - None

Daily Limit? No, but large amounts may cause gas or bloating

How true. I ate some sorbitol in s/f turtles about a month ago - nearly killed me from the gas!

Here is a website that might answer some of your questions about Stevia. I think it is a great alternative.

The Stevia Story: all about the herb that's sweeter than sugar

I wonder where Stevia comes into this? I have been using stevia since I read about it here. My whole family loves it.~Mandy

I've been using Stevia since reading about it here, and I love it!

I always thought it was all sugar free candy that gave me gas, I guess I need to compare the type of subsitute used. S/f icecream or chocolate doesn't do it, but let me eat a hard piece of candy and look out, you'll need a gas mask for sure, not to mention the explosions going on within and out.