Artificial sweeteners or other sugar substitutes may be used if you're trying to cut back on the calories and sugar in your diet. Soft drinks and baked goods, among other products marketed as "diet" or "sugar-free," often contain artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes. Sweeteners that you use in place of regular table sugar are known as sugar substitutes :sucrose. One kind of sugar substitute is artificial sweeteners. Sugar substitutes are a complex subject. One issue is that the terminology is frequently ambiguous. Even though some manufacturers process or refine their sweeteners, they still label them as "natural." One illustration is stevia preparations. Additionally, some artificial sweeteners such as sucralose are made from naturally occurring substances.

The FDA lists the following natural sweeteners as being generally safe:

• Honey

• Fruit juices and nectars

• Maple syrup

• Molasses