Sugar substitute, saccharin, powder
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
Saccharin powder is a crystalline, intensely sweet sugar substitute, roughly 300-400 times sweeter than table sugar, derived originally from coal tar. It has a clean, sweet taste but can leave a slightly bitter or metallic aftertaste, especially at high concentrations. Nutritionally, it provides zero calories, fat, or fiber, and its carbohydrate content is metabolically inactive, making it a staple for low-calorie sweetening.
Calorie split: 1% protein · 99% carbs · 0% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love saccharin for its intense, reliable sweetness that allows them to enjoy sweet flavors without the calories or carbs of sugar. It's a versatile tool in diet sodas, tabletop sweeteners, and diabetic-friendly recipes, offering a familiar sweet taste with metabolic benefits.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Some individuals perceive a bitter or metallic aftertaste, which can be off-putting. Those with phenylketonuria (PKU) must avoid it, as saccharin is often blended with aspartame or cyclamate in tablet form. To counteract any aftertaste, use it in combination with other sweeteners like stevia or in strongly flavored foods like coffee or baked goods where other tastes dominate.
Key benefits
- Zero-calorie sweetener for weight management
- Does not raise blood sugar or insulin levels
- Extremely potent; a tiny amount replaces large amounts of sugar
- Heat-stable, suitable for cooking and baking
- Long shelf life with no degradation
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Saccharin was the first artificial sweetener, discovered accidentally in 1879 by a chemist at Johns Hopkins University who forgot to wash his hands before dinner and noticed a sweet taste on his bread.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 8.8 g |
| Energy | 360 kcal |
| Protein | 0.94 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.00 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 89.1 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.00 g |
| Total Sugars | 85.2 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 0.00 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.04 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 0.00 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 0.00 mg |
| Potassium, K | 4.0 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 428 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.01 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.00 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.00 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.00 mg |
| Niacin | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.00 mg |
| Folate, total | 0.00 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 0.00 ug |
| Choline, total | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 0.00 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.00 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.00 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Beverages, coffee substitute, cereal grain beverage, powder, prepared with whole milk — USDA does not publish this profile for Sugar substitute.
| Tryptophan | 0.05 g |
| Threonine | 0.15 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.20 g |
| Leucine | 0.32 g |
| Lysine | 0.26 g |
| Methionine | 0.08 g |
| Cystine | 0.03 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.16 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.16 g |
| Valine | 0.22 g |
| Arginine | 0.12 g |
| Histidine | 0.09 g |
| Alanine | 0.12 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.25 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.69 g |
| Glycine | 0.07 g |
| Proline | 0.32 g |
| Serine | 0.18 g |
FAQ
Is saccharin safe to consume?
Yes, saccharin is approved as safe by major food safety authorities worldwide, including the FDA and EFSA, after extensive research. It was briefly linked to bladder cancer in high-dose rodent studies, but subsequent human research has not supported this risk, leading to its delisting as a potential carcinogen.
How does saccharin compare to other artificial sweeteners?
Saccharin is much more potent than sugar but less so than sucralose or aspartame. It has a distinctive aftertaste some dislike, but it's very cost-effective and heat-stable, unlike aspartame which breaks down with heat.
Can I use saccharin for baking?
Yes, saccharin is heat-stable and suitable for baking. However, since it provides no bulk like sugar, recipes may need bulking agents like maltodextrin or polydextrose, and baked goods may brown less and have a different texture.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 3.60 kcal/g · 1% calories from protein · 0.0 g fiber · 85.2 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 107.00 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.