{
  "name": "Zero Sugar Facts — sweetener comparison dataset",
  "description": "Typical comparison figures for 21 sugars and sweeteners (calories, glycemic impact, sweetness, baking behavior, label treatment and notes), drawn from published references and FDA guidance.",
  "source": "https://zerosugarfacts.com/zsf-master-comparison-hub.html",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "version": "1.0",
  "dateModified": "2026-06-17",
  "columns": {
    "sweetener": "Sweetener",
    "family": "Family",
    "calories_per_g": "Calories / g",
    "glycemic_index": "Glycemic index",
    "is_sugar": "Is it a sugar?",
    "browns_bakes": "Browns / bakes",
    "adds_bulk": "Adds bulk",
    "sweetness_vs_sugar": "Sweetness vs sugar",
    "added_sugar_us_label": "Added Sugar on US label",
    "who_2023_advisory": "WHO 2023 advisory",
    "lead_concern_flag": "Lead concern flag"
  },
  "records": [
    {
      "sweetener": "Allulose",
      "family": "Rare sugar",
      "calories_per_g": "~0.4",
      "glycemic_index": "Zero",
      "is_sugar": "Yes",
      "browns_bakes": "Yes",
      "adds_bulk": "Yes",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~70%",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "No",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Outside advisory",
      "lead_concern_flag": "None of the below"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Sucrose (table sugar)",
      "family": "Sugar",
      "calories_per_g": "~4",
      "glycemic_index": "High",
      "is_sugar": "Yes",
      "browns_bakes": "Yes",
      "adds_bulk": "Yes",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "100%",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "Yes",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Added sugar",
      "lead_concern_flag": "The reference added sugar"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "High-fructose corn syrup",
      "family": "Sugar",
      "calories_per_g": "~4",
      "glycemic_index": "High",
      "is_sugar": "Yes",
      "browns_bakes": "Yes",
      "adds_bulk": "Yes",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~100%",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "Yes",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Added sugar",
      "lead_concern_flag": "“Mainly sugar”"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Fructose",
      "family": "Sugar",
      "calories_per_g": "~4",
      "glycemic_index": "Low (~19)",
      "is_sugar": "Yes",
      "browns_bakes": "Yes",
      "adds_bulk": "Yes",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~130%",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "Yes",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Added sugar",
      "lead_concern_flag": "“Mainly sugar”"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Honey",
      "family": "Sugar",
      "calories_per_g": "~3",
      "glycemic_index": "Moderate–high",
      "is_sugar": "Yes",
      "browns_bakes": "Yes",
      "adds_bulk": "Yes",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~120%",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "Yes",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Added sugar",
      "lead_concern_flag": "Regional arsenic; infant botulism"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Molasses",
      "family": "Sugar",
      "calories_per_g": "~3",
      "glycemic_index": "Moderate–high",
      "is_sugar": "Yes",
      "browns_bakes": "Yes",
      "adds_bulk": "Yes",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~70%",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "Yes",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Added sugar",
      "lead_concern_flag": "Lead / acrylamide (Prop 65)"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Agave nectar",
      "family": "Sugar",
      "calories_per_g": "~3.1",
      "glycemic_index": "Low–moderate",
      "is_sugar": "Yes",
      "browns_bakes": "Yes",
      "adds_bulk": "Yes",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~140%",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "Yes",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Added sugar",
      "lead_concern_flag": "High fructose load"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Lactose",
      "family": "Sugar",
      "calories_per_g": "~4",
      "glycemic_index": "Low",
      "is_sugar": "Yes",
      "browns_bakes": "Limited",
      "adds_bulk": "Yes",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~20%",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "If added",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Intrinsic sugar",
      "lead_concern_flag": "Lactose intolerance"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Maltodextrin",
      "family": "Starch-derived",
      "calories_per_g": "~4",
      "glycemic_index": "Very high",
      "is_sugar": "No",
      "browns_bakes": "Yes",
      "adds_bulk": "Yes",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "very low",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "No*",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Carbohydrate",
      "lead_concern_flag": "Very high GI; carrier in blends"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Erythritol",
      "family": "Sugar alcohol",
      "calories_per_g": "~0.2",
      "glycemic_index": "Zero–very low",
      "is_sugar": "No",
      "browns_bakes": "No",
      "adds_bulk": "Yes",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~65%",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "No",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Excluded (sugar alcohol)",
      "lead_concern_flag": "Cardiovascular association (Witkowski)"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Xylitol",
      "family": "Sugar alcohol",
      "calories_per_g": "~2.4",
      "glycemic_index": "Very low",
      "is_sugar": "No",
      "browns_bakes": "Limited",
      "adds_bulk": "Yes",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~100%",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "No",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Excluded (sugar alcohol)",
      "lead_concern_flag": "CV association (2024); toxic to dogs"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Sorbitol",
      "family": "Sugar alcohol",
      "calories_per_g": "~2.6",
      "glycemic_index": "Very low",
      "is_sugar": "No",
      "browns_bakes": "No",
      "adds_bulk": "Yes",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~60%",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "No",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Excluded (sugar alcohol)",
      "lead_concern_flag": "Laxative effect; AB 1264"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Maltitol",
      "family": "Sugar alcohol",
      "calories_per_g": "~2.1",
      "glycemic_index": "Low–moderate",
      "is_sugar": "No",
      "browns_bakes": "Limited",
      "adds_bulk": "Yes",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~85%",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "No",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Excluded (sugar alcohol)",
      "lead_concern_flag": "Highest-GI polyol; AB 1264"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Isomalt",
      "family": "Sugar alcohol",
      "calories_per_g": "~2.0",
      "glycemic_index": "Very low",
      "is_sugar": "No",
      "browns_bakes": "Limited",
      "adds_bulk": "Yes",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~55%",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "No",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Excluded (sugar alcohol)",
      "lead_concern_flag": "Caloric polyol; AB 1264"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Aspartame",
      "family": "High-intensity",
      "calories_per_g": "≈0**",
      "glycemic_index": "Negligible",
      "is_sugar": "No",
      "browns_bakes": "No",
      "adds_bulk": "No",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~200×",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "No",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Inside (named)",
      "lead_concern_flag": "IARC 2B; obesity association"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Sucralose",
      "family": "High-intensity",
      "calories_per_g": "0",
      "glycemic_index": "Negligible",
      "is_sugar": "No",
      "browns_bakes": "No",
      "adds_bulk": "No",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~600×",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "No",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Inside (named)",
      "lead_concern_flag": "DNA-toxic 6-acetate; immunotherapy assoc."
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Saccharin",
      "family": "High-intensity",
      "calories_per_g": "0",
      "glycemic_index": "Negligible",
      "is_sugar": "No",
      "browns_bakes": "No",
      "adds_bulk": "No",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~350×",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "No",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Inside (named)",
      "lead_concern_flag": "Body-fat association; bladder syndrome"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Acesulfame potassium",
      "family": "High-intensity",
      "calories_per_g": "0",
      "glycemic_index": "Negligible",
      "is_sugar": "No",
      "browns_bakes": "No",
      "adds_bulk": "No",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~200×",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "No",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Inside (named)",
      "lead_concern_flag": "Cancer + early-puberty associations"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Stevia",
      "family": "High-intensity",
      "calories_per_g": "~0",
      "glycemic_index": "Negligible",
      "is_sugar": "No",
      "browns_bakes": "No",
      "adds_bulk": "No",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~300×",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "No",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Inside (named)",
      "lead_concern_flag": "Usually mostly erythritol"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Monk fruit",
      "family": "High-intensity",
      "calories_per_g": "~0",
      "glycemic_index": "Negligible",
      "is_sugar": "No",
      "browns_bakes": "No",
      "adds_bulk": "No",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~200×",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "No",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Inside (as NSS)",
      "lead_concern_flag": "Usually mostly erythritol"
    },
    {
      "sweetener": "Neotame",
      "family": "High-intensity",
      "calories_per_g": "~0",
      "glycemic_index": "Negligible",
      "is_sugar": "No",
      "browns_bakes": "No",
      "adds_bulk": "No",
      "sweetness_vs_sugar": "~10,000×",
      "added_sugar_us_label": "No",
      "who_2023_advisory": "Inside (named)",
      "lead_concern_flag": "Gut-model harm (2024); limited human data"
    }
  ]
}