A Guide to Natural and Artificial Sweeteners

Choosing a sweetener has never been stickier. Here’s a look at seven common ones.

Sugar

What it is: A natural, granular substance distilled from sugarcane or sugar beets. Brown sugar comes from the same sources but gets its color from residual or added molasses.

Also goes by: Sucrose.

Where you’ll find it: In baked goods, cereals, ice cream, and bottled sauces.

Good to know: One teaspoon has only 16 calories. Aim to consume sugar on a near full stomach: This will help stabilize your blood sugar, since eating the sweet stuff alone can cause blood sugar to soar, then crash, leaving you tired and hungrier, says Michael Zemel, director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee, in Knoxville. And, yes, brush after eating sugar, as it increases your risk for tooth decay.