How much is too much?

With many foods, it’s not what you eat that counts – it’s how much. 9 sweetening additives (also known as “intense sweeteners” or “non-nutritive sweeteners”) are approved for use here (see Sweeteners compared) and they’re all regarded as safe.

However, to make sure you don’t consume too much of these sweeteners in your overall diet, the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code stops them from being added to some foods. The Code also says they can only be added in specified amounts.

Food regulators have set an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for most sweetening additives. This is the amount you could safely eat, per kilogram of your body weight, every day of your life. A 2003 survey commissioned by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) found we were most likely to get our sugar-free fix from diet drinks and confectionery, including chocolate and chewing gum.

The survey found that most people weren’t eating enough sweetening additives to pose any risk to their health. The only cause for concern was cyclamate. Although average intakes of this were below the ADI, some people aged 12 to 39 exceeded it – mainly from cordials, fruit drinks, soft drinks and table-top sweeteners. As a result the maximum levels permitted in water-based flavoured drinks were lowered.

It isn’t necessarily a health risk to eat more than the ADI over a short period of time. ADIs have substantial safety margins and are based on lifetime exposure to the additive.

Dietitians NZ supports the use of sweetening additives and their safety. Their official statement says that: “Sweeteners offer a safe low-energy option for anyone who wants or needs to limit their sugar intake. They are also an important step in weight management and diabetes control for many people.”

If you want to know if a sweetener’s in your food, look in the ingredients list. It’s listed under “sweetener” with its name or food-additive code number – for example, aspartame or 951. The website www.foodsmart.govt.nz has a downloadable booklet giving the code numbers. Sometimes both the name and the code number will be listed.