Stevia vs Agave vs Aspartame vs Sucralose
Stevia vs Agave vs Aspartame vs Sucralose

Today I am going to talk about the different sweeteners on the market Stevia vs Agave vs Aspartame vs Sucralose. In my previous article HFCS sucks I wrote about Stevia and Agave nectar. Now I am going to expand on these two sweeteners Agave & Stevia to the regular nasty ass aspartame and sucralose.

Stevia vs Agave vs Aspartame vs Sucralose

What is Aspartame? And why is sucks.

  • Aspartame is the consumer friendly word for the artificial sweetener non-saccharide, aspartyl-phenylalanine-1-methyl ester….if that right there does not tell you its bad, then you’re a lose cause. If you actually know what that is then you know you not to eat it.
  • Secondly if you don’t know what that is, you shouldn’t be eating it.
  • Aspartame is an artificial sweetener, I don’t know of much in the world artificial that is better than the real thing, if your eating anything artificial and you don’t have to…quit right now. As an example if you have ever had sex with somebody you love then you automatically knows it is a trillion time better than having sex with somebody you don’t love. In this case aspartame is the dripping faucet in the bathroom; it’s not even in the same room having sex.
  • Aspartame taste disgusting – why eat something that taste disgusting?
  • Aspartame is made in a lab, there is nothing made in a lab that you need to eat.

What is Sucralose? And why it sucks.

  • Is the lesser evil of the artificial sweeteners, but no less horrific. It as first discovered by scientist from Tate & Lyle a UK-based agri-producer back in 1976.
  • Again it was “discovered” by scientist. In this case “discovered” does not mean that scientists went off the coast of Angola and dung up the sucralose plant that was being hidden from modern thinking minds by Alexander the Great.
  • Sucralose did not come out of the ground, and it was made in a lab…we already went over this.
  • Sucralose is marketed here in the U.S. as Splenda and SucraPlus it is 600 time sweeter than regular sugar (sucrose) and is considered a sugar substitute. Now lets do some simple math here, if you know you shouldn’t be eating large amounts of sugar, why would you eat something that is 600x sweeter than sugar that’s a sugar substitute AND made in a lab?…think about it….Ill wait I got plenty of time. Answer: You shouldn’t stop today.

What is Agave Nectar?

  • The first thing you should know about agave nectar is that it is not a sugar substitute. Agave is a sweetener that is made from….you guessed it the agave plant, most of which is currently produced in Mexico.

    Organic Blue Agave Sweetner
    Organic Blue Agave Sweetner
  • Agave sweetener in its common form is called Agave syrup or nectar. Although agave is marketed as a sugar substitute it is not a substitute. Actually agave has more calories than sugar ounce for ounce. Agave has 56 calories per table spoon versus regular sugar’s 50 calories per table spoon, however agave is much sweeter than regular table sugar, and so much less can be used.
  • Commercial available agave nectar/syrup is composed of fructose and glucose. The ratio ranges of fructose (f)/glucose (g) is as follows:  92% (f)/8 %( g) ~ 56 %( f)/20 %( g) this large fluctuation is due to plant and manufacturing differences. In this case agave nectar is worse than High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). The only redeeming fact is that agave is not genetically modified and refined like HFCS!
  • To the right is my own agave sweetner, its really sweet stuff, I use it to sweeten plain yogurt.

What is Stevia?

  • Stevia also comes from the Stevia plant also found in South America, are you noticing a trend there? It seems as all the “health” products are coming from South America. The acai berry, agave and stevia
  • Stevia is 300 time sweeter than normal table sugar, notice it is not a sugar substitute, therefore much less can be used.
  • This stuff has a taste you have to get use to, growing up in the USA I am use to just normal sugar, this stuff taste like powdered sugar with a hint of licorice. Jay Robb actually has a Whey Protein Supplement that I use to buy that uses Stevia that is good. Jay Robb is one of the companies that use stevia as a sweetener, and not sucralose, aspartame and now brown rice sugar.
  • You can buy it at most “health” food store, you know a country has a problem when you cannot buy “health food” from a normal supermarket.

Stevia vs Agave vs Aspartame vs Sucralose

Of the bunch Stevia wins the charleslloydfitness shootout for best sweetener.

Aspartame: 0 out of 5 Charles’ Faces

Sucralose: 0.0000000000000001 out of Charles’ Faces

Agave:: 3 out of 5 Charles’ Faces

Stevia: 4.5 out of 5 Charles’ Faces.

4.5 Charles Faces'
4.5 Charles Faces'

So there you have it the winner of Stevia vs Agave vs Aspartame vs Sucralose.


Charles Lloyd
Charles Lloyd

Self processed fitness missionary and author of most of the ridiculous fitness articles written on Charles Lloyd Fitness.com. I am not really a writer, but a workout fiend who happens to have a blog. The single mission of this website is very simple: Get You In Shape. I have been blessed with the gift of good health and want to share it with you. Join Me.

    39 replies to "Stevia vs Agave vs Aspartame vs Sucralose"

    • Mike Robinson

      Aspartame is some nasty sh!t

    • Charles Lloyd

      Yes it is, taste like your being poisoned.

    • Anton

      Some nice points here. Thought i’d drop this resource in to the conversation.

      It’s a site that helps you to find foods containing Aspartame, HFCS, Sodium Benzoate, or any other ingredient, allergen, additive or nutrient.

      Here’s an example…it’s a list of Aspartame containing and free Drink Mixes:

      http://www.foodessentials.com/compare/Powdered_Drink_-_Mixed_Fruit_Flavor_containing_Aspartame/134805/0

    • Charles Lloyd

      Good work Anton and thats a good resource. Thanks

    • debby

      Thanks for the article. I use agave in all sorts of dishes, cakes and even drinks. I started with small bottles and now buy gallons at a time.
      The last few times I ordered it online at Whole And Natural.com. They have all sizes at very reasonable prices and ship fast.
      Debby

    • Common Sense

      Stevia has been banned in Canada for 30 years because it’s nasty. Just because something is ‘natural’ doesn’t mean it’s safe. Just because something is made in a lab, doesn’t mean it’s unhealthy.

    • Charles Lloyd

      Haha, I can see Canadian officials 30 years ago with a packet of Stevia then putting it in their coffee and saying “bleh, BAN IT, ban it forever, I say!”

    • Geoff

      Actually Stevia is not banned in Canada at all. I buy it here all the time

    • Charles Lloyd

      Yeah I didn’t think so Geoff. Thanks

    • Watch Bleach

      Hi, i just thought i’d post and let you that your blog looks a bit crazy on the Dinct browser. Anyhow keep up the good work.

    • loopzy

      Thx for your time of writing this informative blog

    • kim

      I’m wondering about something I heard – that stevia stays in your system and doesn’t fully metabolise. Have you heard that?

    • Charles Lloyd

      Nothing really stays in your system. Everything gets burned, then either turns into alkaline or acid and is either used, stored, or discarded. Stevia by itself does not just sit in your system.

    • TW

      “The only redeeming fact is that agave is not genetically modified and refined like HFCS!”

      A variation of the agave plant, was already been patented in the US in 1998. If its been patented, then a bio-engineered change must have been made from the orginal plant (google “Kara’s Stripes”).

      Agave syrup is indeed refined in similar fashion as HFCS: http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2007/065.html

      Not only that, but it is primarily fructose, and 1) fructose is more easily converted to fat than glucose (therefore eating the same amount of calories will make you fatter) and 2) fructose is less satisfying than glucose because it doesn’t stimulate a rapid insulin response and increase cravings for sugar.

    • Charles Lloyd

      Good point, but agave is still not genetically modified….refined sure, but not genetically modified.

    • Kari

      It is difficult for me to take anything on this site seriously. Educated people write well. Work on spelling, grammar, and punctuation. For example, Aspartame tastes disgusting, not taste disgusting. Use periods, not commas, at the end of sentences. Also, its is a possessive pronoun. It’s means it is. If you want educated people to heed your advice, then perhaps you should have someone edit your work.

    • Charles Lloyd

      Interesting response Kari, so I wrote a “real” article. I severely hope it passes the punctuation and grammar police. Have a look here. Please send me all your “educated” friends. I will be more than happy to provide a work cited page also. 😉

    • kelly

      Hmmm, interesting view, all of which I agree with. I just wish you had proofread before posting. I also love the fact that your points are pretty clear and simple to understand. Such as these things just suck plain and simple and here is why.

    • Charles Lloyd

      Your not the only one pissed about my writing Kelly! J/K 😛

    • Grant

      Your arguments against aspartame and sucralose are not arguments at all (except the argument that they taste worse). The fact that something is made in a lab, is genetically modified, or refined does not automatically make it less healthy than something you pull out of the ground. That’s just superstition. There’s really no informative content here at all.

      Everyone knows that asparatme would be bad for you in large quantities because it gets metabolized into methanol, but in very small quantities it is probably ok. This is the only sweetener here you might recommend against with good reason. Sucralose is almost certainly safe even in unreasonably large doses. The safety of stevia and agave are unknown, but most likely fine. The only remaining question is which tastes best.

      Eating lab-made food vs something pulled out of the ground is not analogous to human sexuality in any way. You weren’t involved in the production of any of the above. For all you know it could come from the moon.

    • Charles Lloyd

      Ok, if its not an argument then do this: For the next year eat nothing but Aspartame and Sucrose as a sweeter substitute, have your blood tested before the year and after the year and report your finding.

    • William

      Xylitol is the best choice of all and its good for your teeth.

    • Charles Lloyd

      Why do you say that Will?

    • Michael

      Methanol !!.. using ASPARTAME ?

      In reality aspartame is converted into embombing fluid after entering the blood steam. If you want to embomb yourself while still alive, go for it..use it. I already know my spelling is poor but my point can still be realized ..thnks
      ASPARTAME can cause GRAND-mal SEIZERS too..it is a toxic artificial chemical.

    • Dave

      By the way, Mexico is in North America.

    • OMFG

      My family has many cases of diabetes, so we all use artificial sweeteners since… forever. For this same reason I get blood tests on a regular basis. Everything is fine with me. And I look like a teenager, despite the fact that I am over 30. Healthy lifestyle, daily exercises, etc. You are crazy.

    • Charles Lloyd

      Dear “OMFG”, All the smart people live in Canada eh?

    • Scott

      Wait… did you just imply that because sucralose is “600 times sweeter” than sucrose that this means it’s 600 times of everything else that sucrose is?

      Is it time for a class in logic?

      Thank you for posting but you lost my attention after I read that part.

    • Charles Lloyd

      Lol, Scott. How does 600x sweetness of sucralose = “600 times of everything else that sucrose is”? Thats a great question: Is it time for a class in logic? Ill see you there ;P
      You are welcome for the post. My website will see you soon.

    • armadillo

      WOW….so evil….to make something in a lab……lol….do you have any idea how many people are saved by lab work…A DAY? who can believe this sh/t…..and 600 times blah blah oh yeah stevia 300 times,,,,who can eat something 300 times sweeter than sugar? ….i think people are looking for real nutritional differences here…. at least i was.

    • Elaine

      Not sure why the author keeps repeating that Agave and Stevia are ‘not’ sugar substitutes. Sure they are!! I’ve been baking, cooking, sweetening all my foods and drinks successfully with the delicious, natural ‘substitutes’ for ages!
      You don’t bake with both sugar and stevia/agave – it’s one or the other.
      Therefore, it IS a substitute. And yes, you use less of it and use it differently – but they are still SUBSTITUTE’S and terrific ones at that! 😉

    • Abmja5

      What about just using sugar, but less of it. When my kids were growing up we never put any sugar on cereal in the morning. When visiting cousins that put several spoonfuls on each bowl they looked to me. I took one teaspoon and sprinkled a bit on each of my three kids bowls and still had most of the spoonful left. They were happy. Since they never had any, a tiny little bit was fine. We don’t need more chemicals to trick our tastebuds, we just need to train them to eat what is healthy.

    • Charles Lloyd

      That is mainly what I do for the most part. But I substituent white sugar for brown sugar. Good post Abjma5

    • jkay

      Concerning Stevia – “Note that the FDA has not approved the use of whole-leaf stevia or crude stevia extracts for use as a sweetener. Rather, only certain highly refined stevia preparations can be used in food products.” (Mayo Clinic) Highly refined would mean lab produced, lab tested and lab released formula. In other words – not all that natural. Stevia also contains a chemical that attacks the kidneys and for the diabetic – they don’t need that. Of all sweeteners – the safest is honey. It only has one processing step – a heat process. Pure cane, minced or grounded – is also quite safe – tho it isn’t anything like the refined sugar you get in the store. It’s a juice extracted from the stalk which then has to go through a kind of distilling process to create the crystals. Sugarcane juice is about 26 grams of sugar and about a quarter of a gram of protein. Honey is 16 grams I think per serving. I personally, because I am diabetic, use Sucralose and honey wherever possible. I stay away from HFCS and aspartame. I don’t find any health benefit for those at all.

    • Dancin

      Just use sugar people, I would rather use an actual natural product that your body knows what to do with, than chemicals your body has no idea how to deal with. Then go for a walk and end the sedentary lifestyle that is killing the human race.

    • Michael

      Hi I am studying biotechnology at a california university, and aspartame and sucralose are safe. I know regular most people wont listen to scientists, but they should because we actually know what is going on in our bodies at the cellular level. Lab made or natural does not make any difference, wake-up people. Listen to the research that shows aspartame and sucralose is safe, not some dude on a blog who says ” not natural so its bad” no offense tho.

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    • Connie

      Aspartame & Sucralose are safe? Based on my body’s reaction to it I beg to differ. Switching from using sugar & HFCS to aspartame for a mere 1 month produced the following changes in my body: ocular migraines, constant dull headache, headaches that mimicked being stabbed in the brain, foggy mind, forgetfulness, substantially increased anxiety. I can pinpoint for you when I switched & how soon after my symptoms

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