Some low-calorie or no-calorie sweeteners are considered intense because ____?

Some low-calorie or no-calorie sweeteners are considered intense because ____?

• A. they are up to hundreds of times sweeter than sucrose, by weight
• B. they have zero calories
• C. they are all natural
• D. they are always used in baking

Answer: (A)

Intense sweetness comes from potency—the ability of a substance to deliver a strong sweet sensation in a very small amount. These sweeteners are hundreds of times sweeter than sucrose by weight, so you only need a tiny quantity to achieve the same level of sweetness. That tiny amount means far fewer calories contribute to the product, which is why they’re described as low- or no-calorie. The zero-calorie, natural, or baking-use aspects are separate properties and don’t define why their sweetness is considered intense. For example, if a sweetener is 300 times sweeter than sugar, a small pinch can replace a much larger amount of sugar in taste, achieving the same sweetness with far fewer calories.

Intense sweetness comes from potency—the ability of a substance to deliver a strong sweet sensation in a very small amount. These sweeteners are hundreds of times sweeter than sucrose by weight, so you only need a tiny quantity to achieve the same level of sweetness. That tiny amount means far fewer calories contribute to the product, which is why they’re described as low- or no-calorie. The zero-calorie, natural, or baking-use aspects are separate properties and don’t define why their sweetness is considered intense. For example, if a sweetener is 300 times sweeter than sugar, a small pinch can replace a much larger amount of sugar in taste, achieving the same sweetness with far fewer calories.