Why are we afraid of sucralose, but not of sugar?

5 verschillende Natural Zero Low calorie Sauzen van Natural Spices (Mayo, Salty Caramel, Chillie, Beasty BBQ en Truffle Mayo)

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As soon as people see sucralose on a label, some immediately opt out. We understand that. There is a lot of discussion online about sweeteners, and bold headlines tend to perform well.

But strikingly, the opposite happens much less often with sugar. And we find that an interesting question — because if you look honestly at food, the real question is not whether you want sucralose, but why you would simply keep sugar.

Why we want to replace sugar

For us it starts there. We don't use sucralose because we prefer something "artificial" over sugar, but because we want to replace sugar.

The reason is simple: sugar adds a lot of calories while contributing little nutritionally. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre states that products with added sugar often contain many calories but few nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fiber.

And added sugar is not only in candy or soft drinks — it's also in products where you might expect it less, such as ketchup, sauces and dressings.

That makes sauces particularly relevant. They may seem like a small part of the diet, but are often used regularly. So what you put in them adds up.

Sugar sounds familiar, but that doesn't automatically make it the best choice

Because sugar feels so normal, people often ask fewer critical questions about it. Whereas international health organizations are quite clear on the matter.

The WHO advises limiting intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake, and preferably to less than 5%. Those free sugars are the sugars added to products by manufacturers, cooks or consumers, plus the sugars in, for example, honey, syrups and fruit juices.

The WHO links a high intake of free sugars to unhealthy weight gain and dental problems, among other things.

EFSA also points out that excessive sugar intake is associated with health problems, mentioning links between added and free sugars and obesity, type 2 diabetes, high LDL cholesterol levels and hypertension.

In other words: sugar may be familiar, but that is not the same as harmless.

So if you want to reduce sugar, what is the alternative?

For us that is the real product question.

If you develop a sauce, you want flavor. You want a product to taste good, be balanced, and make people want to buy it again. Sugar can play a role in that, but it also brings extra calories. So you have to ask: how can we keep that sweet taste without automatically choosing a lot of sugar?

After that consideration we chose sucralose.

Why? Because sucralose adds virtually no calories, yet closely approximates the taste of sugar. That allows you to greatly reduce sugar without your product immediately losing its entire flavor profile.

For us that was not an ideological choice, but a practical one: less sugar, fewer calories, without compromising on taste.

Is sucralose safe then?

That is of course the follow-up question.

For us that is a basic requirement. If we use an ingredient, we want it to be backed by a strong safety assessment. And that exists.

EFSA re-evaluated sucralose in 2026 and confirmed that sucralose remains safe within the current authorised uses. The acceptable daily intake, the ADI, also remained at 15 mg per kilogram of body weight per day.

EFSA also indicated that estimated exposure in Europe remains below that limit.

That does not mean you should ignore every new study. On the contrary. New studies should be taken seriously. But it does mean you need to look at the totality of the evidence, not just one sensational headline.

Why we find that comparison fairer

We understand perfectly well that some people prefer not to have sucralose. That choice is up to everyone. But that choice should be fairly compared with the real alternative — because those who reject sucralose often do not choose "nothing," but simply a product with more sugar.

We find it more logical to critically examine ingredients that add many calories and which health organizations advise limiting, rather than automatically being alarmed by a sweetener chosen to replace sugar.

The WHO recommends limiting free sugars, and the Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that sauces and dressings can also be sources of added sugar.

Our choice in one sentence

We use sucralose in our sauces because we want to replace sugar in a way that works: less sugar, far fewer calories, without sacrificing taste — and with an ingredient that has been assessed as safe within current uses..