Sucralose vs Aspartame: what is the difference?
Sucralose is chlorinated sucrose that the body cannot digest and that survives baking, while aspartame is a dipeptide the body breaks down and heat destroys.
Sources and notes
- The sentence under the titlefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
- The two drawingscomputedMoleculeFinder rule (RDKit MCS)Each molecule's own drawing, as its page shows it. The common core, 2 of 23 atoms, is too small to align on.
Side by side
| Sucralose | Aspartame | |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular weightCalculated PubChem | 397.6 g/molC12H19Cl3O8 | 294.3 g/molC14H18N2O5 |
| Hydrogen-bond donorsCalculated PubChem | 5 | 3 |
| SweetnessMeasured FDA | 600× sugar | 200× sugar |
| Against table sugar, which is 1. | ||
| Where each turns upEditorial MoleculeFinder food and product lists |
|
Also on our tabletop Sweetener lists |
| FamilyEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Sweetener | Sweetener |
| Everyday groupEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Sweetener | Sweetener |
| Chemical groupsCalculated Found by rule (RDKit) | Alcohols, Ethers, Halogenated | Carboxylic Acids, Amines, Aromatics, Esters, Amides |
Sources and notes
- Molecular weightcomputedPubChemComputed from the structure; the formula is under each weight.
- Hydrogen-bond donorscomputedPubChemThe hydrogens on nitrogen or oxygen that each molecule can lend to a hydrogen bond, counted from its structure.
- Sweetnessfrom sourceFDA
- Where each turns upfrom sourceMoleculeFinder food and product listsEach amount is an editorial figure from our lists, not a measurement of any one product. Each mark is set by hand on the list, never inferred.
- Familyfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Everyday groupfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Chemical groupscomputedFound by rule (RDKit)Each group is found in the structure by a chemical pattern.
- Identifiersfrom sourcePubChemPubChem CID 71485 (Sucralose) and 134601 (Aspartame).
In more detail
Both replace sugar and neither is a sugar. Sucralose actually starts as sucrose with three hydroxyl groups swapped for chlorine, which is why its formula carries Cl3 and why the body cannot digest it: the enzymes no longer recognise the shape. Aspartame is not a carbohydrate at all but a dipeptide, phenylalanine joined to aspartic acid, which the body does break down, and that is why products carry a phenylalanine warning for people with phenylketonuria. Sucralose is the sweeter of the two at roughly 600 times sugar against aspartame's 200, and it is heat stable where aspartame breaks down when baked. In practice sucralose is the yellow packet and aspartame is the blue one.
Sources and notes
- The paragraphfrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notes
Questions
- What is the difference between Sucralose and Aspartame?
- Sucralose is chlorinated sucrose that the body cannot digest and that survives baking, while aspartame is a dipeptide the body breaks down and heat destroys.
- Is Sucralose bigger than Aspartame?
- Sucralose is the heavier molecule, 397.6 g/mol against 294.3 g/mol for Aspartame. Sucralose is C12H19Cl3O8 and Aspartame is C14H18N2O5.
- Is Sucralose sweeter than Aspartame?
- Sucralose is the sweeter of the two, about 600 times as sweet as table sugar against about 200 times for Aspartame. Sweetness here is measured against sucrose, which is defined as 1.
Sources and notes
- The answersfrom sourceMoleculeFinderThe first is the pair's answer line; the others are read off the table above.