SHEET /vs/sucralose-vs-aspartame · COMPARISON
Sucralose vs Aspartame: what is the difference?
How they differ
from source
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.
Side by side
| Sucralose | Aspartame | |
|---|---|---|
| Formula | C12H19Cl3O8 | C14H18N2O5 |
| Molecular weight | 397.6 g/mol | 294.3 g/mol |
| Family | Sweetener | Sweetener |
| Everyday group | Sweetener | Sweetener |
| Functional groups | Alcohols, Ethers, Halogenated | Carboxylic Acids, Amines, Aromatics, Esters, Amides |
| Sweetness | 600x sugar | 200x sugar |
| Found in | Diet Soda, Tabletop Sweetener | Tabletop Sweetener, Diet Soda, Sugar Free Gum, Soft drinks |
| CAS number | 56038-13-2 | 22839-47-0 |
| PubChem CID | 71485 | 134601 |
Common questions
- What is the difference between Sucralose and Aspartame?
- 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.
- 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.