COLOR-CODED SWEETENER PACKETS

Artificial sweetener packets are color-coded based on the chemical contents of the packet.

COLOR	CHEMICAL	DETAILS
PINK	Saccharin	Saccharin is the oldest artificial sweetener; first discovered in 1878. In the 1980s saccharin was linked to cancer in rats and mice, but that study was later debunked. Saccharin has no calories and is about 300 times as sweet as regular table sugar. Some people complain that it leaves a metallic after-taste.
BLUE	Aspartame	Aspartame has 4 calories per packet and is about 200 times as sweet as table sugar. You cannot bake with aspartame, because it is not heat stable. Aspartame has long been erroneously linked to various negative health effects; including multiple sclerosis and Gulf War syndrome. Some people who have a rare metabolic disorder cannot metabolize one of the byproducts of digested aspartame. Aspartame is the main sweetener in Diet Coke.
YELLOW	Sucralose	Sucralose was first approved by the F.D.A. in 1999, and is probably best known by its brand name: Splenda. Sucralose has no calories and is 600 times as sweet as sugar. Sucralose is chemically stable, so it can be used as a replacement for table sugar in any baked good or recipe.
GREEN or WHITE AND GREEN	Stevia	Stevia is derived from a South African shrub, which is why it’s often referred to as a “natural” sugar substitute. Stevia has no calories and is 200 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia is the second most popular non-sugar sweetener in the U.S., but it is more expensive than the other artificial sweeteners, which is why it is not served in many restaurants.