--- title: "Can Splenda spike blood sugar? What the FDA and CDC say" description: "The FDA says sweeteners generally won't raise blood sugar; a CDC list says some studies show they can. Both in full, plus sucralose, stevia and xylitol." canonical: https://glucosebench.com/artificial-sweeteners-and-blood-sugar alternate_html: https://glucosebench.com/artificial-sweeteners-and-blood-sugar language: en-US last_updated: 2026-09-27 type: guia --- # Artificial sweeteners and blood sugar: the FDA and the CDC, side by side 1. [Home](https://glucosebench.com/) 2. [Blood sugar basics](https://glucosebench.com/blood-sugar) 3. Artificial sweeteners and blood sugar: the FDA and the CDC, side by side Two federal agencies, two sentences that seem to point in opposite directions. Read in full, they're closer than they look, and neither one tells you to go back to sugar. By **GlucoseBench editorial team**Updated September 27, 2026 ![Artificial sweeteners and blood sugar: the FDA and the CDC, side by side](https://glucosebench.com/img/guia-artificial-sweeteners-and-blood-sugar-640.webp) Short answer Generally not, according to the FDA, which says sweeteners "generally will not raise blood sugar levels." Sucralose, the sweetener sold as Splenda, is one of six the FDA lists as authorized food additives, and for it the agency also "reviewed human clinical trials to address metabolism and effects on patients with diabetes." The CDC adds a caution on its page of surprising blood sugar triggers (published May 15, 2024, updated September 11, 2026): artificial sweeteners, because "some studies show they can raise blood sugar," with no sweetener or study named. Its advice settles the gap for you personally: responses vary, so "check your blood sugar before and after to see how you respond." ## Two sentences that seem to disagree The FDA's page on sweeteners explains why people use them: sweeteners "contribute only a few or no calories to the diet and generally will not raise blood sugar levels." That's a statement about the group, and "generally" is doing real work in it. The CDC's page "10 Surprising Things That Can Spike Your Blood Sugar," published May 15, 2024 and updated September 11, 2026, is written for people who've "managed your diabetes for a while." Item two reads: artificial sweeteners, "some studies show they can raise blood sugar." It doesn't say which sweetener, how much, or in whom. Put together, we read them this way: for most people most of the time, a diet drink or a packet of sucralose isn't a blood sugar event, and some people may react anyway. The CDC closes its list with the part that matters: "Individual responses to each of these triggers may vary. If an activity or food is new, check your blood sugar before and after to see how you respond." Your meter is the tiebreaker, not a headline. ## The sweeteners, as the FDA lists them Brand names are the examples the FDA itself gives. Only for sugar alcohols does the FDA page make a specific statement about blood glucose; for the rest, its "generally will not raise blood sugar levels" covers sweeteners as a group. Sweetener Sold as (FDA examples) Sweetness vs. table sugar What else the FDA notes Sucralose Splenda About 600 times The FDA reviewed more than 110 safety studies, plus human clinical trials on metabolism and effects in patients with diabetes. Stays sweet when baked. Aspartame Nutrasweet, Equal, Sugar Twin About 200 times "It contains calories," though people will likely use less of it than they would of sugar. People with phenylketonuria (PKU) "should avoid or restrict aspartame." Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) Sweet One, Sunett About 200 times Often combined with other sweeteners. Saccharin Sweet and Low, Sweet Twin, Sweet'N Low, Necta Sweet 200 to 700 times Contains no calories. Stevia (high-purity steviol glycosides, such as Reb A) Truvia, PureVia, Enliten 200 to 400 times Not absorbed through the upper part of the gut. Stevia leaf and crude stevia extracts are not permitted as sweeteners. Monk fruit extract (Luo Han Guo) Nectresse, Monk Fruit in the Raw, PureLo 100 to 250 times The FDA has not questioned the safety (GRAS) notices submitted for it. Sugar alcohols (xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol, maltitol and others) Sugar-free candies, cookies, chewing gum 25% to 100% as sweet They "do not promote tooth decay or cause a sudden increase in blood glucose." After a 2023 paper on erythritol and the heart, the FDA found the studies "did not establish a causal link" and says it will keep monitoring. Source: FDA, "Aspartame and Other Sweeteners in Food" (content current as of February 27, 2025), read on September 27, 2026. The FDA lists the first four as authorized food additives and stevia and monk fruit as ingredients whose safety notices it has not questioned. Neotame, advantame and thaumatin, also on the FDA page, are left out here. ## Diet soda, and the one time it is the wrong drink ### Day to day The FDA says sweeteners are widely used in products marketed as "sugar-free" or "diet," soft drinks included, and that the ingredient list names the sweetener. For everyday drinks, the NIDDK's examples of drinks with little or no added sugar are water, low-fat or non-fat milk, and unsweetened tea, coffee or sparkling water. ### Caffeine is a second variable The same CDC list flags coffee "even without sweetener," because "some people's blood sugar is extra-sensitive to caffeine." If your diet soda lists caffeine, a rise after it could come from either ingredient. ### Never for a low A diet drink won't bring a low back up. The CDC's 15-15 rule calls for "regular (non-diet) soda," and the NIDDK specifies soda that is "not low-calorie or reduced-sugar." Our low blood sugar page has the steps; for a severe low, the NIDDK says to call 911 right away after giving glucagon, or right away if there's no glucagon kit. ## Stevia and xylitol in the blood sugar drops we review Three liquid products reviewed on this site, GlycoFortin, Glycovit and Glycotide, list stevia extract, labeled 97% Reb A, and xylitol among their other ingredients, with no amounts. Against the FDA page, that matches the high-purity kind of stevia whose safety notices the agency hasn't questioned (it describes those as at least 95% pure), plus a sugar alcohol the FDA says doesn't cause "a sudden increase in blood glucose." So the sweetener is the least of the questions on those bottles. The bigger ones, like caffeine from guarana and green tea and a 200 mg blend of 22 ingredients with no split, are in each review. If you take diabetes medicine, NCCIH asks people on diabetes drugs to "tell their health care providers about any herbal supplements they are taking." Show the whole label, sweeteners included. ## Frequently asked questions **Can Splenda spike blood sugar?** The FDA says sweeteners "generally will not raise blood sugar levels," and for sucralose, the sweetener in Splenda, it reviewed human trials in people with diabetes. The CDC notes that "some studies show" artificial sweeteners can raise blood sugar. If you want to know about you, check before and after, as the CDC suggests. **Does diet soda, like Diet Coke, spike blood sugar?** The sweetener generally won't, per the FDA; the CDC's caution about some studies still applies, and caffeine is a separate trigger on the same CDC list. Check the ingredient list, then check your meter before and after if you're unsure. **Is stevia better than Splenda for blood sugar?** The FDA page doesn't rank them. Its blood sugar statement covers sweeteners as a group; for stevia it adds that high-purity steviol glycosides aren't absorbed through the upper part of the gut. **Do sugar alcohols like xylitol raise blood sugar?** The FDA says sugar alcohols "do not promote tooth decay or cause a sudden increase in blood glucose." They're slightly lower in calories than sugar, not calorie-free. **Can I use diet soda to fix a low?** No. The CDC and NIDDK both specify regular soda, not diet or reduced-sugar, for the 15-15 rule. Below 70 mg/dL, use a fast sugar and check again after 15 minutes. A severe low is an emergency: glucagon if there is a kit, and 911 right away. ## Related pages Blood sugar basics ### [Blood sugar spikes: the everyday triggers, the foods, and how you'd know](https://glucosebench.com/blood-sugar-spikes) None of the government pages we read, the CDC's included, puts a number on the word "spike." Food is the everyday driver: "Carbohydrates in the food you eat raise your… Read more Blood sugar basics ### [Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia): what to do in the first 15 minutes](https://glucosebench.com/low-blood-sugar) For most people with diabetes, blood sugar below 70 mg/dL is low, according to the CDC and the NIH; for people without diabetes, MedlinePlus says hypoglycemia is… Read more Blood sugar basics ### [Is there a food that lowers blood sugar? What the CDC and NIH point to instead](https://glucosebench.com/foods-that-lower-blood-sugar) No food lowers blood sugar on its own. Read more Blood sugar basics ### [Blood sugar after eating: the target with diabetes, and what the 2-hour lab test measures](https://glucosebench.com/blood-sugar-after-eating) If you have diabetes, the usual after-meal target is below 180 mg/dL: the CDC says one to two hours after a meal, and the NIH's diabetes institute (NIDDK) says about 2… Read more Updated September 27, 2026. 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