Products Overview

Equal Classic Sweetenerfaq-classic

Equal Classic Sweetener is made with Aspartame, which contains two amino acids — aspartic acid and phenylalanine that are building blocks of proteins. These are also found naturally in most protein-containing foods, including soy-based alternatives, nuts and seeds. When we consume aspartame it is broken down and moves through our body in the exact same way as those amino acids that are found in these foods.

Equal Gold Sweetenerfaq-gold

Sucralose is the primary sweetening ingredient in Equal Gold. It is made from sugar but unlike sugar it is not metabolised for energy and therefore contains no calories!  It is heat stable and acts very similarly to sugar making it perfect for cooking and baking your favorite desserts, pastries and savory dishes.

Equal Stevia Sweetener
faq-stevia

Equal Stevia Sweetener – made from the extract of the stevia leaf. The Stevia leaf is a member of the Chrysanthemum family and has been used as a natural sweetener in South America for over 1500 years. It is obtained by steeping stevia leaves in hot water to extract the sweet parts of the leaf and then processed to separate, purify and filter the extract.

Equal Monk Fruit Zero Calorie Sweetenerfaq-gold

Monk Fruit also known as “Luo Han Guo” was discovered ages ago in the pristine highlands of China. It is used along with other ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine to make sweet, cooling drinks and home remedies. Our Monk Fruit with Erythritol is a delightful zero calorie sugar replacement that’s great for beverages as well as for cooking and baking.

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve got answers to all your questions about our products, ingredients and more.

What is Equal?

  • Equal is a sugar alternative that has been in the market around the world for over 30 years.

  • Equal uses a unique combination of ingredients to ensure it has a great sugar-like taste and does not leave the bitter aftertaste.

What formats does Equal Zero Calorie Sweeteners have?

  • Sticks

  • Tablets

  • Granular

What is the sweetness equivalence of Sweeteners vs. sugar?

Sweetness Level

Can I replace sugar with Equal Sweetener products in my recipes?

  • Yes, Equal Sweeteners can be used in a variety of recipes. While sugar substitutes – like Equal – provide sweetness, they do not provide the bulk, tenderness and browning properties of sugar. Equal Sweeteners work best in recipes where the primary role of sugar is for flavoring and sweetening (e.g, fruit pie fillings, cheesecakes and beverages).

  • For cooking / baking, Equal Gold Sweetener Sticks and Equal Gold Sugarly Sweetener are most suitable. Please refer to the conversion below when using Equal Gold Sweeteners in place of sugar.

  • Conversion Chart

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What are the ingredients of Equal Classic/ Equal Gold / Equal Stevia sweeteners?

  • Equal Classic Sweetener – made with Aspartame, which contains two amino acids — aspartic acid and phenylalanine that are building blocks of proteins. These are also found naturally in most protein-containing foods, including meats, dairy products, vegetables, soy-based alternatives, nuts and seeds. When we consume aspartame it is broken down and moves through our body in the exact same way as those amino acids that are found in these foods.

  • Equal Gold Sweetener (stick)– Sucralose is the primary sweetening ingredient in Equal Gold. It is made from sugar but unlike sugar it is not metabolised for energy and therefore contains no calories! It is also heat stable so it can be used for cooking and baking your favorite desserts, pastries and savory dishes.

  • Equal Stevia Sweetener – made from the extract of the stevia leaf.  It is obtained by steeping stevia leaves in hot water to extract the sweet parts of the leaf and then processed to separate, purify and filter the extract.

What are the other ingredients found in Equal Classic/ Equal Gold /  Equal Sweetener products?

  • Equal Classic Sweetener main sweetening ingredient aspartame, is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. The sticks and tablet formats contain small amounts of carbohydrate (less than 1 gram per serving) from lactose (sticks and tablets) – and maltodextrin (Spoonful), common food ingredients which are added for consistent sweetening and to provide volume and texture.

  • Equal Gold Sweetener (stick ) main sweetening ingredient sucralose, is about 600 times sweeter than sugar. The stick and granular formats also contain erythritol for consistent sweetening and to provide volume and texture. Erythritol is naturally occurring in common food such as some fruits and other fermented products. It is an approved food additive used mainly as a bulking sweetening agent.

  • Equal Stevia Sweetener main sweetening ingredient steviol glycosides, is about 300 times sweeter than sugar. The stick formats also contain erythritol for consistent sweetening and to provide volume and texture. Erythritol is naturally occurring in common food such as some fruits and other fermented products. It is an approved food additive used mainly as a bulking sweetening agent.

    This is not the definition we use in other products. I believe we say: Erythritol is a zero calorie sugar alternative sourced from a fermentation process using sugar beet and non-GMO corn. Erythritol is also found naturally in fruits like pears and grapes.

Is aspartame safe?

  • Yes. Aspartame is made from two amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. When we consume foods or drinks containing aspartame, the sweetener is broken down to its component parts, which are treated in exactly the same way as if they had come from the proteins in meat, fish, eggs, milk and other dairy products, soy-based alternatives, nuts or seeds. Aspartame brings nothing new to the diet. Its safety is supported by more than 500 studies conducted over four decades including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA, the Scientific Committee for Food (SCF) – now the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) – in Europe, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation/ World Health Organisation Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). It has been on the market for more than 30 years.

Is there any truth to the negative information about aspartame I see on the Internet or in the media?

  • No. Unfortunately, urban myths about aspartame continue to be circulated over the Internet. Negative allegations that aspartame may be associated with numerous ailments are based on poor quality science. A large number of high quality studies have shown that there is no link between aspartame and the reports of adverse health effects.

What products use aspartame?

  • Aspartame is widely used as a sweetening ingredient  many food products including carbonated soft drinks, powdered soft drinks, puddings, gelatin (e.g., jelly), frozen desserts, yogurt, hot cocoa mixes, teas, breath mints, chewing gum and other foods, as well as some vitamin and cold preparations.

Who can use aspartame?

  • Most people can enjoy products sweetened with aspartame as part of a healthy balanced diet. For children and lactating /breastfeeding mothers who need to consume adequate amounts of energy and other nutrients for growth and/or development, it is recommended that they consult with family physician and/or accredited practicing and registered dietician about their nutritional needs and follow the recommendations for their meal plan.

But what about aspartame’s components? Why do I see “contains phenylalanine” on labels of products containing aspartame?

  • Phenylalanine is one of the components of aspartame, and is released when aspartame is digested. It is an essential amino acid necessary for growth and development and is obtained from protein containing foods and drinks. Some people suffer a rare inherited disorder, phenylketonuria (PKU), which means their ability to metabolize phenylalanine is seriously impaired. It is a legal requirement to state “contains phenylalanine” on aspartame containing product labels for the information of people with PKU.

How is aspartame handled by the body?

  • Aspartame is composed of two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine, which are found naturally in protein containing foods and drinks, including meats, fish, eggs and dairy products. Your body handles the amino acids from aspartame in exactly the same way as it does when they come from these other sources.

How is sucralose handled by the body?

  • When consumed, most of the sucralose is not absorbed by the body and is eliminated through excretion. Between 8% and 20% enters the blood and is removed through urine.

How is stevia handled by the body?

  • Stevia is absorbed into the body, quickly modified in the liver, and excreted in the urine.

Where do Equal sweetener products came from?

In Asia / Southeast Asia region:

  • Equal Classic Sweetener Sticks, Equal Gold Sweetener Stick, Equal Gold Sugarly and Equal Stevia Sweetener Sticks are manufactured in Thailand.

  • Equal Classic Sweetener Tablets and Equal Stevia Sweetener Tablets are manufactured in the Czech Republic

Are Equal Sweeteners safe?

  • Yes, all our sweetener products are safe for consumption. The safety of the sweetening ingredients in all of our products have been confirmed and approved by the World Health Organization, US FDA and more than 200 studies conducted over three decades.

Are Equal Sweetener products non-GMO (genetically modified organism)?

  • All Equal Sweetener products are GMO free / do not contain GMO ingredients.

Are Equal Sweetener products safe to be consumed by individuals with diabetes?

  • Yes, Equal Sweetener products can be consumed by individuals with diabetes. Diabetes associations around the world consider the sweeteners in Equal and Naturals Stevia products as acceptable alternatives to sugar and could be part of a meal plan for a person with diabetes. Equal Sweeteners can be used to sweeten food and drinks with less calories and carbohydrates. For those who suffer from diabetes they need to count the calories and carbohydrates when planning their meals.

Does Aspartame cause allergies or food intolerance?

  • Studies investigating aspartame as a potential cause of food allergies or intolerance have failed to detect any reproducible adverse effects of aspartame ingestion.

Do Equal Sweeteners help people lose weight?

  • Numerous studies and reviews have shown that zero calorie sweeteners do help in calorie reduction and in weight loss as well as in long-term weight maintenance.

Are Equal Sweeteners gluten-free?

  • All Equal Sweeteners are gluten free and appropriate for use by individuals following a gluten free lifestyle.

Which Equal products are suitable for vegans?

  • Equal Gold Sweeteners

  • Equal Stevia Sweeteners

Equal Classic sticks and tablets are not suitable for vegans as they contain lactose from milk.

Are Equal Sweeteners safe to use by lactating mothers and children?

  • Yes, all Equal Sweeteners can all be safely consumed by lactating mothers, but we also remind women that they need adequate calories to nourish the infant and should consult with a physician or registered dietician about their nutritional needs to follow dietary recommendations given by their doctor.

  • All products in the Equal Sweeteners range are suitable and safe for children and infants, however we do not particularly recommend Equal for infants or very young children (up to the age of three years old). This does not mean that they should never consume foods or drinks made with Equal Sweeteners; it simply means that growing children need carbohydrates, including sugar, for healthy growth and development. For children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, Equal Sweeteners can be helpful. It allows these children to enjoy sweet things and still maintain their prescribed diet.

Are Equal Sweeteners products halal certified?

  • Yes, all Equal Sweeteners products have Halal certification.

Are Equal Sweeteners low G.I. (glycemic index)?

  • The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates in the foods, according to how they affect blood glucose levels. Equal sweetener products contain very small amount of carbohydrate per serving, therefore do not fit into the GI testing requirements of 10g of carbohydrate per serve and they cannot be tested. By Equal Sweeteners in place of sugar, you may decrease the amount of carbohydrate intake and ultimately may lower the Glycemic Load.

What’s the shelf life for Equal Sweeteners?

  • Equal Sweeteners have 3 years of shelf life if stored away from heat and humidity.

Should Equal Sweeteners be stored dry or refrigerated?

  • Equal Sweeteners do not need refrigeration after opening. The best way to store them is in a dry, cool place.

Can I purchase Equal Sweeteners via online?

  • Yes, Equal Sweeteners products can be purchased online!