The FDA just approved a new sugar substitute—but is it healthier?

Americans love sugar. The average person consumes about 17 teaspoons of added sugars every day—roughly twice the recommended amount—according to the CDC.^[] Sugar is tough to avoid: It is in our cereals, coffees, cookies, candies, juices, and soft drinks. Regularly consuming large amounts of sugar has been linked to various chronic health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.^[]

In an effort to reduce the health risks associated with excessive sugar intake, multiple low-calorie sugar substitutes have hit the market. Artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, sucralose, and xylitol, are among the most popular sugar substitutes. But research has revealed that these products also have risks, driving an increased interest in all-natural sweeteners. 

Now, a new sweetener may start appearing in the food and beverage marketplace: brazzein.

What is brazzein?

“The epidemic of diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome requires some sort of solution. This could be a step in the right direction,” Nima Majlesi, DO, Director of Medical Toxicology at Staten Island University Hospital, tells MDLinx. 

Brazzein is a sweet-tasting protein found in the Pentadiplandra brazzeana Baillon fruit. It’s a potent sweetener, and only a very small amount is needed to sweeten foods and drinks. It’s estimated to be 2,000 times sweeter than sucrose.^[]

It’s difficult and expensive to grow the plant, so manufacturers have looked at fermenting the protein using yeast,bacteria, and transgenic plants.^[][] From there, the plant is isolated, purified, and characterized. Oobli is the first—and only—company in the United States that’s received approval from the FDA to produce the sweet protein.

As one report published April 2024 argues, brazzein may be a promising sugar alternative that offers sweetness without the caloric burden.^[] 

“I think having substitutes and replacements for added sugars that reduce energy and sugar intake and have no unintended impacts on health is something that would be welcomed by the public, scientists and clinicians,” Andrew Odegaard, MPH, PhD, an associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics with the University of California, Irvine Program in Public Health, tells MDLinx.

Comparing brazzein to competitors

Although artificial sweeteners, which generally contain fewer calories than cane sugar, are thought to suppress appetite and facilitate weight loss, they aren’t as safe as health experts originally thought.^[]

Brazzein has long been used as a natural sweetener by African natives, and, though the evidence is limited, it’s believed to be healthy and safe. Sweet proteins do not affect blood sugar levels, insulin, and the gut microbiome like artificial sweeteners, evidence suggests.^[] In addition, they are more nutritious and do not appear to contribute to obesity. This may be “ideal for people who struggle with the taste of artificial sweeteners or want to avoid synthetic additives in their diet overall,” says Kate Donelan, MS, RD, a registered dietitian with Stanford Health Care.

That said, it’s important to recognize that the research on brazzein is still in the early phases. “The basic, animal-based research has provided enough evidence for it to be classified as GRAS [generally recognized as safe],” Odegaard says. GRAS indicates that a substance added to food has been adequately shown to be safe, according to the FDA. However, we don’t know much more than this. 

What we don’t know

Public health experts still have many questions about brazzein.

“I think the fact that it comes from a natural[ly] sourced fruit in Africa sometimes gives us a false sense of security,” Dr. Majlesi says. When used as a sweetener in the US, it will be processed—to an extent—and scientists question whether this might influence its health effects.

“We don’t have any evidence to know,” says Dr. Odegaard. The fermenting process needed to produce it on a large scale may increase the risk of contamination and product inconsistency, Donelan points out. “Testing would be necessary to ensure the safety and efficacy of the fermenting process,” she adds. 

Looking forward, Dr. Majlesi would like studies to compare brazzein to other safe sweeteners, such as thaumatin and, potentially, cane sugar. That research, however, will take time. “These will require longitudinal studies looking at use over a week, months, and potentially longer,” Dr. Majlesi says.