The study by Gibson et al., recently published in Nutrients, suggests that using low-calorie sweetened beverages can support a healthy eating pattern.

A 2015 Innova Market Insights survey found that sugar content influences the purchasing decision of soft drinks for 57% of US consumers.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) No Objection Letter for Cargill's next-generation sweetener, EverSweet™, qualifying it for use in food and beverages.

Archer Daniels Midland Company and GLG Life Tech Corporation announced a new partnership to manufacture, market, sell and distribute low-calorie stevia and monk fruit sweeteners to customers around the globe.

This innovative coating process enables chewing gum manufacturers to create attractive products that deliver translucence and shine, while they also maintain stability throughout product shelf life.

Along with trends toward natural and healthy ingredients, this growth will create big opportunities for each of several emerging alternative natural sweeteners, according to Lux Research.

Sugar is now the top item consumers are trying to avoid in their diets and is neck-and-neck with calories as the top item they look for on nutrition facts labels, finds The NPD Group, a leading global information company.

According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research "Alternative Sweetener Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth and Forecast 2015 - 2021", global alternative sweetener market was valued at USD 11,538.6 million in 2014 and is expected to reach USD 15,466.7 million by 2021, growing at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2015 to 2021.

According to Calorie Control Council, the recent study "Diet Soda Intake Is Associated with Long-Term Increases in Waist Circumference in a Biethnic Cohort of Older Adults: The San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging (SALSA)" contains limitations.