Sweetness is one of the five
basic tastes and is universally regarded as a
pleasurable experience, except perhaps in excess. Foods rich in simple
carbohydrates such as
sugar are those most commonly associated with sweetness, although there are other natural and artificial compounds that are sweet at much lower concentrations, allowing their use as non-caloric
sugar substitutes. Examples of foods that may be used as non-sugar sweet substitutes include
saccharin,
aspartame,
acesulfame potassium,
sucralose,
xylitol,
erythritol, and
stevia. Other compounds, such as
miraculin, may alter perception of sweetness itself.