See how sugar stacks up against the sweetness of sugar alternatives

See how much daily sugar substitute intake the FDA considers to be safe

The agency states in this PDF graphic that a person weighing about 132 pounds would have to consume roughly a couple dozen sweetener packets daily—or more—to reach unsafe levels of consumption. The accumulated consumption would be across all sources, including diet beverages, sugar-free candies, and actual packets added to coffee.

Fake sugars may disrupt metabolic health

Alternative sweeteners such as stevia and sucralose are 100 times sweeter than common table sugar. New research suggests these "high-intensity" sweeteners significantly disrupt the composition of the gut microbiome, affecting overall health. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

Artificial sweeteners are considered safe for most people

These sugar substitutes are generally preferred because they are sweeter than sugar and can be used in smaller amounts while still getting a sugary taste. Though generally regarded as safe, sugar substitutes can cause flare-ups for individuals with bowel disease, and researchers are investigating how these substances affect gut microbiome health. Aspartame can also cause health issues for individuals with a rare genetic disease called phenylketonuria.

Aspartame was a surprise discovery from a lab working on gastric ulcers

As with saccharin and cyclamate, the aspartame discovery arose from its discoverer tasting something sweet from his workplace. In 1965, American chemist James Schlatter licked a white powder off his finger as he picked up a piece of paper and was startled to discover it tasted sweet. He applied for a patent for the substance, and received it in 1970. It is now one of the most popular artificial sweeteners. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

Sugar alcohols, a type of carbohydrate used as a sweetener, may elevate risk of heart attacks and strokes

Sold as erythritol, sorbitol, xylitol, and mannitol, these products—ones that aren't actually sugars or alcohol—are found naturally in certain fruits and vegetables. They are synthetically produced to be used at much higher levels as the sugar alternatives for sugar-free candies, cookies, and chewing gums. Erythritol and xylitol have been linked with elevated heart attack and stroke risks.

Saccharin was banned in Canada in the 1970s, but regulators may allow its use once again

The product, commonly known as Sweet'N Low, was banned in Canada in the late 1970s due to research indicating that the sweetener could cause cancer in lab rats. Subsequent studies have found that the rodent findings didn't hold true for humans, and so Canadian regulators state that they are considering updating their stance to allow the product to be added to certain foods (the product is currently allowed in the US).

Differences in the ratio of sugars help distinguish Mexican and American Coke

Mexican Coke is sweetened with cane sugar (sucrose), which dissolves into equal amounts of fructose and glucose, whereas American Coke, which uses high-fructose corn syrup, contains more fructose than glucose.

The WHO labeled aspartame as 'possibly carcinogenic' but US regulators consider it safe

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an arm of the World Health Organization, labeled aspartame—the artificial sweetener in Diet Coke—as one of several hundred possible cancer-causing substances in 2023. The determination was based on animal and human studies and "limited" evidence linking it to liver cancer. The WHO and US Food and Drug Administration both say the substance is safe at moderate levels. The FDA says a person weighing about 132 pounds would need to have 75 packets daily to reach an unsafe level.

Stevia is a plant-derived sweetener but the plant isn't approved for eating

Steviol glycosides, the sweet-tasting stuff in the plant leaves, are purified and highly processed before they end up in the food or drinks sold in stores. The US Food and Drug Administration does not allow the use of stevia leaf or crude stevia extracts in food, and the agency also bars them from being imported into the US for use as sweeteners.

Gummy vitamins have candy-level sugar—and that sweetness is linked to overdoses

A typical gummy vitamin contains about the same amount of sugar in a single serving as one Sour Patch candy. It's linked to the increase in pediatric overdoses for products including multivitamins and melatonin. Gummy formulations also degrade quickly, so they often include much higher levels of the product in each serving than the label advertises—boosting overdose risks due to this unchecked variability. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

The dark side of modern sugar production

Humanity's ancestors evolved to wring more calories from sugary fruits by storing excess sugar as fat, an adaption that's culminated in many peoples' palettes preferring calorie-rich sweet. Now, the desire for sugar has both contributed to a widespread health crisis and been at the center of atrocities around the world.

Sugar skulls are more than a sweet snack

The colorful candy combines Indigenous traditions with European confectionery techniques. Its symbolization reminds celebrants that death can be “sweet.”

The vast majority of Champagne is labeled 'dry' or even 'extra dry'

Sweetness levels are determined by the amount of sugar added to the wine at the end of the process—anything up to 6 grams per liter is extra dry, and up to 12 grams per liter is still considered dry.

A look at types of crude oil, distinguished by properties like heaviness and sweetness

API gravity is a unit that describes how heavy or light a crude oil sample is based on its density, with higher values indicating lighter, more valuable oil that requires less processing. The sweetness of crude oil refers to the amount of sulfur it contains, where sour crude oil requires more extensive treatment to remove the more abundant sulfur and sweeten it.

Fentanyl can be up to 100 times more potent than morphine

A synthetic opioid, fentanyl is highly addictive and incredibly fast-acting—a fatal dose is equal to a few grains of table salt. Once it enters the body, fentanyl floods naturally occurring opioid receptors, which can cause the body to shut down its breathing reflex, leading to a fatal overdose.

The amount of plastic chemicals in 300 everyday Bay Area foods

Food production is more complicated than it appears, and manufacturing, packaging, and shipping processes can add significant substances to your food. This massive project compiled data on 300 samples of foods delivered to the San Francisco area, testing for the presence of 18 different kind of plastic. Learn how to read the data here with its helpful guides and then explore the table yourself.

Ice cream’s unfrozen consistency is thanks to sugar

Making ice cream is a complex, multistep scientific process. But the treat’s scoopable, chewable consistency is due to the product’s dissolved sugar.

Why the Scoville scale for measuring a pepper's heat is outdated and inadequate for sauces

Developed in 1912 by American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville, the scale is a subjective test in which testers determine the dilution at which capsaicinoids—the molecules that give peppers their heat—are no longer detectable. Modern chemical analyses can accurately quantify the amount of these molecules in peppers, which are diluted to varying degrees in sauces, thus affecting their net spiciness.

See which GLP-1 drugs are currently approved (along with their cost)

Around 75% of prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs are used to treat diabetes, while the remainder is used for weight loss. This overview from GoodRX includes a list and overview of currently available options along with prices for each.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a group of young men ate standard American food—replete with food additives like borax and formaldehyde—as part of government research to better understand food safety.

Browse a detailed visual analysis of over 200,000 similes—comparisons that often use 'like' or 'as'—from popular fiction to see how frequently writers the same idiomatic expressions.

Visualizing Ben & Jerry's legendary flavors

This delightful data visualization breaks down all the flavors of Ben & Jerry’s across the globe, exploring every possible combination of base flavors and mix-ins.

Soda is one of the most overpriced items at restaurants

All restaurant food is marked up—that's how they turn profits, after all—but soda is one of the most egregious. Fountain soda is remarkably cheap, with restaurants often paying a few cents for each glass before selling it for a few dollars. Food publication The Takeout estimates that the typical markup is around 1,000%.

Visualize energy sources and uses across the US

Want to understand the basics of America’s current energy situation? The National Academies, advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine, provides objective information about the United States’ current energy sources and uses, as well as a look forward to the future of energy.

Ranking the best of Napa's wine

Want to see how different Napa vintages stack up against one another? This Wine Spectator chart covers every Napa vintage since 1991. It gives each year an overall score, has notes about the conditions that affected the harvest and production, and gives suggestions for some of their top-scoring bottles. If you’re interested in building a long-term wine collection, it also notes which vintages might be best to age.

Compare grocery prices with this cost radar

Track the price of key grocery items with this price radar tool, which shows real-time prices across major retailers in the US and Canada. Select bread, milk, eggs, and more to see differences in cost by location and store, including Wal-Mart, Kroger, Amazon, and Target.

Each taste bud has 10 to 50 sensory cells that form a flower-like capsule

At the top of the structure are thin filaments known as "taste hairs" that bind taste-producing substances to the surfaces of the cell, after which corresponding electrical signals are sent to the brain. Adults have 2,000 to 4,000 taste buds on their tongue.

Calculate how much of your tax dollars go to each federal program based on your income, filing status, and number of children

Telehealth demand for GLP-1s for weight loss is booming as consumers seek easier access.

Up to a million Girl Scouts sell about 200 million cookie boxes every spring, generating $800 million, largely because refusing a child is frowned upon

The Nasdaq's 'Magnificent 7' companies are responsible for roughly 40% of the Nasdaq 100 index's gains, while the remaining 93 companies account for the other 60%.

44% of Americans say they pray at least once a day—discover how your state's religiosity stacks up against the rest of the country.

A century of Billboard issues documenting the evolution of popular music.

The Great Salt Lake's distinct dual coloration results from high-salinity organisms that only live in the northern portion and produce a purple protein.

A pickleball's loud 'pop' sound can reach 120 decibels, which is equivalent to a hammer hitting a nail

Discover the catastrophic consequences of a failure of the US electrical grid—something that is more likely than many Americans think.

Visualize how CRISPR-Cas9—a type of immune system used by single-celled organisms to attack invasive viruses—targets and makes precise changes to a gene's DNA.

This site reaches millions of visitors who are tired of AI chatbots and seeking human connection. Pretend to be an AI chatbot and ask questions, provide answers, and draw for people in real time.

See this overview of the firework rules across all 50 states, ranging from a complete ban on non-professional fireworks in Massachusetts to states with more lax rules like Indiana.

The most expensive ad of all time was for Chanel No. 5 perfume and cost roughly $33M to produce in 2004—about $57M in today's dollars.

Sunflowers have long been a symbol of nuclear disarmament because they can extract large amounts of radioactive cesium from soil.

The first steps to rebuilding your credit score include getting to know exactly what's on your credit report and figuring out how far you are from the '700 club,' or 'good score' range.

See how Budweiser's famous Clydesdales spend their days at Warm Springs Ranch, where roughly 70 to 80 of the beer brand's giant horses can be found at any given time.

While atoms are normally made of protons, neutrons, and electrons, exotic ones have been built with antimatter—alternate versions of normal matter that live for fractions of a second and are about a billion times as rare.

The boiling temperature of water decreases with increasing elevation because the molecules need less energy to overcome the lower atmospheric pressure associated with thinner air.

Bone marrow (soft tissue found inside certain bones) generates roughly 500 billion new blood cells each day

For centuries, Niagara Falls has been a magnet for daredevils seeking to conquer one of nature's most powerful wonders, with its 200-foot drop and water rushing at 32 feet per second with 280 tons of force.

Doctors differentiate between a phobia and fear by asking patients whether their fear interferes with their day-to-day activities.

Some coin denominations have ridges etched on their sides, partly to prevent counterfeiting, in a practice called 'reeding.'

Poison ivy's rash-causing compound is found in the plant's roots, stem, and leaves—so coming into contact with any part of the plant can lead to rashes for the 85% of people who are allergic to it.