(BPT) - Did you know that some of your favorite beverages can have upwards of 500 calories per serving due to high sugar content? With many adult women on a 1500 to 1800 calorie per day diet, that one sugary delight can quickly make up a big portion of your daily calorie allotment. Moreover, with two in three Americans overweight and 26 million with diabetes, watching calories and reducing sugar is an important step towards leading a healthier lifestyle.

If you have a sweet tooth, rest assured that reducing sugar does not have to mean giving up your affinity for 'sweetness', as today's colorful sweetener aisle makes substituting sugar in your diet easier than ever. One long-time favorite, Sweet'N Low, in the pink packets, has been sweetening beverages for millions around the world since 1957. One little pink packet is as sweet as about two teaspoons of sugar, giving you the sweetness you love without the caloric guilt.

In fact, swapping sugar out of all of your favorite recipes can prove to have a significant calorie savings. As an example, basic lemonade sweetened with sugar is about 100 calories per 8-ounce serving, however by sweetening it with Sweet'N Low zero calorie sweetener instead of sugar, it is only 15 calories per serving.

"Small changes to your diet, like reducing unnecessary calories from added sugars, along with regular exercise, can make a substantial impact on managing your weight, leading to an overall healthier lifestyle", says Dr. Keri Peterson, New York City-based practicing physician and medical expert who is regularly seen on the Today Show, CNN and Good Morning America. 'Sweet'N Low has been a trusted brand and has been safely consumed by millions worldwide for close to 60 years, which is why I recommend that my patients use Sweet'N Low as an alternative to sugar."

As another calorie and sugar-cutting example, one 8-ounce cup of hot mochaccino coffee can be upwards of 300 calories, yet when replacing sugar with a zero calorie sweetener such as Sweet'N Low, the calorie count is drastically reduced. For a quick and easy way to save calories, carve out 5 minutes from your day to make a simple Thin-Minty Mochaccino to indulge your sweet tooth without with the caloric guilt.

Thin-Minty Mochaccino
(Serves 4)

70 calories per serving

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups hot, strong-brewed coffee

2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

8 packets Sweet'N Low zero calorie sweetener

2 cups hot milk

Directions:
Whisk coffee, cocoa powder, peppermint extract and Sweet'N Low in heatproof container until well blended. Stir in milk. Pour into 4 mugs.

Interestingly, Saccharin - the sweetener in Sweet'N Low - despite having a long history of safe human consumption among non-nutritive sweeteners, is sometimes erroneously portrayed in the media. In addition to its long, proven safety record, numerous reputable organizations such as the American Diabetes Association, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, World Health Organization, and National Cancer Institute have acknowledged saccharin's safety for human consumption and its benefit in helping to develop a healthy eating plan for long-term weight management, as well as for maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle.

"Saccharin, the sweetening ingredient in Sweet'N Low, has been consumed safely by humans for more than 100 years with no documented ill effects. Sweet'N Low has helped millions cut calories and manage carbohydrate intake while still enjoying their favorite sweet foods and beverages" says scientist Dr. Abe Bakal, board member of the Calorie Control Council, a member of the Institute of Food Technologists and the International Sweeteners Association. "Unfortunate misconceptions regarding its safety may stem from experiments on rodents in the 1970's of which the results were found to be inapplicable to any other animal, including humans. In fact, evidence from human studies on zero-calorie sweeteners conducted by numerous reputable scientific organizations show that saccharin does not have any negative effects on humans, nor does it have any adverse effects on blood glucose level or any increased risk of obesity."

Visit www.sweetnlow.com for more facts, health tips, and low-calorie and diabetic-friendly recipes that let you indulge your sweet tooth while still effectively managing your weight.