Scientists Create Sugar Alternative That Bakes Like Real Thing

Scientists just cracked the code on creating a sugar alternative that tastes great, bakes beautifully, and won't spike your blood sugar.

Researchers at Tufts University have developed a new way to produce tagatose, a rare sugar that occurs naturally in small amounts in fruits and dairy. Using engineered bacteria as tiny factories, they've made it possible to create this sweet solution at a fraction of the traditional cost.

Here's what makes tagatose special: it delivers 92% of sugar's sweetness with 60% fewer calories. Unlike artificial sweeteners that leave a weird aftertaste or cause digestive issues, tagatose tastes remarkably similar to regular table sugar.

The real game changer? It actually works in baking. Tagatose browns when heated and creates the same texture and flavor as real sugar, something most alternatives struggle to replicate. Your cookies won't turn out flat and weird.

Nikhil Nair, associate professor of chemical and biological engineering at Tufts, explained the breakthrough. "We engineered the bacteria Escherichia coli to work as tiny factories, loaded with the right enzymes to process abundant amounts of glucose into tagatose," he said.

Previous methods used galactose, a rarer and more expensive sugar. The team's new approach uses glucose instead, making production far more practical and affordable.

The health benefits look promising too. Clinical studies show tagatose raises blood glucose and insulin levels much less than conventional sugar, making it a potential option for people with diabetes or anyone watching their sugar intake.

The FDA has already classified tagatose as "generally recognized as safe" for use in food products. And while it's produced using engineered bacteria, the final purified product contains no bacterial material and is chemically identical to naturally occurring tagatose.

Why This Inspires

This innovation represents exactly the kind of progress we need. Instead of asking people to give up sweetness or settle for disappointing substitutes, scientists found a way to make healthier choices easier and more enjoyable.

Lakelyn Lumpkin, a registered dietitian at Top Nutrition Coaching, notes that while tagatose shows promise, overall dietary patterns still matter most. "Moderation of total sweetness, portion control and whole diet quality remain central to public health recommendations," she said.

The researchers acknowledge significant work remains before tagatose hits grocery store shelves. They need to optimize productivity, scale production, and refine purification processes. But the foundation is solid.

Sometimes the best solutions don't require sacrifice, just smarter science.