<unk> s are used instead of<unk>  for a number of reasons, including: Dental care *Dental care – Carbohydrates and<unk> s usually adhere to the tooth enamel, where bacteria feed upon them and quickly multiply. The bacteria convert the<unk>  to acids that decay the teeth.<unk> s, unlike<unk> , do not erode teeth as they are not fermented by the microflora of the dental plaque. A sweetener that may benefit dental health is xylitol, which tends to prevent bacteria from adhering to the tooth surface, thus preventing plaque formation and eventually decay. A Cochrane review, however, found only low-quality evidence that xylitol in a variety of dental products actually has any benefit in preventing tooth decays in adults and children. Glucose metabolism *Diabetes mellitus – People with diabetes have difficulty regulating their blood<unk>  levels, and need to limit their<unk>  intake. Many artificial sweeteners allow sweet-tasting food without increasing blood glucose. Others do release energy but are metabolized more slowly, preventing spikes in blood glucose. A concern, however, is that overconsumption of foods and beverages made more appealing with<unk> s may increase risk of developing diabetes. A 2014 systematic review showed that a 330ml/day (an amount little less than the standard U.S can size) consumption of artificially sweetened beverages lead to increased risks of type 2 diabetes. A 2015 meta-analysis of numerous clinical studies showed that habitual consumption of<unk>  sweetened beverages, artificially sweetened beverages, and fruit juice increased the risk of developing diabetes, although with inconsistent results and generally low quality of evidence. A 2016 review described the relationship between non-nutritive sweeteners as inconclusive. *Reactive hypoglycemia – Individuals with reactive hypoglycemia will produce an excess of insulin after quickly absorbing glucose into the bloodstream. This causes their blood glucose levels to fall below the amount needed for proper body and brain function. As a result, like diabetics, they must avoid intake of high-glycemic foods like white bread, and often use artificial sweeteners for sweetness without blood glucose. Cost *Cost and shelf life – Many<unk> s are cheaper than<unk>  in the final food formulation.<unk> s are often lower in total cost because of their long shelf-life and high sweetening intensity. This allows<unk> s to be used in products that will not perish after a short period of time. Acceptable daily intake levels In the United States, the FDA provides guidance for manufacturers and consumers about the daily limits for consuming high-intensity sweeteners, a measure called Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI). During their premarket review for all of the high-intensity sweeteners approved as food additives, FDA established an ADI defined as an amount in milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day (mg/kg bw/d), indicating that a high-intensity sweetener does not cause safety concerns if estimated daily intakes are lower than the ADI. FDA states: "An ADI is the amount of a substance that is considered safe to consume each day over the course of a person’s lifetime." For stevia (specifically, steviol glycosides), an ADI was not derived by the FDA, but by the Joint Food and Agricultural Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives, whereas an ADI has not been determined for monk fruit. For the sweeteners approved as food additives, the ADIs in milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day are: * Acesulfame potassium, ADI 15 * Advantame, ADI 32.8 * Aspartame, ADI 50 * Neotame, ADI 0.3 * Saccharin, ADI 15 * Sucralose, ADI 5 Stevia (pure extracted steviol glycosides) has an ADI of 4 and a MSI of 200 to 400, where for monk fruit, no ADI has been determined and the MSI is 250 to 400.
Sugar substitute
Salt substitute
Caloric restriction mimetic
Steroid ester
Prebiotic 
Protein supplement
Deodorant
Pharmacological chaperone