A sweetening substance that provides an intense sweet taste at very low concentrations, contributing negligible energy to the diet. Examples include aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame K, saccharin, and steviol glycosides from the stevia plant. Because they are hundreds of times sweeter than sucrose, only tiny amounts are needed, making them useful in diet soft drinks, sugar-free confectionery, and reduced-sugar products. Each has a distinct taste profile, stability range, and regulatory status, with maximum permitted levels set by food safety authorities. Manufacturers often blend intense sweeteners to mask off-notes and mimic the clean taste of sugar. They are distinct from bulk sweeteners such as sugar alcohols, which provide volume as well as sweetness.