Spotlight on Sweetness:   

We asked Dr. Abe Bakal, Chief Technical Advisor for Sweet’N Low, to share his wealth of knowledge and history on our favorite little pink packets in this two-part interview series. See below for Part One of the interview with Dr. Bakal. Watch for Part Two in the September issue of this newsletter, where Dr. Bakal separates facts from fiction relative to saccharin, the main sweetening ingredient of Sweet’N Low.



You have been working with the Sweet’N Low brand for many years. Tell us, what’s so special about Sweet’N Low? Well, aside from being the longest on the market with more than 55+ years of history behind the iconic brand, Sweet’N Low is the most stable sweetener which means that unlike other types of sweeteners, it does not breakdown and lose sweetness when exposed to heat or light. It can be used in a wide variety of foods and beverages and you can even cook with it.

What is the history of Sweet’N Low? Sweet’N Low has a very fascinating story woven in American heritage that I don’t think very many people are aware of. The story begins at the end of WWII with Ben Eisenstadt and his humble Brooklyn Navy Yard Café.

Although once a bustling hot spot for Brooklyn Navy Yard servicemen, Ben’s cafeteria lost most of its clientele once the war ended.  With 4 kids and 2 newly immigrated in-laws to support, Ben needed another income quickly.



One day while having lunch at a diner, Ben’s wife noticed that everyone was using the same fly-swarmed sugar bowl to sweeten their coffee.   Noting his wife’s disgust, Ben thought back to his childhood days working at a tea factory, and alas came up with the idea for revamping a tea bagging machine to create sugar packets!  Ben did well with his new business but the real win would come just a few years later, quite unexpectedly.

Ben’s son, Marvin, had recently returned home from college after finishing his service in the US military and began helping his dad with the family business.  One day, dad and son were bouncing around ideas, when Marvin recalled an article he had recently read in a baker’s magazine that talked about alternatives to sugar. Knowing that there was a need in the market for such a product, Marvin used his college training to develop a recipe for Sweet’N Low and a star was born!

Sweet’N Low was packaged in pink paper to stand out in the sugar bowl and was named after Ben’s favorite song. Over 3 generations, the family-owned company has stayed true to its heritage – staying local in the Brooklyn area, the same spot where Ben’s cafeteria once stood, and employing the local community to make the Sweet’N Low product.  Today, Sweet’N Low is available in more than 50 countries worldwide and has helped millions of people manage their weight by sweetening food and beverages without added sugars and unnecessary calories.

What is your favorite way to use Sweet’N Low?
I love Sweet’N Low and have been using it every day in my coffee and chai tea for decades.   I also LOVE the Sweet’N Low Almond Meringue cookies – they are perfectly sweet and crunchy…and surprisingly diabetic-friendly with only 1g carbohydrate per serving!  You can get this and other delicious recipes by visiting www.sweetnlow.com/recipes. Enjoy!