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E963Sweetener

Tagatose

What the research shows

Prototype

No concerns

none of the findings here link it to harm

4 health findings on this page, 2 in people · See the findings

A sweetener found in small amounts in foods.

It sweetens food with fewer calories than sugar.

Written from English Wikipedia1

  • Not vegan
  • Not vegetarian

What research says

Studies in people

  • Benefit

    Blood sugar and appetite2

    In women with insulin resistance, tagatose led to lower C-peptide release than stevia after a glucose drink.

  • Benefit

    Weight and blood sugar in diabetes3

    In 8 people with type 2 diabetes, tagatose taken daily for a year was linked to weight loss and higher good cholesterol.

Animal and lab studies only

  • Benefit

    Tooth decay and oral bacteria4

    In lab studies, tagatose slowed the mouth bacteria that cause tooth decay and reduced plaque buildup.

  • Open question

    Blood sugar after bread5

    In lab studies, tagatose in toast lowered the glycemic index and added flavor, but made the bread denser and more acidic.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.

Products

The 3 most-scanned of 24 products on Open Food Facts that list tagatose.

  • Deliciously Seeded Soft White Bread Sola · 14 oz 9 additives
  • Cinnamon Crisps Farm Girl 2 additives
  • Double Chocolate Granola Sola · 11 oz 5 additives

References

  1. 1Tagatose. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026.
  2. 2Sambra V, Vicuña IA, Priken KM, et al. Acute responses of stevia and d-tagatose intake on metabolic parameters and appetite/satiety in insulin resistance. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2022;49:217-224. doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2022.04.018
  3. 3Donner TW, Magder LS, Zarbalian K. Dietary supplementation with d-tagatose in subjects with type 2 diabetes leads to weight loss and raises high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Nutr Res. 2010;30(12):801-6. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2010.09.007
  4. 4Ortiz AC, Fideles SOM, Reis CHB, et al. D-Tagatose: A Rare Sugar with Functional Properties and Antimicrobial Potential against Oral Species. Nutrients. 2024;16(12). doi:10.3390/nu16121943
  5. 5Wang JQ, Liu XG, Ding ZR, et al. Impact of Tagatose on Physicochemical, Nutritional, and In Vitro Digestive Properties of Toast Bread. J Food Sci. 2025;90(5):e70213. doi:10.1111/1750-3841.70213