Saccharin is a chemical that tastes sweet. Factories put it in drinks and food when they do not want real sugar — often because it has almost no calories. It is much sweeter than sugar, so you only need a tiny bit. Some people notice a slightly bitter or metal-like taste after it; that is why drinks sometimes mix it with other sweeteners. It has been around since the late 1800s. In many cafés you still see little paper packets of it next to sugar. It is a food-and-science word, not a poetic one. Though actually, older people may remember health scares about it; later science calmed down, but in some families the feeling of “is this safe?” still hangs around the word.

糖精