Understanding Aspartame: The Truth about Artificial Sugar

What is aspartame?

Otherwise known as NutraSweet, Equal, or Sugar Twin, aspartame is a nonnutritive sweetener, meaning it does not provide any vitamins or minerals. It contains four calories per gram; however, it tastes 200 times sweeter than regular sugar. This means that less of it can be used in products to get the same sweet taste. Aspartame is unstable at high temperatures and cannot be used for baking and cooking. It is often found in foods labeled “sugar-free” or “no added sugar” such as diet soda, juice, gum, candy, protein drinks/bars, yogurt, and other sugar-free sweet treats. Sugar-free products are typically chosen by those who are trying to eat or drink less added sugar, whether it be to lose weight, control diabetes, or satisfy their sweet tooth in a healthier way. Aspartame is also found in some makeup products, breath fresheners, and some chewable vitamins.

How did aspartame get popular?

Aspartame is the most commonly used nonnutritive sweetener, accounting for 75% of sweetener sales. Its large-scale production began in 1981 after its invention by James M. Schlatter in 1965. In 1974, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first issued a regulation for use of aspartame as a tabletop sweetener and in chewing gum, cold breakfast cereals, and dry bases for Jell-O’s, puddings, dairy products, and beverages like instant coffee and tea. In 1996, it became approved for use as a general-purpose sweetener. Many people turn to sugar-free products to primarily limit added sugar intake.

Is aspartame safe to consume?

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulate artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame. To determine the safety of aspartame, the FDA has reviewed more than one hundred studies that assess potential harmful effects on the body. The FDA has also established aspartame as “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS), and set an acceptable daily intake (ADI), which is the maximum amount considered safe to consume each day. Per the FDA guidelines, the ADI for aspartame is 50 milligrams per kilogram, or 23 milligram per pound of body weight. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JEFCA) recommends up to 40 milligrams per kilogram per day. To put this level into perspective, someone who weighs 150 pounds would have to consume anywhere from 75-100 packets (about 2,700-3,400 mg) of aspartame in a day to reach the recommendations of 40-50 mg/kg/day. This equals 14-17 cans of diet soda, as one can of diet soda contains about 200 milligrams of aspartame. Generally speaking, a person has to consume quite a bit of this artificial sweetener to have significant health risks.

Is it healthier than regular sugar?

When it comes to sugar in our diet, we are most concerned with added sugar, meaning it was added to foods or beverages during the processing or preparation of that product (ex: adding sugar to coffee or cereal). The health risks of getting too much added sugar as opposed to natural sugars are pretty well-established, as they increase the risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity to name a few. Natural sugar is the kind of sugar that is found naturally in foods such as fruit, vegetables, and dairy products. These sugars are good to consume as we are getting additional vitamins, minerals, and nutrients when consuming fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. For instance, if you use a packet of artificial sweetener on oatmeal instead of a donut for breakfast, then you are doing yourself a favor, as oatmeal is a healthier choice overall. If your goal is to eat less added sugars, then artificial sweeteners in moderation will help you to meet your goals. In short, cutting back on added sugars and sweeteners altogether is a significant step to minimize dependence on sweet foods.

Does aspartame cause cancer?

On July 14, 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and FAO/WHO JECFA labeled aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”, however, that does not mean that aspartame is actually linked to cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) ranks possible causes of cancer into four groups, and aspartame currently stands in group 2B, which is a designation reserved for things believed to possibly cause cancer, but there is no sufficient evidence. In short, there is no real evidence that this is true in humans. This fear originates from animal studies, in which mice developed cancer when they were fed high doses of non-nutritive sweeteners. The FDA also disagreed with this statement as JECFA did not raise any safety concerns for aspartame under the current levels of use and did not change the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) from the current recommended limit of 40 mg/kg/day. Believe it or not – pickled vegetables are also in this category!

Who should be careful about consuming aspartame?

Aspartame is made of two naturally occurring amino acids: aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Those with a rare genetic disorder called phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid or restrict aspartame as they will have difficulty metabolizing the phenylalanine.

Final takeaways:

Organizations such as the WHO and the FDA state that moderate consumption of aspartame is considered safe, and further research is needed to confirm the link between aspartame and cancer in humans. 

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