What is Aspartame?

June 30, 2023

The artificial sweetener called aspartame, found in many soft drinks, is set to be declared carcinogenic by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) cancer research unit.

About Aspartame:

It is the world's most commonly used low-calorie artificial sweetener, which is approximately 200 times sweeter than sucrose (common sugar)
It was discovered by James M. Schlatter, a chemist, in 1965 and was introduced to replace sucrose.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved aspartame for use in some dry foods in 1981 and for carbonated beverages in 1983.
It is made up of two amino acids: aspartic acid and phenylalanine, which are naturally occurring amino acids in many protein-rich foods.
In the body, aspartame is metabolised into its constituent components, aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and a small amount of methanol.-
It is used worldwide as a sugar substitute in thousands of foods and drinks, including cereals, sugar-free chewing gum, low-calorie fruit juices and diet sodas.
Around 100 countries around the world, including India, permit the use of aspartame.