Aspartame
Aspartame is the number one sweetener for drinks and sugar free foods in the United States. Yet, it seems it's always got some kind of controversy surrounding it. Some critics say it can cause cancer. Some say it helps to promote obesity. Some say it tastes bad, and can do other bad things to you. Let's take a closer look at it.
Aspartame was created as a sugar substitute in 1974. In the United States, it usually goes by either Equal or NutraSweet. It's popular because, in its natural state, it tastes just like sugar, is a mild sweetener without a strong aftertaste, and is easy to produce. It has no calories, but also has no nutritional value. It's recommended to diabetics as a safe alternative to sugar, and doesn't have any of the negative effects on a person that sugar alcohols sometimes have. The one problem it has is that it doesn't work well as a substitute for sugar in baking.
At strange as it seems, aspartame wasn't actually approved for every food item until 1996. There were initial worries that it might cause cancer and possibly brain damage, but those claims were overruled by the FDA. Other government agencies have looked into the claims against aspartame and have all come to the conclusion that at "current levels of consumption" aspartame is safe. Ninety other countries have agreed with this assessment. There is no defined number for "current levels of consumption," so one can assume it means as long as you're not consuming massive quantities of it on a daily basis, just like anything else you might consume, that you'll be fine.
That still hasn't protected it from every other new sweetening product that comes on the market and decides to go after number one. Aspartame has been blamed for things such as bone loss, arthritis, breathing problems, asthma, headaches, nausea, and heart problems. Some claims have suggested that it causes seizures and contributes to sudden death. It's been blamed for the increase in multiple sclerosis claims, and some recent accusations say it plays a part in both ADA and autism. What hurts the credibility of these claims is that each time they're associated with a brand new product that states it not only has none of those side effects, but that it's actually sweeter than aspartame.
Aspartame has been deemed safe by the federal government and many other governments across the world. It's the number one sweetener, so it's expected to have people take shots at it. Not everyone likes the taste, and if you're one of those people, there are plenty of alternatives for you. But until there's a fully credible source against it, there doesn't seem to be any real harm in using it, and can be a benefit if you have to watch your sugar intake.
Aspartame was created as a sugar substitute in 1974. In the United States, it usually goes by either Equal or NutraSweet. It's popular because, in its natural state, it tastes just like sugar, is a mild sweetener without a strong aftertaste, and is easy to produce. It has no calories, but also has no nutritional value. It's recommended to diabetics as a safe alternative to sugar, and doesn't have any of the negative effects on a person that sugar alcohols sometimes have. The one problem it has is that it doesn't work well as a substitute for sugar in baking.
At strange as it seems, aspartame wasn't actually approved for every food item until 1996. There were initial worries that it might cause cancer and possibly brain damage, but those claims were overruled by the FDA. Other government agencies have looked into the claims against aspartame and have all come to the conclusion that at "current levels of consumption" aspartame is safe. Ninety other countries have agreed with this assessment. There is no defined number for "current levels of consumption," so one can assume it means as long as you're not consuming massive quantities of it on a daily basis, just like anything else you might consume, that you'll be fine.
That still hasn't protected it from every other new sweetening product that comes on the market and decides to go after number one. Aspartame has been blamed for things such as bone loss, arthritis, breathing problems, asthma, headaches, nausea, and heart problems. Some claims have suggested that it causes seizures and contributes to sudden death. It's been blamed for the increase in multiple sclerosis claims, and some recent accusations say it plays a part in both ADA and autism. What hurts the credibility of these claims is that each time they're associated with a brand new product that states it not only has none of those side effects, but that it's actually sweeter than aspartame.
Aspartame has been deemed safe by the federal government and many other governments across the world. It's the number one sweetener, so it's expected to have people take shots at it. Not everyone likes the taste, and if you're one of those people, there are plenty of alternatives for you. But until there's a fully credible source against it, there doesn't seem to be any real harm in using it, and can be a benefit if you have to watch your sugar intake.
