Today we can find the name aspartame quite easily on the packaging of many products; From diet drinks, diet dairy products, energy bars, desserts, chewing gum to toothpastes, medicines and tablets and also vitamins (yes, yes). who are you aspartame? why are you everywhere?

What is aspartame?

Aspartame was discovered somewhere in 1965 completely by accident, while the chemist James M. Schlatter was trying to produce an anti-ulcer drug. When Schlatter mixed two amino acids together he decided for some strange reason to stick his finger into the mixture and for an even stranger reason, also to taste it. And so aspartame was born – an artificial sweetener that is sweeter than sugar.

Aspartame is a food additive, therefore it is known by its additional name E951. It is a sugar substitute, which belongs to a group of artificial sweeteners that have no caloric value and therefore does not raise blood sugar levels. This is compared to other artificial sweeteners that definitely do this.

Thanks to it being a sweet substance with no caloric value, many food companies have made extensive use of that aspartame in an attempt to lower the amount of added sugar in the products, while maintaining a very sweet taste.

In a perfect world, public health would be the main goal of all of us, but in practice this is not the case, therefore, the popularity of aspartame grew and it quickly gained momentum in the diet industry all over the world.

Aspartame: calories

One gram of aspartame will provide 4 calories. You don’t get confused, just like sugar! Are you left confused? pay attention. Aspartame is about 200 times sweeter (!) than natural sugar. Try to imagine yourself eating a teaspoon of sugar, only 200 times sweeter! This fact allows the use of a very small amount of it to reach the same level of sweetness when using sugar. In practice, the amount of aspartame in diet foods and drinks is so small that the amount of calories is negligible and is considered zero calories.

If you use or have ever used an aspartame-based sweetener, you’ll probably be surprised to find out that a teaspoon-sized bag doesn’t just contain aspartame. A bag of sweetener contains a small amount of aspartame and other substances that will thicken the powder and make it look like a teaspoon of sugar. This is how we feel that we have exchanged a teaspoon of sugar for a teaspoon of sweetener, but in fact the percentage of sweetener is minimal.

The science behind aspartame: what does it actually consist of and what happens to this substance in our body?

Aspartame is produced in a process where two amino acids (the building blocks of protein) – phenylalanine and aspartic acid – react with a substance called methanol. In our body, the aspartame goes through a decomposition process into these components and they are absorbed into the blood.

The amino acids obtained from breaking down aspartame can be used by us to produce proteins needed for various mechanisms in the body. The amount of amino acids in aspartame is similar to that in many protein foods: chicken, eggs, cheeses.

Methanol occurs naturally in humans, animals and plants. It also exists naturally in a variety of vegetables, fruits and fermented drinks (for example kombucha). Methanol also has several roles in the body, it is created in the digestive system, for example, to help break down food. It is important to note that high amounts of methanol may lead to methanol poisoning. Mild poisoning will manifest itself in a similar way to alcohol poisoning in abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, lack of coordination and loss of consciousness. Severe methanol poisoning can cause blindness, kidney failure and even death in extreme cases. Sounds threatening, but let me reassure you and tell you that the amount of methanol produced in the body during the digestion process of aspartame is lower than that produced from the breakdown of fruits and vegetables. From the breakdown of aspartame in a can of diet drink, 18 mg of methanol will be obtained, compared to 23 mg in orange juice, and even about 100 mg in tomato juice. Exposure to methanol in a diet that includes fruits, vegetables and aspartame in a reasonable amount is not expected to lead to negative effects.

Is aspartame safe to use?

Aspartame is one of the most studied nutritional ingredients, it has received many criticisms over the years, and has been accused of causing a wide variety of health problems since it entered our lives. As of today, there are hundreds of studies that indicate its safety.

The discussion on artificial sweeteners began in the 1970s, in a study in which mice were deliberately fed very large amounts of saccharin (sucrose, another artificial sweetener that belongs to the same group as aspartame) and the mice got cancer. Despite the great drama, it is very important to note that the amount of saccharin they used is higher than a human to consume, therefore these findings are limited. Since then many studies have been conducted, thousands of people have been examined and the relationship between various sweeteners and a variety of cancers has been examined in depth. The various studies show that the consumption of artificial sweeteners in the amount defined as safe for use, and even slightly higher amounts, does not increase the risk of getting cancer .

Regarding other health risks, there is no real clinical evidence and as of today, many health bodies in the world, including the American FDA, approve the use of artificial sweeteners in the amount defined as “safe” in the various population groups.

Can aspartame be toxic?

In prolonged heating of aspartame – the sweetener breaks down and the methanol in it turns into another substance that may cause significant damage to our body and even increase the risk of getting cancer. This substance is called formaldehyde.

The reassuring news is that the human body produces and uses a thousand times more formaldehyde than can be consumed through aspartame. After it helps build proteins, the body turns it into another substance and excretes it in the urine. And yet, aspartame should only be consumed according to the guidelines of the World Health Organizations.

What is the amount of aspartame defined as safe for consumption?

The FDA has defined an amount for safe daily consumption and it is about 50 milligrams per kg of body.

For example, a person weighing 68 kg can safely consume 3400 mg/day of aspartame. In order to reach such an amount, that person would have to consume about 19 cans of diet drink every day throughout his life or alternatively consume about 80 sachets a day of aspartame. In short – the chances that any of us will maximize the recommendation are small.

It is important to remember that the recommendations are based on studies conducted in a healthy population and are therefore intended for healthy people.

Aspartame benefits:

The advantage of preferring aspartame over sugar is clear, zero calories and no change in blood sugar levels. Are these facts alone enough to form a recommendation. Counting calories alone, as we know, is not enough.

Aspartame for diabetics.

For diabetics, in this situation there is no choice but to use artificial sweeteners, aspartame is a good alternative to sugar for sweetening tea or coffee and preparing sugar-free desserts.

It does not contain available carbohydrates and therefore has no effect on blood sugar levels. However, there are many types of sweeteners and it is worth examining whether aspartame is the most suitable for the purposes. It is important to take into account that aspartame is not suitable for use in prolonged baking. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures may cause the loss of the sweet taste. There are other sugar substitutes that are more heat resistant and can be used in baking, stevia for example.

Aspartame for healthy people.

For a healthy person there is no reason to recommend the use of aspartame over the use of sugar. In this case, the recommendation is to adhere to the principles of a proper, balanced and health-promoting diet and not to overdo it with sweets.

If you are healthy and are in the process of a diet aimed at losing weight, replacing sugar with aspartame when used at home can help lower your daily caloric intake. This fact is not a solution in itself. Studies show that using artificial sweeteners instead of sugar affects the process of quality weight loss only as part of a transition to a healthy lifestyle.

Aspartame in pregnancy.

During pregnancy there is no real reason to use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame. Although aspartame and other sweeteners (such as sucralose and acesulfame K) are considered safe for use during pregnancy, the recommendation is to avoid. In the case of gestational diabetes, or gestational diabetes with diabetes ahead of time – consult with the accompanying doctor and dietician to make a personal and healthy decision.

Products containing aspartame have some disadvantages.

The most significant shortcoming is not necessarily found in aspartame itself but in the products in which it is used. The sweetener is not the only ingredient in the product – as safe as aspartame is, many processed products contain additional substances that may have a negative effect on our health. An example of this is phosphoric acid in carbonated drinks. Therefore, the recommendation for the entire population is to minimize the consumption of processed foods, even those containing aspartame.

On products that use aspartame sweetener, you can proudly write huge letters: “sugar free”. Does this statement guarantee a low-calorie product that is suitable for those seeking weight loss? Not necessarily! In order to improve the taste, many processed products contain more fat and therefore also contain a lot of calories despite the use of a sugar substitute. If weight loss is the goal, give up looking for the words “sugar-free” on the product. Look for the words “diet” or “low calorie” instead.

In conclusion

Despite the many ups, downs and accusations that aspartame has suffered over the years, its use is safe in healthy people in an amount of 50 mg per kilogram of body per day.