What has aspartame in it us?

Aspartame. The mere mention of this five-syllable word is enough to make any health nut squirm in their kale-infused smoothie. Should we avoid it at all costs like a pint of ice cream that expired last year? Or can we indulge in as much diet soda and sugar-free gum as our hearts desire without worrying about collapsing on the spot?

Let’s put on our lab goggles and delve into the mysterious world of aspartame.

As-e-whatnow?

First things first: what even is aspartame?

Aspartame (also known by its brand name NutraSweet) is an artificial sweetener made up of two amino acids: asparagine and phenylalanine. It was first discovered back in 1965 but didn’t hit supermarket shelves until 1983.

Fun fact: In some countries, such as China, they don’t use the term ‘aspartame’. Instead, they call it ‘甜蜜素’, which translates to “sweet essence”.

How does it taste?

If you’ve ever chugged down a Diet Coke or popped a piece of Extra chewing gum into your mouth, then you’ve probably tasted aspartame before. But how does it compare to good ol’ fashioned table sugar?

Well, according to science-y folks who get paid more than us for wearing white coats all day long:

  • Aspartame tastes around 200 times sweeter than sucrose (that’s regular table sugar).
  • Unlike sugar, which gives you calories and energy because your body breaks it down into glucose molecules that go straight into your bloodstream so…you know…energy! Asapartme doesn’t have any effect on insulin release

So if you’re looking for a calorie-free way to tame your sweet tooth, aspartame might just be the ticket.

Where can you find it?

Now for the million-dollar question: what products contain aspartame? Here’s a list to get you started:

Drinks

  • Diet Coke
  • Sprite Zero
  • Pepsi Max
  • Crystal Light
  • Powerade Zero

Food

  • Sugar-free gum (such as Extra)
  • Fat-free yogurt and other dairy products
    (By the way, not all yogurts have artificial sweeteners. Check almond milk yogurts; they are not likely to contain these).

    Yogurt Brands Aspartame Inclusion
    Dannon Light & Fit Yes
    Yoplait Original No
    ====

So if you’re looking to make some dietary changes either because of allergy or weght-watch concerns consider carefully reading ingredient labels before stocking up at your local grocery store!

Medicines

Do not give your pills away that easily! Even though medicine is supposed to promote health, there could still be surprises on its ingredients list.

Some medicines use aspartame in their formulation too.For instance Children’s/Infant paracetamol syrup , throat losenges among others

Pretty sneaky huh?

But wait…is it bad for me?

It wouldn’t be a discussion about artificial sugars without addressing this question.

There’s been a lot of debate over the years regarding whether or not aspartame is harmful to our bodies. Some claim that it causes headaches, seizures, and even cancer. Others argue that these claims are unfounded and perfectly safe – while no major regulatory group has found compelling evidence linking toxic ingesting from asapartme.

While more research will always continue in this area here’s what we know so far:

  • The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved aspartame for use
    in food in reasonable quantities.
  • It’s recommended that individuals do not consume more than 50 mg/kg of body weight every day, according to the European Food Safety Authority.

So nothing compelling associating it with major health effects but like many things moderation seems to be key.

To Aspartame Or Not To Aspartame?

The choice is ultimately yours. While aspartame does have its fair share of controversy surrounding its possible impacts on our health, remember that lifes a balancing act! Try your best and mix artificial sweeteners with natural ones such as honey or stevia. Remember maybe you should give other sugars time to shine rather than sticking around for one 😉

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