By Rosanne Rust MS, RDN, LDN — Aspartame is a non-nutritive sweetener made of two amino acids (phenylalanine and aspartic acid) and methanol. As it is 200 times sweeter than sugar, only tiny amounts of aspartame are needed to achieve the desired sweetness, reducing the number of calories compared with sugar. When consumed, it’s completely … Continue reading
Aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener that has been safely used in a variety of foods and beverages for over 30 years. More than 200 scientific studies support the safety of aspartame. Aspartame has been reviewed by regulatory agencies from around the world, including the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Joint Expert Committee on … Continue reading
By the Calorie Control Editorial Team Questions about the role of aspartame in weight management continue to provoke controversy, even after 30 plus years of use as an alternative to nutritive sweeteners. When viewed at the most fundamental level, a compound that provides very few or no calories cannot lead to weight gain, and if … Continue reading
By the Calorie Control Editorial Team Phenylketonuria Phenylketonuria, commonly known as PKU, is a rare inherited disorder that causes elevated levels of the amino acid phenylalanine in the blood. The buildup of phenylalanine is due to an inability of the liver to produce enough of the specific enzyme needed to metabolize phenylalanine after it is … Continue reading
By the Calorie Control Editorial Team Reports that the consumption of aspartame is associated with changes in mood, behavior and cognition, as well as very serious health conditions like fibromyalgia and Alzheimer’s disease are largely unfounded. In fact, a large body of scientific evidence has shown aspartame cannot be credibly linked to any of these … Continue reading
February 13, 2017 By the Calorie Control Editorial Team Many of the questions asked about a possible association between aspartame consumption and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms can be answered by reviewing its composition and what happens to it after ingestion. The key point is that it has the same destiny as many nutritious foods people eat … Continue reading
By the Calorie Control Editorial Team The claim that aspartame is associated with an increased risk of epilepsy is based on the anecdotal reports of individuals who happened to experience their first seizure soon after consuming an aspartame-containing food or beverage. This is not evidence of causation, but a temporal relationship between the widespread consumption … Continue reading
By the Calorie Control Editorial Team The etiology of type 1 and type 2 diabetes differ, but they share similar goals for medical nutrition therapy to help manage the disease and reduce potential complications from poor glycemic, lipid and blood pressure control. Evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines are essential for health professionals to provide the best … Continue reading
By the Calorie Control Editorial Team Is aspartame related to cancer? The vast body of research conducted on aspartame over the last 30 years has found it does not cause cancer in humans, yet some people doubt the strength of the scientific evidence and continue to raise questions about a possible cancer risk related to … Continue reading