Research Summaries

Published Review Provides Further Evidence Aspartame Not Associated with Increased Risk of Cancer

March 22, 2019 — The continuing study of low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) allows researchers to utilize the most precise and scientifically relevant research methodologies to evaluate the safety and efficacy of these ingredients for human consumption. The latest publication by Haighton et al. (2019), “Evaluation of aspartame cancer epidemiology studies based on quality appraisal … Continue reading

March 22, 2019 Professional Research, Research Summaries

New Studies, Same Conclusion on the Safety of Aspartame

February 7, 2019 — Aspartame is one of the most studied ingredients in our food supply, but it is also one of the most controversial. Recently, new safety studies on aspartame were assessed in the publication “Mutagenicity and genotoxicity studies of aspartame,” which recently appeared in Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology.  So what are these studies? … Continue reading

February 7, 2019 Professional Research, Research Summaries

Low and No Calorie Sweeteners, Glycemia and Diabetes: What Does the Science Say?

Neva Cochran, MS, RDN, LD – Setting the Stage Replacing sugar with low and no calorie sweeteners (LNCS) is a practical way to reduce carbohydrate intake to potentially help those with diabetes better manage blood glucose levels and facilitate weight loss. (1) It also creates more flexibility in the diet to accommodate personal preferences and … Continue reading

November 1, 2018 Lifestyle Advice, Professional Research, Research Summaries

Healthcare, Patients, and Social Media

A 2017 survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation found that 1 of every 3 respondents identified weight loss as the most desired benefit to get from foods or nutrients. This is a common topic of discussion and it is worth noting that those participating in the survey had high trust in advice from … Continue reading

September 25, 2018 Professional Research, Research Summaries

Debunking Myths on Aspartame, Part II

By Rosanne Rust MS, RDN, LDN  — Aspartame allows food manufacturers to create many delicious and innovative low-calorie products, which help support weight control efforts and a healthy lifestyle. Used as a sweetener in foods and beverages for over 30 years, its safety record is well-established. It allows products to taste good, while reducing or … Continue reading

September 4, 2018 Professional Research, Research Summaries

Debunking Myths on Aspartame, Part I

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

August 15, 2018 Claims & Myths, Professional Research, Research Summaries

Scores Matter – Review Calls Out Reliability of Ramazzini Studies Claiming Carcinogenicity of Aspartame

May 8, 2018 — A recent peer-reviewed article evaluated the reliability of the available literature investigating possible links between aspartame and cancer and the results are in: studies linking aspartame to cancer scored as “not reliable” according to an internationally recognized grading system for scientific research. How the review was designed The publication “Systematic review … Continue reading

May 8, 2018 Professional Research, Research Summaries

Research shows Aspartame Does Not Affect Glycemia, Appetite or Weight

Neva Cochran, MS, RDN, LD April 30, 2018 — Aspartame has been approved for use as a sweetener in foods and beverages in the U.S. for over three decades. A primary reason for use of low calorie sweeteners (LCS) like aspartame is to reduce calorie intake from sugar to promote weight loss and help manage … Continue reading

April 30, 2018 Professional Research, Research Summaries

Calorie Control Council Spokesperson Provides a Critique of “Revisiting the safety of aspartame”, by Choudhary and Pretorius, published in Nutrition Reviews 2017

November 29, 2017 — Recent publications in scientific journals claim to review the evidence of aspartame but do not provide a comprehensive perspective of the findings from hundreds of studies. Council spokesperson and toxicologist Bernadene Magnuson, PhD provides her opinion of the review “Revisiting the safety of aspartame” below. Overall Summary: Central to the safety … Continue reading

November 29, 2017 Professional Research, Research Summaries

Dr. Debra Judelson comments on “Diet Soda Intake Is Associated with Long-Term Increases in Waist Circumference in a Biethnic Cohort of Older Adults”

March 23, 2015 — This study supports the finding that overweight and obese older adults may try to lose weight using many methods, including reducing caloric intake and diet sodas, to name a few methods. Since the study was not a placebo controlled double blinded study, it only advises us that obese people are more … Continue reading

March 23, 2015 Research Summaries

One More Study Adds to Aspartame Sweetener’s Clean Bill of Health

Research Found No Differences in Sensitivities, even Among People Self-reporting Ailments (ATLANTA) — A new study commissioned by the Food Standards Agency (the group responsible for food safety in Europe) and published in the journal Plos One demonstrates that aspartame is not the cause of various sensitivities, even among people who believe they are “aspartame … Continue reading

March 20, 2015 Research Summaries

American Cancer Society Researchers Find No Increased Risk of Cancer from Aspartame Consumption

ATLANTA (October 31, 2014) – A large, prospective study of more than 100,000 older men and women has concluded that moderate aspartame consumption is not associated with an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). In the study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers from the American Cancer Society used data from participants in the … Continue reading

October 30, 2014 Research Summaries

Study found Low-calorie Beverages Common Among Weight Loss Maintainers

September 5, 2014 Drinking low- and no-calorie sweetened beverages, including diet sodas, are common among people who have maintained significant weight loss, according to a new study published in Obesity. In the study, researchers surveyed individuals in the National Weight Control Registry in which participants have maintained a weight loss of at least 30 pounds … Continue reading

September 5, 2014 Research Summaries

Drinking Low-Calorie Sweetened Beverages Common Among Weight Loss Maintainers

ATLANTA (September 5, 2014) —Drinking low- and no-calorie sweetened beverages, including diet sodas, are common among people who have maintained significant weight loss, according to a new study published in Obesity. In the study, researchers surveyed individuals in the National Weight Control Registry in which participants have maintained a weight loss of at least 30 … Continue reading

September 5, 2014 Research Summaries

Aspartame Might Reduce Fat Storage According to Animal Model

ATLANTA (April 10, 2014) — A recent study has found that aspartame reduced fat storage and increased a marker of lifespan in an animal model. In the study, the researchers concluded that their findings “imply that aspartame, either alone or in combination with other sweeteners, inhibits pathways that favor intestinal fat deposition.”  Additionally, the researchers … Continue reading

April 10, 2014 Research Summaries

CNN.com: Sugar Free Soda is Safe

Diet soft drinks and artificial sweeteners have been under attack in recent years by the media, despite plenty of science to show their safety and benefits. Indiana University professor Dr. Aaron Carroll and CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta have stated that they support the safety and use of aspartame,  in response to Coca-Cola’s ad campaign that … Continue reading

August 16, 2013 Research Summaries

Study Reaffirms the Safety of Aspartame

ATLANTA (July 26, 2013) — A new review in Food and Chemical Toxicologyreaffirmed the safety of aspartame. The study,” Aspartame, low-calorie sweeteners and disease: regulatory safety and epidemiological issues,” examined the research that has been done over the past 22 years on the safety aspartame. The researchers concluded that:  aspartame does not cause health problems … Continue reading

July 26, 2013 Research Summaries

New Research Analyzing 35 Years of Data Confirms Positive Effects of Low-Calorie Sweeteners in Weight Loss

ATLANTA (May 13, 2013) — A new study recently presented at the Experimental Biology 2014 Conference in San Diego, CA found the use of low-calorie sweeteners resulted in reductions in body weight. Researchers also concluded that the use of products containing low-calorie sweeteners do not lead to weight gain or cravings.  For the meta-analysis study, researchers … Continue reading

May 13, 2013 Research Summaries

Study on Saccharin, Aspartame and Weight Gain in Rats Are Illogical and Not Applicable to Humans

ATLANTA (December 7, 2012) — Findings presented in a study titled “Saccharin and aspartame, compared with sucrose, induce greater weight gain in adult Wistar rats, at similar total caloric intake levels” are illogical. No changes in nutrition recommendations should be considered on the basis of this study. The Calorie Control Council cites the following as … Continue reading

December 7, 2012 Research Summaries

New Statement from American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association Supports Low-Calorie Sweeteners as Useful Substitutes for Sugar

ATLANTA (July 10, 2012) – Using low-calorie sweeteners in beverages and other foods has the potential to help people reach and maintain a healthy body weight and is helpful for glucose control for people with diabetes, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association. The statement is … Continue reading

July 10, 2012 Research Summaries

Safety and Benefits of Aspartame Confirmed in Updated Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Position Paper

The low-calorie sweetener aspartame can be safely enjoyed as part of a healthy diet guided by current nutrition recommendations, according to a newly updated position paper by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association).  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (the Academy) is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition … Continue reading

May 29, 2012 Research Summaries

Another Study Shows Positive Weight Loss Results after Switching to Diet Soda

ATLANTA (February 24, 2012) — A new study shows that using diet soda can help shed pounds. For the study, conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, researchers randomly assigned 318 overweight adults to one of three groups: one that drank water; one that drank diet beverages; and a control group (who only … Continue reading

February 24, 2012 Research Summaries

Research on Diet Soft Drinks and Waist Circumference Among Aging Population is Not Based on Sound Science

ATLANTA (June 29, 2011) – The Calorie Control Council stated today that research findings reported during a presentation at the 2011 American Diabetes Association Meeting claiming an association between the use of diet soft drinks and waist circumference are not based on sound science. The presentation, “Diet Soft Drink Consumption Is Associated with Increased Waist … Continue reading

June 29, 2011 Research Summaries

European Food Safety Authority Reconfirms Safety of Low-Calorie Sweeteners

In February 2011, following a comprehensive review of two recent studies questioning the safety of low-calorie sweeteners, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that these new studies do not give reason to reconsider the previous safety evaluations of aspartame or other low-calorie sweeteners (intense sweeteners) authorized in the European Union. As is the normal … Continue reading

March 10, 2011 Research Summaries

Research Shows Sugar Substitutes Reduce Caloric Intake without Overeating or Hunger

ATLANTA (July 22, 2010) — A study published in the August 2010 journal, Appetite, further demonstrates that people who consume low-calorie sweeteners are able to significantly reduce their caloric intake and do not overeat. In fact, study participants who received the sugar substitutes instead of sugar consumed significantly fewer calories and there was no difference in hunger levels … Continue reading

July 22, 2010 Research Summaries

American Dietetic Association’s Evidence Analysis Library Review of Aspartame Complete

ATLANTA (May 18, 2009) — The American Dietetic Association (ADA) recently evaluated the low-calorie sweetener aspartame and its effects on weight, appetite, desire for sweetness and alleged adverse reactions for its Evidence Analysis Library (EAL).  After the evaluation, the ADA reaffirmed the conclusion of regulatory and scientific authorities around the world that aspartame is not associated … Continue reading

May 18, 2009 Professional Research, Research Summaries

European Food Safety Authority Reconfirms Safety of Aspartame; EFSA Releases Opinion on Ramazzini Study

ATLANTA (April 21, 2009) — The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has once again confirmed the safety of aspartame.  After a comprehensive review of data, EFSA’s Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food (AFC) stated, “Overall, the Panel concluded on the basis of all the evidence currently available … Continue reading

April 21, 2009 Research Summaries

Comprehensive Review of More than 500 Studies Re-affirms the Benefits and Safety of Aspartame

September 11, 2007 A comprehensive review of more than 500 studies evaluating aspartame once again puts the rumors and myths to rest. A panel of eight leading experts in the areas of toxicology, epidemiology, metabolism, pathology, biostatistics etc., conclusively determined that aspartame is safe. The review, “Aspartame: A Safety Evaluation Based on Current Use Levels, … Continue reading

September 11, 2007 Research Summaries

Leading Scientists Around the World Confirm Safety of Aspartame

ATLANTA (September 11, 2007) — A comprehensive review of more than 500 studies evaluating aspartame once again puts the rumors and myths to rest.  A panel of eight leading experts in the areas of toxicology, epidemiology, metabolism, pathology, biostatistics etc., conclusively determined that aspartame is safe.  The review, “Aspartame: A Safety Evaluation Based on Current Use Levels, … Continue reading

September 11, 2007 Research Summaries

Low-Calorie Sweeteners Are Helpful in Weight Control

ATLANTA (June 27, 2007) — A new review of research shows low-calorie sweeteners may be one piece of the puzzle in helping solve the obesity problem.  Although not magic bullets, low-calorie sweeteners and the products that contain them can help people reduce their calorie intake.  The authors point out that low-calorie sweeteners are not appetite suppressants and … Continue reading

June 27, 2007 Research Summaries

FDA, Others Affirm Safety of Aspartame

June 25, 2007 The Calorie Control Council stated that a rat study conducted by Italy’s Ramazzini Institute is totally contradictory to the extensive scientific research and regulatory reviews conducted on aspartame. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has said they are not recommending any changes in the use of aspartame. On April 20, 2007, … Continue reading

June 25, 2007 Research Summaries

Recent Study Shows No Association Between Low-Calorie Sweeteners and a Variety of Cancers

February 26, 2007 A new study conducted by Italian and French researchers and published in the Annals of Oncology indicates there is no association between low-calorie sweeteners and cancer. The researchers evaluated a variety of studies between the years of 1991 and 2004. These studies assessed the relationship between low-calorie sweeteners and many cancers including … Continue reading

February 26, 2007 Research Summaries

Meta-Analysis Indicates Aspartame Effective for Weight Loss

ATLANTA (October 5, 2006) — Foods and beverages sweetened with aspartame can help consumers lose weight, according to a recent review of previous aspartame studies published in the June issue of the British Nutrition Foundation Nutrition Bulletin. Researchers examined 16 randomized controlled trials of aspartame and its effect on caloric intake and body weight. Fifteen of the … Continue reading

October 5, 2006 Research Summaries

Comprehensive Review of Ramazzini Study Demonstrates No Scientific Evidence of Aspartame and Cancer Link

May 5, 2006 The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) announced today there is no reason to recommend any dietary change in regard to the low-calorie sweetener, aspartame. The report from EFSA’s Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food (AFC) specifically states, “In its opinion published today, the Panel … Continue reading

May 5, 2006 Research Summaries

New NIH/NCI Study Confirms Safety of Aspartame

ATLANTA (April 4, 2006) – A new epidemiology study from the National Cancer Institute confirms previous study conclusions that there is no link between aspartame consumption and leukemias, lymphomas and brain tumors.  The study, presented today at the American Association of Cancer Research meeting in Washington, D.C., evaluated over 500,000 men and women between the … Continue reading

April 4, 2006 Research Summaries