Aspertame
Aspartame is a combination of phenylalanine and aspartic acid, which are two amino acids. It is also known by the brand names Equal and Nutrasweet. It is 180 - 220 times sweeter than sugar. Aspartame belongs to a class of chemical called “non-caloric sweeteners”. These include:
- Acesulfame K is an artificial sweetener, also known as Sunett. It is heat stable and can be used in cooking and baking. It is also available as a tabletop sweetener, marketed under the name Sweet One. It is FDA approved and is used in combination with other sweeteners such as saccharin in carbonated low-calorie beverages and other products.
- Cyclamates are 30 times sweeter than sugar. They are banned in the United States because in 1970 they were shown to have caused bladder cancer in animals.
- Saccharin is 300 times sweeter than sugar. It is used in several dietetic food and beverage products.
- Sucralose (Splenda) is an artificial sweetener made from sugar. It is 600 times sweeter than sugar. It is heat stable and can be used in baking. It is used in many dietetic food and beverage products.
Sugar is on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) list of safe foods. Sugar contains 16 calories per teaspoon and can be used in moderation. All of the various types of sugars described earlier can be used in moderation.
The artificial sweeteners aspartame, acesulfame K , and sucralose are all FDA approved. Aspartame is not recommended for people with phenylketonuria (PKU), as they are unable to metabolize it.
Saccarin was removed from the National Toxicology Program's list of cancer-causing substances in May 2000. (Source: National Library of Medicine: Medline Plus 2007)
Equal (Aspartame): see Non calorie sweeteners – Overview (Source: National Library of Medicine: Medline Plus 2007)
Nutrasweet (Aspartame): see Non calorie sweeteners – Overview (Source: National Library of Medicine: Medline Plus 2007)
Sunett (Acesulfame K) see Non calorie sweeteners – Overview (Source: National Library of Medicine: Medline Plus 2007)
Sweet One (Acesulfame K) see Non calorie sweeteners – Overview: (Source: National Library of Medicine: Medline Plus 2007)
Saccharin: see Non calorie sweeteners – Overview (Source: National Library of Medicine: Medline Plus 2007)
Splenda (Sucralose): see Non calorie sweeteners – Overview: (Source: National Library of Medicine: Medline Plus 2007)
Sugar Substitutes – see non-calorie sweeteners
