Everything you want to know about Aspartame in Sugar Free !
   
  What is Aspartame ?
  In what way aspartame is different from saccharin?
  How popular is it world over?
  How SAFE is it?
  How much Aspartame is safe ?
   
   
   
   
   
 
  What is Aspartame ?
 
 
Sugar Free contains Aspartame a new generation low calorie sugar substitute and is trusted the world over - as more than 300 million people across 100 countries use this wonder ingredient as a part of their daily diet to control their daily calorie intake.
 
  • Aspartame is a new generation low calorie sweetener, which was discovered in 1965 in the US by Mr.James Schlatter, a chemist at GD Searle Company.
 
  • Before that, the sweetener which was predominantly in use was saccharin, an organic compound derived from petroleum.
 
  • Aspartame was formally approved by USFDA in 1981 for use worldwide as a tabletop sweetener as well as in carbonated beverages, low calorie foods and pharmaceutical products.
   
 
 
. In what way aspartame is different from saccharin?
 
 
  • Saccharin is an organic compound derived from petroleum and has distinct bitter after-taste.
 
  • Whereas aspartame is a derivative of two protein components - phenylalanine and aspartic acid and a small content of methanol. Therefore aspartame gets easily digested and metabolised into amino acids in the body.
   
 
 
. How popular is it world over?
 
 
  • Aspartame is most widely used sweetener worldwide today and has captured 50% of the sweetener market since its introduction in 1981. It is today available in more than 100 countries worldwide and is used by more than 300 million people with the largest consumption being in the US, where 54% of the adult Americans consume aspartame as a part of their daily diet.
 
  • Aspartame is used in a variety of products including tabletop sweeteners, low calorie foods, beverages, pharmaceutical products, confectioneries, etc.
   
 
  How SAFE is it?
 
  Various vested interests often have raised questions and doubts about the safety and efficacy of aspartame, which from time to time have created controversies.
 
 
However, none of the accusations against this ingredient have been Howbacked by any clinical or scientific studies and therefore they can be dismissed as pure propaganda. The fact is that the human body handles aspartame the same as it handles any other foods like milk, bananas, etc. because aspartame is nothing but protein. Safety of aspartame has been documented in more than 200 objective and scientific studies in more than 100 countries around the world by organisations listed below.
 
 

Safety of aspartame has been endorsed by several associations and organisations of repute worldwide, which are as follows:

1. World Health Organisation, www.who.int

2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, www.fda.gov

3. American Medical Association

4. American Dietetic Association, www.eatright.org

5. American Dental Association

6. American Heart Association, www.americanheart.org

7. American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org

8. American Council on Science and Health, www.acsh.org

9. Calorie Control Council, www.caloriecontrol.org

10.Centre for Disease Control & prevention, www.cdc.org

11.International Food Information Council, www.ificinfo.health.org

12.American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org

13.Asian Food Information Centre, www.afic.org

   
 
  How much Aspartame is safe ?
   
 
The safety of aspartame can be ascertained by the fact that the World Health Organisation has set acceptable daily intake of aspartame at up to 40mg per kg of body weight, which means someone weighing 70kg can consume more than 150 tablets a day.
   
 
  • Easily Digestible - Aspartame contains two protein derivatives - phenylalnine and aspartic acid. Therefore, it is nutritious, unlike saccharin and is easily digestable.
 
  • Helps Control Caloric Intake - Aspartame is a nutritive sweetener, but very small amounts are needed (due to its intense sweetness) for a sweet taste. The calories contributed by aspartame are so few it is considered virtually non-caloric. Although it is 180 times sweeter than sugar, it has a fraction of calories of sugar. By substituting aspartame for sugar in foods and beverages, calories can be reduced substantially and in may products practically eliminated.
 
  • Tastes Sweet and Clean: Studies conducted with taste-test panels show that many believe aspartame's taste is very similar to the taste of sugar. It does not have a bitter after taste like saccharin.
 
  • Prevents Tooth Decay: According to the American Dental Association, Aspartame is a sweetening agent and a flavour enhancer that can be substituted for sugar and is safe and non-contributory to tooth decay.
 
  • Enhances and Extends Flavours: Aspartame has the ability to intensify and extend fruit flavours, such as cherry and orange, infoods and beverages. For example, aspartame makes chewing gum taste sweet up to four times longer than sugar-sweetened gum.
 
  • Is Acceptable for Diabetic Diets: The American Diabetes Association has found aspartame to be acceptable as a sweetener for products that may be included in diabetic meal plans.