After a devastating drop in sales, PepsiCo announced that they were reintroducing aspartame to their Diet Pepsi starting in September.

Well, it is now mid-September, and we should be expecting the Diet Pepsi sweetened with aspartame hitting the shelves very soon now (if not already… sorry, I live in Canada!).

What Is Aspartame?

Also known under the brand names Egal and NutraSweet, aspartame is an artificial sweetener that is approved by the FDA since the beginning of the 1980s. Artificial sweeteners’ appeal stem from the fact that they add no additional calories to your diet, offer a burst of sweetness with a very little amount (aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar!), and are cavity-proof.

Is it Dangerous?

Cancer, memory loss, arthritis, depression.

These are just a few examples of the alleged side-effects of aspartame.

“Expert agencies in the United States and elsewhere that have evaluated aspartame have found it safe for use,” says the American Cancer Society. “Complaints of various health issues have circulated since aspartame first appeared on the market in the 1980s. But for most people, no health problems have clearly been linked to aspartame use.”

The acceptable daily intake (ADI) of aspartame is set at 50 mg/kg of body weight/day by the FDA, which is the equivalent of roughly ten soda cans sweetened with only aspartame. The ADI is defined as the amount that is “100 times less than the smallest amount that might cause health concerns, based on studies done in lab animals.” In other words, you would need to drink a truck load of sodas and stuff yourself with aspartame-containing foods consistently every day to land yourself in the hospital.

Who needs to avoid it?

Aspartame is dangerous for people with phenylketonuria. Phenylketonuria is a genetic disorder that causes a buildup of phenylalanine, an amino acid found in foods. Once aspartame enters the body, it is broken down into phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol.

Dietitian’s Input

In moderation, it is unlikely that aspartame poses a serious health threat. However, the regular consumption of these highly powerful sweeteners preserves your taste for all things sweet. In other words, the degree of sweetness may be perceived as mild by a person who is accustomed to high sugary foods while another person who is used to eating less sweet may find it overpowering.

References:

Aspartame. American Cancer Society. URL Link. Last Updated May 28, 2014. Accessed September 16, 2016.

L’aspartame : danger? Extenso. URL Link. Last Updated May 6, 2014. Accessed September 16, 2016.