Artificial Sweeteners: The Invention Of Aspartame

The Federal Drug Administration approved aspartame, an artificial sweetener surrounded by controversy, for widespread consumption in 1983. Its brand name, NutraSweet, is a division of Monsanto, a major drug company who acquired G.D. Searle, the original drug company affiliated with aspartame. Aspartame is used in everything from diet food to sugarless gum, but its major use is in diet drinks. There have been studies done to determine what dosage of aspartame and it's by products, aspartic acid, methyl alcohol or methanol, and phenylalanine, is safe to consume or if the amount is unlimited. Dr. Mark Gold (1995), a researcher involved with aspartame for over twenty years, found that seventy-five percent of

In this paper, I will discuss the impact that artificial sweeteners are having on the American Diet. I will explore the artificial sweetener Sucralose, in detail. I will describe, in brief, the history and uses of Sucralose. I will explore the effects that Sucralose has the human body, and some of the controversies surrounding this additive. Finally, I will present my argument that Sucralose, in moderation is a safe alternative to table sugar.

The debate between naturally derived sugars and low-calorie artificial sweeteners has been going on for years now. As our population’s obesity rate grows every year and health concerns related to weight-control grows along with it, natural sugar is scrutinized and we are told to keep away from it as it is our enemy. Over the last couple of decades, we have been introduced to more and more varieties of artificial sweeteners promising to deliver the same sweetness or even more sweetness than natural sugar (some offer as much as 200 times more sweetness than sugar) but with a much lower calorie content, or some even no calories at all. Artificial sweeteners such as Splenda, Sweet n’ Low, NutraSweet, and Equal have become popular as “better alternatives” to table sugar, promising to help battle weight gain and actually assist in losing weight. However, does this make it the healthier option? As with all things, both natural sugar and artificial sugar have their pros and cons, but in order to find the best option in regards to our health and futures, it’s important to weigh them according to scientific findings and research.

The use of artificial sweeteners in beverages and food has been on a steady rise since 1969, the year it was authorized in the United States of America. The popularity of artificial sweeteners has been on a rise because of the benefit that it is a zero calorie sweetener .Even though artificial sweeteners have some great benefits many scientists believe that it causes adverse effects such as cancer, weight gain and depression. I strongly believe that consumers are not aware of the side effects of artificial sweeteners hence the increase in consumption since 1969.

According to the Tufts University Health and Nutrition letter the FDA supports the safety of the toxicology of Aspartame. It has been stated that "The FDA recently rejected two citizen petitions calling for an aspartame

There is a lot of High Fructose Corn Syrup, the sugar of choice, in regular sodas. People started finding out about how bad sugar is for them and how much sugar was really in their favorite every day drink. Everyone started turning against all of the soda companies and they had no choice but to come up with an alternative. So, instead of using natural sugar or High Fructose Corn Syrup in sodas, scientists invented artificial sweeteners, a way to keep the soda sweet yet contain no sugar. Artificial sweeteners like Aspartame that are added to diet soda are actually worse for us than the sugar that is in regular soda. This was proven by an Osteopathic Physician from the American Colledge of Nutrition who states, "While many of the artificial sweeteners have reportedly similar side effects, aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA" (Mercola).

Aspartame has now been on the market for many years and most people seemingly haven’t had adverse reactions. Or have they? Russell L. Blaylock, M.D. warns that many people don’t notice of the serious symptoms because “they’re more resistant to the obvious toxic effects, but they’re still getting very subtle toxic effects that over many years is going to produce obvious disease in those persons.” However, some people have had more direct, severe reactions. For example, FDA officials have estimated that only 1% of toxic reactions are likely to get reported and the agency received reports of 7,000 toxic reactions with aspartame from 1982 until 1995. In fact, there were likely more official reports of toxicity, but we can’t be sure to the extent. After all, Congress found out in 1987 that the FDA had been transferring aspartame toxicity calls to the AIDS Hotline.

Companies that use aspartame in their soft drink products, like Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke, are entangled with the safety controversy. Though both companies do not directly address the use of aspartame in their advertisement, their opinions of the controversy may be noted. Diet Pepsi up until 2012, like Diet Coke, used aspartame to sweeten their Diet Pepsi . However, Pepsi, during a rebranding movement, decided to end their use of aspartame; instead, the company now uses Sucralose (Spelnda) and acesulfame potassium (Ace K) . This decision was not explicitly advertised because the company did not want to draw attention to the fact that they are still using artificial sweetener . This switch is intended to help Pepsi’s taste and consistency last

Addictive and enticing, sweetness does not just come from sugar (BE#2). Artificial sweeteners add to the sugary taste of many foods and go by many names – saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose ¬– but they are all formulated by chemical engineers. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) describes artificial sweeteners as “probably safe,” and this statement has proven to be quite true (Nestle). For several years, aspartame and saccharin have been linked to weight gain and cancer in consumers and lab animals (Nestle). Because artificial sweeteners are used in many food products (most commonly diet sodas), people consume them quite often (BE#3). Also, humans tend to believe that if there are no calories and if there is no sugar, they should drink diet soda instead of regular soda. This trend leads to even greater intakes of sweet chemicals such as aspartame in people’s diets. Aspartame is a controversial and common ingredient in the American diet. “Aspartame, when reacted in the body, changes to methanol and then formic acid (a toxic substance)” (Nestle). According to the American Cancer Association, because aspartame contains phenylalanine, those who consume the substance regularly run the risk of having a build up of phenylalanine, which could constrict the flow of nutrients to the brain. Many people, though, do not show signs or symptoms of health complications consistent with aspartame (Amer. Cancer Assn.). Aspartame has the potential to be quite harmful, but because nobody has

Aspartame the most consumed and most controversial sweetener in the United States. This sweetener has made its way from the low calorie table top sweetener that most people can identify with in the Pink or blue packets that are on the tables of our favorite diners across America, to every product type that one can think of. Today

This product was the first artificial sweetener to be publicly sold and through its distribution there became monstrous effects on the old customs of sweetening. Before Sweet N’ Low was invented, people primarily used sugar and molasses as sweeteners, but other ingredients such as honey, maple syrup, and brown rice syrup were still in high use. These substitutes for sugar were great for its time but Sweet N’ Low was able to satisfy the modern era through its many advantages that these products did not have. Sugar cane was difficult due to the agricultural restrictions, since it required a warm, rainy climate to be able to grow (The Pros and Cons of Biofuels). Maple syrup and honey were inefficient since they could only be retrieved during certain times of the year and then once retrieved it took a lengthy period of preparation before it could be sold (Foreman, Diana). With the advantages Sweet N’ Low had, companies, stores, and businesses quickly began to get involved with the idea of artificial

This paper serves to fill this informational gap and synthesize our current understanding of the topic as a whole. By evaluating the major opinions in the field and how they relate to one another, the most comprehensive picture can be created in order to ensure safety for the consumer. To most effectively illuminate each argument, the safety of each sweetener is addressed individually, with more attention paid to more controversial and older sweeteners like aspartame and saccharin; next, metabolic and psychological characteristics that apply to all artificial sweeteners are factored in to finally build a comprehensive understanding of the topic.

Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame are commonly used as substitutes for sugar in everyday products that we consume such as foods and soft drinks due to the fact that they contain no calories. This has further led to a growing trend of artificial sweeteners being used by people as an alternative to sugar to control weight. Although extensive research has demonstrated the safety of six different low-calorie sweeteners currently approved for use, there is still ongoing debate over the potential health threats they pose.

This research study focuses on how aspartame affects the human body, particularly the brain. It includes the different classes of sweetener, their characteristics and their difference from aspartame. It also explains why multi-national corporations prefer to use aspartame as sugar substitute over the other varieties of sweeteners. Lastly, it details the compatibility of aspartame to beverages and the standard amount of sweeteners in instant goods set by the World Government. However, this study does not cover the possible sources of treatment to the problems caused by aspartame. This research is limited to explaining the overall concept of aspartame as a sweetener.

Following the primary release of aspartame in 1981, the occurrence of many brain diseases suspiciously began to grow.