Aspartame: which foods and drinks have the sweetener – 06/30/2023 – Equilibrium

Sugar-free soft drinks, teas and juices. In addition to gum, cookies and diet jellies. The sweetener aspartame, which must be considered as possibly carcinogenic by the WHO (World Health Organization), is present in several foods, especially those considered dietary or without sugar.

Concern about the presence of the substance in food products increased after a report indicated that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the arm that studies the disease at the international organization, should place the product on the list of substances with potential carcinogenic.

The agency classifies compounds into four groups, namely “carcinogenic to humans”, “probably carcinogenic”, “possibly carcinogenic”, and “not classifiable”.

products with aspartame

The substance is present in sugar-free foods, such as sweets, as well as carbonated and dairy drinks, due to its higher sweetening power than white sugar, but without calories.

Products containing the compound are usually those that are classified as dietetic (diet on the label) or sugar-free. Among them, see the list of those that may have aspartame in their composition:

• Soft drinks
• Ready and powdered juices
• industrialized teas
• gum
• yogurts
• jellies
• Breads
• Cereal bars
• Ready-made preparations for coffee or cappuccino

read the labels

In case of doubt whether the product has any compound, just read the label. In the region where the ingredients are located, all items that are part of the composition of the food will be listed, including artificial sweeteners such as aspartame.

Another way out is to use applications that “read” the label and give you the information. Among them is “Desrotulating”, a scanner of industrialized food products that shows the negative and positive points of each article. It automatically indicates, for example, the presence of additives and added sugar.

To access, simply download from your cell phone’s app store and scan the barcode. If the product is registered, the information will appear on the screen.

After all, is there a health risk?

Specialists affirm that it is not necessary to discontinue the use of sweeteners, indicated mainly for people with diabetes. They consider, however, that it is important to consult a professional in the area, such as a nutritionist, to receive personalized guidance.

Roberto Raduan, an endocrinologist at BP (A Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo), told the newspaper Sheet in May, when WHO indicated that sweeteners should not be used for weight loss and maintenance, that discussions about the toxicity of products have been going on for decades, but there is still no scientific consensus on their potential benefits or harm.

The expert says that users should consume substances within limits considered safe.

According to the FDA (American food and drug regulatory agency), the daily recommendation varies according to the compound. The limit for aspartame is 50 mg/kg per day. Saccharin intake, on the other hand, is up to 15mg/kg. The limit for sucralose is even lower, at 5 mg/kg.