The upcoming July ruling from the WHO group, the International Agency on Cancer Research , will list aspartame as "possibly carcinogenic to humans." According to the report, the assessment considers all published evidence, but does not account for the amount a person can safely consume.
It's ample cause for alarm. The sugar substitute has long been a staple of low or zero calorie drinks like Diet Coke, and is also used in thousands of other products including ice cream, chewing gum, and cereal.some evidence that a substance can cause cancer, and that the findings are overall considered inconclusive. There are still two categories above this: "probably carcinogenic," indicating strong evidence, and simply "carcinogenic," meaning there is consensus on a proven link.
Those are important distinctions. But no matter the technicalities involved, putting a "possibly" next to cancer is always ominous. As such, the IARC has repeatedly faced criticism for causing alarm from its rulings. Over the years, it's faced