Aspartame, the non-sugar sweetener widely used in fizzy drinks, chewing gum, vitamins and other products, is possibly carcinogenic, according to a new assessment from a global health body.
The Calorie Control Council, a trade group for the low-calorie food and beverage industry, says on its aspartame website that scientific evidence “overwhelmingly supports the safety of aspartame even in amounts far greater than people typically consume,” adding that over 200 studies attest to its safety.
If consumers are trying to decide between drinks containing sugar and those with artificial sweeteners, “I think there should be a third option considered, which is to drink water instead, and to limit the consumption of sweetened products altogether,” Branca said during a press briefing Wednesday. “This is particularly important for young children,” he said, who can adjust their tastes early on.
That adds up to a lot of diet sodas: A person weighing 154 pounds would have to drink more than nine to 14 cans per day to exceed that level, assuming there’s 200 to 300 milligrams of aspartame in each drink, according to the committee. The FDA says the acceptable daily intake of aspartame is even higher, at 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.
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