2023-07-14 10:58:19
by Cristina Brown
The WHO has classified the sweetener as a “possible carcinogen” and recommends limiting its intake. Most adult consumers need not worry
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization has just classified the sweetener aspartame as a “possible carcinogen” for humans. Although WHO admits that scientific evidence is limited on its carcinogenic potential (liver cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma) it has nevertheless highlighted the harmful potential. However, the acceptable daily intake has not changed. The maximum consumption threshold established is 40 milligrams per kilo of weight per day.
What is aspartame
Aspartame, a food additive, is an artificial sweetener up to 200 times sweeter than sugar. It consists of three components: a molecule of methanol and two natural amino acids also contained in the proteins of our body, phenylalanine, slightly modified with the addition of a methyl group to give it a sweet taste and aspartic acid.
Where is astartame found?
Aspartame is found in thousands of products. It is used as a tabletop sweetener or to sweeten diet sodas, chewing gum, jellies, breakfast cereals, yogurt, ice cream, toothpaste, and also to sweeten some medications. An ibuprofen sachet contains approximately 30 milligrams of aspartame, a 100 milligram Viagra tablet contains just under 9 milligrams of aspartame. One chewing gum contains about 3 milligrams. About 95 percent of carbonated soft drinks that have a sweetener use aspartame, as do at least 90 percent of ready-to-drink teas. The amount of aspartame is much higher in so-called diet sodas, with no added sugar: they are sweet but have no calories, loved by those who want to lose weight. According to WHO experts, a bottle of diet soda can contain around 200-300 milligrams of aspartame.
What does the 40 milligram dose actually mean?
WHO experts consider the threshold of 40 milligrams of aspartame per kilo already high and give an example: if an adult weighs 70 kilos, his acceptable daily intake of aspartame would be around 2800 milligrams. The presence of this sweetener in a drink is between 200 and 300 milligrams and in practice means that an adult, if he does not get the sweetener from other food sources, will have to consume from nine to 14 cans of light soft drinks to reach the daily threshold registered mail.
Should I be concerned about aspartame?
You shouldn’t be alarmed if you consume aspartame, as long as your intake is within the limits recommended by health authorities. The 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day is a difficult amount to exceed in a normal diet, and even the heaviest soda consumers manage to ingest less than 25% of the recommended dose of aspartame. According to experts, there are no worries if the sweetener is consumed within the indicated quantities.
What changes on the practical side?
On the practical side, there is no change in the consumption recommendations for citizens. However, WHO experts took advantage of the publication of the document to reiterate to consumers of moderate your intake of artificial sweeteners particularly as the use of these substances is on the rise to avoid sugar. Within the established maximum intake threshold, consumption is “acceptable” without having “appreciable effects” on health, reported Francesco Branca, director of the Department for Nutrition and Food Safety of the World Health Organization. “Those who drink a soda once in a while… shouldn’t worry (about cancer, ed)” specified Francesco Branca. “We’re not advising companies to recall products or consumers to stop consuming altogether, we’re just advising some moderation.”
Are there any dangers for children?
There are no problems for occasional consumers of aspartame-containing products, but young children deserve particular attention “who are exposed to a taste adjustment quite early and are therefore essentially directed to continue consuming sugary products,” Branca underlines. Children can more easily approach the maximum recommended dose by being lighter. A 20-pound child should drink about four cans of diet soda a day to reach the maximum dose according to WHO recommendations
What are the alternatives to aspartame?
Experts recommend reducing sweeteners in products or consuming foods that have other types of sweet flavors, such as fruit, which can be used as a dessert instead of other products that have added sugars or sweeteners. In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the consumption of sugars (refined sugars and those naturally present in juices, honey or syrups) to less than 10% of total energy intake. She also suggests not using sweeteners to try to control weight or reduce disease because evidence suggests that “their use doesn’t help with long-term weight control and may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and premature mortality. “If consumers are faced with the decision of whether to have a drink with sweeteners or one with sugar, I think a third option should be considered, which is to drink water. And limit the consumption of sweetening products» Francesco Branca still suggested.
July 14, 2023 (change July 14, 2023 | 10:53 am)
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