Interestingly, some studies have found that chewing gum during tasks may be a bit of a distraction at the start but could help you focus for longer periods ( 27). Based on the science, right now it’s unclear as to what a reasonable amount could safely be since the FDA’s approval is well above the average daily consumption,” she said. Aspartame has not been conclusively linked with any serious side effects or health problems in the general population. A woman-owned business, Glee also has a similar line of sugar-free certified vegan gums that use xylitol from birch trees and certified non-GMO corn cobs as the sweetener.

Saccharin brand names include Sweet and Low®, Sweet Twin®, Sweet'N Low®, and Necta Sweet®. It is 200 to 700 times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose) and contains no calories. Softeners. These are used to retain moisture and prevent the gum from hardening. They can include waxes like paraffin or vegetable oils. We’re not advising consumers to stop consuming (aspartame) altogether. We’re just advising a bit of moderation.”

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Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid found in protein sources such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. It’s also one of the two ingredients of aspartame. Titanium dioxide, Red 3 and Green 3 are banned in the European Union, but not in the US. Red 40 Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 must contain a warning in the EU stating that they may have adverse effects on activity and attention in children ( 18, 19).

A number of studies have found correlations between artificial sweeteners and various health issues, such as migraines, depression, heart disease, cognitive, behavioral and developmental issues, and the development of dementia, diabetes and cancer.Aspartame is an odorless powder that is white and is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar. This means that a very small amount is needed to give foods and beverages a sweet flavor. The assessments of aspartame have indicated that, while safety is not a major concern at the doses which are commonly used, potential effects have been described that need to be investigated by more and better studies. Aspartame is one of six non-nutritive sweeteners approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The others are acesulfame potassium (sold as Sunett and Sweet One), saccharin (sold as Sweet’N Low, Sweet Twin and Necta Sweet), sucralose (sold as Splenda), neotame (sold as Newtame), and advantame (sold as Advantame). Prof Kevin McConway, emeritus professor of applied statistics at the Open University, said an IARC label of being possibly carcinogenic “does not mean that a substance actually presents a risk to humans in normal circumstances”. Ashwell M, et al. (2020). Expert consensus on low-calorie sweeteners: Facts, research gaps and suggested actions.

In 1983, the sweetener was approved for carbonated drinks and in 1996, it was approved as a general-purpose sweetener. Three-quarters of all diet sodas, sugar-free foods and sugar-free candies have some form of aspartame in them,” Hejeebu said. One reason for concern is that the methyl group added to reduce bitterness is partially converted into formaldehyde — a chemical that can be toxic in high doses — when metabolized by the body. Drinking 1 liter of diet soda with 600 milligrams of aspartame will be converted into 60 milligrams of formaldehyde, according to a 2021 narrative review of literature on aspartame. The Pür Company offers eight flavors that include old school favorites and some unique flavors you’ll find nowhere else. Pür was founded in 2010 with the goal the goal of getting artificial sweeteners and processed sugars out of foods and other consumer products. Perhaps the best part is that it’s made from just a few vegan, non-GMO ingredients sourced from Europe and made in Switzerland—xylitol, gum base, gum arabic, natural flavors, carnauba wax, tocopherols. The natural flavors vary depending on the flavor of gum.For certain people, products containing aspartame should be avoided due to the potential for harmful side effects to occur. Phenylketonuria A 2020 study, for example, found an increased incidence of leukemia and lymphoma in mice that consumed aspartame — but the doses were almost quadruple the weight of the mice, Popkin said, which makes them a poor point of reference for human risk. Meanwhile, studies from the 1980s found aspartame did not cause brain tumors or bladder cancer in rats. They're found in products such as drinks, desserts and ready meals, cakes, chewing gum and toothpaste.

Shum B, et al. (2021). The effects of non-nutritive sweetener consumption in the pediatric populations: What we know, what we don’t, and what we need to learn. Aspartame is one of the most exhaustively studied NNS in the world. A number of regulatory agencies have confirmed that aspartame and its breakdown products are safe and approved for use in the general population (including infants, children, and people who are pregnant or lactating): There are a wide variety of recipes and how to videos available online that will help you make your own gum at home. Most recipes combine a sweetener, a flavor, and a gum base. The sweeteners are often powdered sugar, corn or rice syrup, or stevia. The gum base might be sorbitol powder or beeswax.For consumers, alphabet-soup agencies mean less than the practical question: If non-nutritive sweeteners were to fall out of use altogether, would our health be in a better or worse position? When in doubt, choose foods that are unprocessed — whole fruits and vegetables have no artificial sweeteners or aspartame and have a host of other health benefits like fiber. When you do need to sweeten up a beverage or food, consider honey or maple syrup.” The International Council of Beverages Associations executive director, Kate Loatman, suggested the move “could needlessly mislead consumers into consuming more sugar rather than choosing safe no- and low-sugar options”. In fact, a 2019 study commissioned by the World Health Organization looked at the relationship between NNS, including aspartame, and several health outcomes in humans, including: