Benefits of low calorie sweeteners

Benefits of sweeteners for calorie-conscious consumers

Benefits of sweeteners for calorie-conscious consumers

Sweeteners with aspartame have a positive role to play in assisting with management of weight, diabetes and obesity. This is the word from Registered Dietician Leigh-Ann Silber who says consumers who want the taste of sweetness without added energy can safely chose low calorie sweeteners.

“We are confident that aspartame, as a low calorie sweetener is safe, based on the evidence produced by extensive studies on the compound,” says Silber.

In order to gain regulatory approval to be used in the food supply throughout the world, the safety of non-nutritive sweeteners must be proven through extensive animal and human studies. A comprehensive 2007 review on the safety of aspartame evaluated more than 500 studies, articles and reports from the last 25 years in areas such as its absorption and metabolism, current consumption levels worldwide, toxicology and recent epidemiological studies and concluded ‘the weight of existing evidence is that aspartame is safe at current levels of consumption as a non-nutritive sweetener’[3].

In 2006, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed the safety of aspartame following the results of a study that claimed the non-nutritive sweetener was carcinogenic in rats at a level half the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI). The opinion of the EFSA was that based on all evidence from the study in question, as well as other recent studies and previous evaluations, there was no reason to revise the previously established ADI for aspartame of 40 mg/kg bw[4].

The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of aspartame is 40mg/kg body weight per day, which was determined by the WHO/FAO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)[5]. The ADI is the amount of a food additive that can be ingested daily over an entire lifetime without presenting any appreciable risk to health.

The table below shows the approximate quantities of Canderel that an individual would need to consume each day to reach the ADI

  Canderel granulas (g) Canderel granulas (tsp) Canderel Tablets Canderel Vanilla
20 kg child 31 62 teaspoons 44 tabs 25 sachets
70 kg adult 110 220 teaspoons 154 tabs 87 sachets

Aspartame is safe for all people to consume except individuals with the rare metabolic disease phenylketonuria (PKU). PKU is a genetic disorder characterised by a deficiency in the enzyme used to convert the amino acid phenylalanine into another amino acid tyrosine. Around one in 15,000 babies born in Australia and New Zealand will have PKU.

“There are many benefits that non-nutritive sweeteners containing aspartame, such as Canderel, can provide the calorie-conscious consumer. Studies conducted with taste-test panels show that aspartame's taste is very similar to the taste of sugar.”

In addition, the American Dental Association has noted it "welcomes the development and FDA approval of artificial sweeteners that are shown to be safe and non-contributory to tooth decay. . . . Aspartame is an FDA-approved, safe sweetening agent and flavour enhancer that can be substituted for sugar in the diet."

“Sweeteners offer people with diabetes greater variety and flexibility in budgeting their total carbohydrate intake and allows them to satisfy their taste for sweets without affecting blood sugar, which helps them comply with a healthy meal plan. In addition, consuming products with aspartame can result in fewer calories , which helps people with diabetes manage their weight,” says Silber.

With approximately 57% of women and 29% of men in South Africa* overweight or obese, taking steps to assure appropriate calorie intake is important for many people.

“Because products with aspartame are lower in calories than their sugar-sweetened counterparts, using products with aspartame together with regular physical activity can help with weight management. Aspartame can reduce or replace the sugar and calories in foods and beverages while maintaining great taste. Thus, aspartame offers one simple step to help people move closer to achieving a more healthful diet, she adds.

Sources:

  • http://www.caloriecontrol.org/sweeteners-and-lite/sugar-substitutes/aspartame
  • Van der Merwe T & Pepper, M.S. Obesity in South Africa. Obesity reviews (2006) 7, 315-322
  • Magnuson BA, Burdock GA, Doull J et al (2007) Aspartame: A safety evaluation based on current use levels, regulations, and toxicological and epidemiological studies. Critical Reviews in Toxicology , Volume 37 , Issue 8 September 2007 , pages 629 - 727
  • European Food Safety Authority, Opinion of the scientific panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with Food (AFC) on a request from the Commission related to a new long-term carcinogenicity study on aspartame. The EFSA Journal, 2006. 356: p. 1-44.
  • Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, Toxicological Evaluation of Certain Food Additives. WHO Food Additives Series, 1983. 16.