What is aspartame?

Discovered in 1965, aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener that is used in more than 5,000 products worldwide, including tabletop sweeteners, various foods and carbonated beverages. Because aspartame is up to 200 times sweeter than sugar, very little aspartame is need for the desired sweetness.

Aspartame is made from two amino acids, or protein components, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Aspartic acid and phenylalanine are building blocks of protein that are found in all protein-containing foods, including meats, grains, and dairy products. Aspartame is made when these two amino acids are joined and a methyl group is added. This methyl group breaks down during digestion and forms methanol. Methanol is found naturally in the body and in many foods such as fruit and vegetable juices. The body metabolizes the amino acids in aspartame the same as those from other protein-containing foods.