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Aspartame - Artificial Sweetener

The chemical compound of Phenylalanine is an amino acid with the chemical formula of C6H5CH2CH(NH2)COOH and molecular formula of C9H11NO2. It is a neutral acid that is used to biochemically form proteins. It is an essential amino acid, meaning that humans must get it from their diet.
             Like peptides, aspartame may hydrolyze and break down into its constitute amino acids under conditions of elevated temperature or high pH. This is why it is undesirable as a baking sweetener as it is prone to degradation in products hosting high pH as required for a long shelf life. The main parts of the organic compound are a carboxylic acid and amine. This half bonds with the nitrogen of phenylalanine to make the full compound. The compound has a very high melting point of 249 degree Celsius. When looking at it, it has a white color to it. It is usually in the form of a tablet or a powder. It is a stable compound, but it is incompatible with strong oxidizing agent. But it is recommended to avoid inhaling the powder as it is a safety hazard.
             I first become interested in the chemical compound of aspartame as when I was younger and would go to restaurants my dad would tell me that if I ever wanted to use or eat sugar, to only use the white packets and not use any other colors such as the pink, blue, or yellow packets. He also said for me not to drink diet drinks as they are unhealthy just like the not white packet sugars. Whenever asking why, he would say that it is not good for me. I was curious as to what it was and why it was bad for me. When I tried it, I could not see as to why it could possibly be bad as it tasted good and sweet like sugar and actually was sweeter. I later found out it was the chemical compound of Aspartame and now have learned as to why my dad would tell me not to eat it. .
             Many argue that aspartame is one of the most dangerous substances added to most foods today. Aspartame has been used since the early 1980s in thousands of different food and beverage products.


Essays Related to Aspartame - Artificial Sweetener

1. Diet coke and the addiction

... everyday basis. They all leave a bitter aftertaste. Others, however, argue that diet sodas are the drinks with the bad aftertastes, due to the aspartame used to sweeten them. Is this artificial sweetener really going to give you cancer or worse? Aspartame, which is found in NutraSweet and Equal brand sugars, is made up of two amino acids: Aspartic acid and phenylalanine. These acids are ... need to drink at least 14 cans of diet drinks a day. If you type "aspartame" into Yahoo internet search engine you would get 113,000 results, including links to an aspartame victims" support group an...

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2. sweetner

Artificial Sweetners By: Humans have always craved sweet foods. Nutritive sweeteners such as honey and sugar have been enjoyed since the beginning of ... . The FDA has approved certain nonnutritive sweeteners for use as food additives, such as saccharine, aspartame and sucralose. Each have faced controversy, but these are now the most widely used sweeteners available. Saccharine, the worlds oldest alternative sweetener, was discovered in 1897 by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Its use was very limited until ... & Low, is 500 times sweeter than sucrose, and is used regularly in candie...

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3. Nutritional Promise or Potential Disaster

... disease and cancer, and also to prevent tooth decay. Although, the question of these products actually achieving these goals is disputed. There are many controversies on sugar substitutes. The oldest artificial sweetener on the market is saccharin, which was developed in 1900. The fake sugar, Cyclamate, was introduced in the 1950's, but by the 70's , there were claims that it increased the ... tumors in laboratory rats, in result the FDA required a warning label on all saccharin-containing foods. In 1981 the FDA approved the use of aspartame, but not very soon after its approval did its...

  • Word Count: 980
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4. Why America Should Avoid Mass-Produced Foods

... and what is in it. With the long list of harmful additives, dyes and artificial sweeteners added to an increasing number of processed foods, I can only touch on a few. One of the worst additives widely used today is "Aspartame," which is the main artificial sweetener for diet soda. Aspartame is known for causing seizures, depression, migraines, vision and hearing loss, anxiety attacks, memory ... loss, and death (Mercola). Aspartame is also known to trigger or worsen brain tumors, Alzheimer's, mental retardation, Parkinson's disease, Fibromyalgia, birth defects ... ...

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5. Sucralose:Another Sugar Substitute

... University of London (Knight, 1994), which resulted in the 1989 discovery of a compound that was eventually called sucralose. Sucralose was the first non-calorie sweetener made from sugar, or natural sucrose. Many individuals feel that this is a safe alternative to sugar because it is made from sugar. In the ... be safe. (holisticmed.com) There have only been 110 studies done on humans and animals that the FDA has reviewed. If we look at aspartame, which is still considered to be clinically safe, with the minor side effects after prolonged dosage, such as headaches in some subjects (The...

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6. William Wrigley Jr.

... called Orbit. However, the company had to withdraw the gum from the market after xylitol, the artificial sweetener, was declared a carcinogen by the Food and Drug Administration. In 1979, the company introduced Hubba Bubba and in 1984 it introduced Wrigley's Extra, a sugar free gum sweetened with aspartame. In the 1990's the company faced increasing competition from Nabisco, makers of Carefree, and Bubble Yum ... ...

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7. Slim Fast

... , is that this meal supplement has a gritty and unsavoury taste. Another disadvantage is that Slim Fast is not recommended for people who are unable to metabolize phenylalanine (an ingredient of artificial sweetener aspartame). The major drawback is that there is no medical supervision and the diet can be easily misused causing health risks. However one might look at this from another perspective and ... ...

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