aspartame

plural aspartames

1. uncountableusuallychemistryAn artificial sweetener, the methyl ester of a dipeptide formed from aspartic acid and phenylalanine, used in many processed foods and beverages.

   In powdered form, aspartame is mixed with lactose, so a 1-gram packet contains 4 calories.

   2008, Frances Sienkiewicz Sizer, Eleanor Noss Whitney, Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies, volume 10, page 143

   4 more examples

   Though reluctant to further expose him to aspartame, I had little trouble persuading Jamie's mother to carry out a double-blind trial in order to more rigorously document her son's aberrant response to aspartame.

   2001, C. Keith Conners, Feeding the Brain: How Foods Affect Children, page 38

   Caramel colors and aspartame Phosphoric acid, potassium Natural flavors, of course caffeine And now I'm jonesin' for MSG

   2006, J. G. Thirlwell, “Sieve”, in Damp, performed by Foetus

   Aspartame, sold under the brand NutraSweet, was discovered accidentally by a scientist at Searle in 1965 who was testing new drugs for gastric ulcers and licked his fingers before picking up a piece of paper.

   2007, Nina Redman, Food Safety: A Reference Handbook, page 37

   Some examples of the sweeteners include aspartame, saccharin, sucralose and stevia. The W.H.O.’s announcement contradicts previous studies that have said these sweeteners don’t offer any health benefits but also do not cause harm.

   2023 May 15, April Rubin, “World Health Organization Warns Against Using Artificial Sweeteners”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 28 Aug 2023

   Synonyms: E951 when used as a sweetener