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Sweetness factor

Who doesn't like a sweet if it can be had without guilt?

Artificial sweeteners are a modern miracle.Though they provide sweetness without calories, people are sceptical about them. There are unanswered questions about these products. Five artificial sweeteners are approved for human consumption. They are aspartame, saccharin, Acesulfame-K, Neotame and Sucralose. Aspartame. It is present in diet colas and most non-saccharin artificial sweeteners. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar. A review of more than 100 clinical studies of aspartame shows it is safe for human consumption. But, people with the genetic disorder, phenylketonuria, should avoid it .

Saccharin. Discovered in 1879, it is the most controversial. In the 1970s, studies linked saccharin with bladder cancer in rats and a ban on human consumption was imminent. Saccharin was sold with a mandatory label declaring it a potential cancer-causing agent. However, more than 30 studies later, the cancer fears were unfounded. Acesulfame-K is more than 200 times sweeter than sugar and over 90 studies have proved its safety. Neotame is up to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar and is structurally similar to aspartame, which raised some concerns about safety. However, the release of phenylalanine from Neotame is very low. Sucralose is made from sucrose-common table sugar. However, it is not digested by the body. Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than table sugar and studies show it is safe for human consumption. Artificial sweeteners lower calorie consumption, but are only part of the solution for dieters and diabetics.

RAJIV. M

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