How to Avoid Aspartame
Check the labels of processed foods., Check the labels of “diet” products., Be careful if a product is labeled "sugar-free"., Watch out for sugar substitutes.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Check the labels of processed foods.
On the back of your food products, read the ingredients or “Inactive Ingredients” section.
It is a small section underneath the “Nutrition Facts” section.
If you see either the word “aspartame” or “phenylalanine” then the product contains aspartame.
Some products even have a warning that indicates people with phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid the product.
Products like diet soda and gum usually have a warning about phenylketonuria.
However, you should check for this warning on all of the processed foods you consume if you have PKU. -
Step 2: Check the labels of “diet” products.
Check the labels of products that specifically say they are “diet," for example, diet soda.
Diet products often contain aspartame, however not all of them do.
Ensure by checking for aspartame or phenylalanine in the ingredients section.
Try looking for products that use Splenda or stevia as sweeteners instead.
For example, Diet Pepsi has aspartame, but Pepsi One uses Splenda as a sweetener.
Splenda is a no-calorie sweetener, also referred to as sucralose., Before buying sugar-free products like yogurt, hot chocolate mixes, flavored water powders, gum, or candy, check the label to see if the product contains aspartame.
Not all of these products contain aspartame, so be sure to check the labels.Yogurts that are most likely to contain aspartame are processed yogurts that are sugar or fat free, as well as drinkable yogurts.
Some yogurt brands that contain aspartame include Dannon Activia, Mueller "Light," and Weight Watchers.
Instead, opt for yogurt that is unsweetened, sweetened with sugar, or sweetened with sugar substitutes besides aspartame.
Drink powders can be sweetened with aspartame, but not all of them are.
For example, Crystal Light is sweetened with aspartame, but Crystal Light Pure is sweetened with stevia.Many types of gum and candy, particularly gum and candies that are labeled “sugar-free,” use aspartame as a sweetener.
For example, hard candy, breath mints, and candy chews can contain aspartame.
Gum products that tend to have aspartame are Orbit and Wrigley’s Extra., Sugar substitutes are used to sweeten products instead of regular table sugar.
Sugar substitutes can be artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, novel sweeteners, and natural sweeteners as well.
Here’s a guide to understanding each sugar substitute and the common brands associated with them:
Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes, which are many times sweeter than real sugar.
Artificial sweeteners include: acesulfame potassium (Sunett and Sweet One), aspartame (Equal and Nutrasweet), neotame, saccharin (Sugar Twin and Sweet N’ Low), sucralose (Splenda), and advantamed.
Sugar alcohols are manufactured carbohydrates that occur naturally in vegetables and fruits.
Despite its name, sugar alcohols do not contain alcohol.
They are also not as sweet as regular sugar and contain fewer calories than regular sugar.
Sugar alcohols include: erythritol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol.
Be careful about products that contain maltitol.
Maltitol has been associated with a variety of digestive disturbances like abdominal discomfort, gas, bloating, and diarrhea.Novel sweeteners are usually combinations of different kinds of sweeteners and are hard to fit into one category.
Some examples of novel sweeteners are stevia extracts (Pure Via and Truvia), tagatose (Naturlose), and trehalose (found naturally in honey and mushrooms).
Natural sweeteners are promoted as healthy alternatives to regular sugar and sugar substitutes, but are still processed sweeteners.
Examples of natural sweeteners are agave nectar, date sugar, fruit juice concentrate, honey, maple syrup, and molasses. -
Step 3: Be careful if a product is labeled "sugar-free".
-
Step 4: Watch out for sugar substitutes.
Detailed Guide
On the back of your food products, read the ingredients or “Inactive Ingredients” section.
It is a small section underneath the “Nutrition Facts” section.
If you see either the word “aspartame” or “phenylalanine” then the product contains aspartame.
Some products even have a warning that indicates people with phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid the product.
Products like diet soda and gum usually have a warning about phenylketonuria.
However, you should check for this warning on all of the processed foods you consume if you have PKU.
Check the labels of products that specifically say they are “diet," for example, diet soda.
Diet products often contain aspartame, however not all of them do.
Ensure by checking for aspartame or phenylalanine in the ingredients section.
Try looking for products that use Splenda or stevia as sweeteners instead.
For example, Diet Pepsi has aspartame, but Pepsi One uses Splenda as a sweetener.
Splenda is a no-calorie sweetener, also referred to as sucralose., Before buying sugar-free products like yogurt, hot chocolate mixes, flavored water powders, gum, or candy, check the label to see if the product contains aspartame.
Not all of these products contain aspartame, so be sure to check the labels.Yogurts that are most likely to contain aspartame are processed yogurts that are sugar or fat free, as well as drinkable yogurts.
Some yogurt brands that contain aspartame include Dannon Activia, Mueller "Light," and Weight Watchers.
Instead, opt for yogurt that is unsweetened, sweetened with sugar, or sweetened with sugar substitutes besides aspartame.
Drink powders can be sweetened with aspartame, but not all of them are.
For example, Crystal Light is sweetened with aspartame, but Crystal Light Pure is sweetened with stevia.Many types of gum and candy, particularly gum and candies that are labeled “sugar-free,” use aspartame as a sweetener.
For example, hard candy, breath mints, and candy chews can contain aspartame.
Gum products that tend to have aspartame are Orbit and Wrigley’s Extra., Sugar substitutes are used to sweeten products instead of regular table sugar.
Sugar substitutes can be artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, novel sweeteners, and natural sweeteners as well.
Here’s a guide to understanding each sugar substitute and the common brands associated with them:
Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes, which are many times sweeter than real sugar.
Artificial sweeteners include: acesulfame potassium (Sunett and Sweet One), aspartame (Equal and Nutrasweet), neotame, saccharin (Sugar Twin and Sweet N’ Low), sucralose (Splenda), and advantamed.
Sugar alcohols are manufactured carbohydrates that occur naturally in vegetables and fruits.
Despite its name, sugar alcohols do not contain alcohol.
They are also not as sweet as regular sugar and contain fewer calories than regular sugar.
Sugar alcohols include: erythritol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol.
Be careful about products that contain maltitol.
Maltitol has been associated with a variety of digestive disturbances like abdominal discomfort, gas, bloating, and diarrhea.Novel sweeteners are usually combinations of different kinds of sweeteners and are hard to fit into one category.
Some examples of novel sweeteners are stevia extracts (Pure Via and Truvia), tagatose (Naturlose), and trehalose (found naturally in honey and mushrooms).
Natural sweeteners are promoted as healthy alternatives to regular sugar and sugar substitutes, but are still processed sweeteners.
Examples of natural sweeteners are agave nectar, date sugar, fruit juice concentrate, honey, maple syrup, and molasses.
About the Author
Mark Mendoza
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow home improvement tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: