Wondering Whether Aspartame is Bad For Kids?
In a world where sugar seems to turn up nearly everywhere, many parents turn to artificial sweeteners like aspartame as an alternative way to satisfy a child's sweet tooth. Aspartame is a widely used sugar substitute that often finds its way into various food and beverage products marketed toward kids. If you’ve seen aspartame in the news or on food labels, you might be wondering: is aspartame bad for kids?
In this blog post, my goal is to provide you with the science-based, real-world information you need to make the right decisions for yourself and your family about aspartame and its risks, potential side effects, and presence in our children's diets—without fear-mongering and unnecessary stress. Let’s dive in!
What is Aspartame?
Aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener used as a sugar substitute in many diet and sugar-free products. It is composed of two amino acids, phenylalanine and aspartic acid, and a small amount of methanol.
Aspartame is approved for use in food products by health authorities, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and is found in various foods, often considered “diet foods.” Aspartame foods and drinks include diet sodas, sugar-free chewing gums, and some snacks.
Sugar substitutes or non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS), like aspartame, come in various forms, including artificial sweeteners and natural sugar alternatives. Aspartame is just one type, with others like sucralose, saccharin, and stevia also commonly used.
NNSs are high-intensity sweeteners that provide a sweet taste with little to no increase in blood glucose and few to no calories; however, their levels of sweetness range from 180 to 20,000 times sweeter than sugar. Aspartame is about 200 times sweeter than table sugar.
What are the Side Effects of Aspartame?
Aspartame is generally considered safe for consumption by the majority of the population. However, some individuals, including those with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic disorder, must avoid phenylalanine-containing foods, including aspartame.
Potential aspartame side effects include headaches, irritable moods, depression, anxiety, dizziness, and gastrointestinal issues, though these effects are typically mild and vary from person to person.
What Foods Have Artificial Sweeteners?
Aspartame and other NNS can be found in many processed foods and beverages. Diet sodas, diet drinks, sugar-free snacks, and certain desserts often contain aspartame to provide sweetness without added sugar calories.
For parents who want to monitor their children's intake of artificial sweeteners, checking food labels is a great place to start. Aspartame brand names include Nutrasweet, Equal, and Sugar Twin.
A few common food items with aspartame include sugar-free jello, Trident gum, diet sodas (Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Diet Dr. Pepper, Fresca, Tab), sugar-free syrups including Log Cabin brand, and Country Time Sugar-Free lemonade.
Are Artificial Sweeteners Safe for Kids?
The safety of artificial sweeteners (including aspartame) is a topic that sparks a lot of debate. As a pediatric registered dietitian in private practice, I find that questions about sugar for kids and toddlers come up often.
While we know that added sugars are not recommended for children under 2 years of age and added sugars should be limited in children older than 2, what about using non-nutritive sweeteners?
According to the FDA, aspartame is one of the most studied food additives in the human food supply. Regulatory agencies affirm the safety of artificial sweeteners when consumed within acceptable daily intake levels; however, concerns still persist for many parents about the long-term impact of artificial sweeteners on children's health.
Some research suggests potential adverse effects, including increased risk of cancer. Many parents became increasingly worried after the International Agency for Research on Cancer labeled aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” based on a report from the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).
However, the report (conducted by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization) was based on limited evidence; overall, the most current body of evidence does not support a conclusive link between cancer and aspartame. According to the American Cancer Society, “the results of epidemiologic studies (studies of groups of people) of possible links between aspartame and cancer (including blood-related cancers) have not been consistent for most cancers. Some studies have suggested a possible link, but others have not.”
What about other potential negative health impacts of aspartame? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), “recent research suggests possible links between nonnutritive sweeteners and changes in appetite and taste preferences in children.” This suggests that the more we expose ourselves to sweet flavors and tastes, whether from naturally sweet foods or artificial sweeteners, the more our taste buds will crave them.
Does aspartame help with weight loss? Because NNS have fewer calories, many people assume NNS will lead to weight loss and help with weight management. However, according to the AAP, “there has been no consistent or conclusive evidence that NNS use lends to a reduction in total caloric intake and, thereby, to weight loss.”
There is also concern that NNS may cause changes in the gut microbiome, which may affect blood sugar levels and contribute to insulin resistance and diabetes, but research is inconclusive in this area and more is needed.
Also of note, aspartame has not been found to worsen symptoms of ADHD in kids, although more research is needed.
What is a Safe Amount of Aspartame?
Despite the concerns raised in ongoing research, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the AAP, and the FDA continue to support the use of NNS as long as they are consumed under the approved recommended limits.
In the United States, the FDA has established acceptable daily intake (ADI) levels for aspartame to help ensure safe levels of consumption. The ADI for aspartame is 50 mg per kilogram of body weight, per day. To put this amount in context, a 40-pound child would have to drink a little more than four 12-ounce cans of Sprite Zero every day to reach the limit.
Interestingly, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) sets the ADI for aspartame lower, at 40 mg/kg/day.
The challenge in determining how much aspartame we consume is that while U.S. food labels require manufacturers to list aspartame as an ingredient or on the label if it is included in a product, the label is not required to indicate how much aspartame is in a package or serving of the food.
Is aspartame safe for kids?
Whether aspartame is bad for kids isn’t doesn’t have an easy, one-size-fits-all answer. But, based on the most up-to-date body of evidence on aspartame and its health impacts, health authorities assert that aspartame is safe when consumed within established limits. If maintaining those established limits feels challenging, you might consider avoiding artificial sweeteners like aspartame when feeding your kids, or at least approaching them with caution.
In my home, the way I approach aspartame is to generally not purchase products that contain it, but if my kids happen to have a diet soda or buy a pack of Trident gum, I don’t worry, because it’s so unlikely that they’ll even come close to consuming anywhere near the established limits set by the FDA or the EFSA. When it comes to feeding my three girls, I’m much more concerned about striving for balance, teaching my girls to reject diet culture, and role-modeling body positivity.
As with any aspect of nutrition, moderation and a balanced diet remain key. Stay informed, and seek information from reputable dietitians, healthcare providers, and scientific studies to make informed decisions about your child's diet. Ultimately, make the choice that aligns with your child's unique health needs for a happy and healthy journey ahead.
If you are looking for more information on your child’s nutritional needs, please check out my blog or schedule a virtual consultation with me for one-on-one advice. Please leave a comment below and share with a friend who may need this info. Thanks for reading!