Aspartame

Aspartame is an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener used as a sugar substitute in foods and beverages, chemically a methyl ester of the aspartic acid and phenylalanine dipeptide. It is roughly 200 times sweeter than sucrose, so despite producing about the same calories per gram as sugar when metabolized, the tiny quantities needed make its calorie contribution negligible. It was discovered by accident in December 1965 by chemist James M. Schlatter at G.D. Searle and Company while working on an unrelated project, and the United States Food and Drug Administration approved it in 1974, briefly revoked that approval, then reapproved it in 1981, later extending approval to more food categories through the 1990s. More than 100 government regulatory bodies consider it safe at normal intake levels, and organizations including the American Heart Association and American Cancer Society support its use; as of 2023 the FDA continues to classify it as a safe food ingredient within acceptable daily limits.