Aspartame in your drinks – DO you need to stop drinking your favorite soft drinks?

In mid July the international agency for research of cancer (IARC) – a branch of world health organisation (WHO) plan to release a review of safety data on aspartame which is a common artificial sweetener used in a wide range of foods & beverages and in this review declare that aspartame is carcinogenic i.e can cause cancer to humans. 

Aspartame is set to be classified as a Group B2 carcinogen. Other items under this classification are aloe Vera, pickled veg, talc powder. 

But before you throwing out all your coke zero you have to remember context is key.

The current evidence suggests that to be at “possible risk” from carcinogens the average individual would have to consume 12-36 cans of diet soda a day! 

The FDA recommends a daily limit of 50mg per kg of BW of aspartame a day which for a 60kg women translates to 3000mg a day and there is 87mg of aspartame in a 330ml can of coke zero. That would mean you would have to have 35 cans of coke zero a day to be at “possible risk’

Toxicity lies in the dose, not the ingredient.

And let’s be honest if you are drinking 35 cans of coke zero a day there is not only possible risk of cancer but the rest of your diet probably isn’t going to be best so that’s something to look at as a whole. This would be a massive red flag for your nutrition & behaviour as a whole.

note different items have different levels of aspartame so some drinks could be lower, some could be higher – but still if your drinking that amount you need to take a good look at your diet and ask why are you drinking that many.

So if you like your coke zero, diet coke or whatever soft drink tickles your fancy, dont be a moron and have 35 cans a day but dont allow this fear mongering stop you from drinking and enjoying it within reason.