What are aspartame's key benefits?

Part of a Healthful Diet: Aspartame can reduce or replace the sugar and calories in foods and beverages while maintaining great taste. Thus, aspartame offers one simple step in helping people move closer to achieving a more healthful diet.

Beneficial in Weight Control: Since nearly two out of three Americans are classified as overweight or obese, taking steps to assure appropriate calorie intake is important for many people. Because products sweetened with aspartame are lower in calories than their sugar-sweetened counterparts, using products with aspartame together with regular physical activity can help with weight management.

A Clean, Sweet Taste: Studies conducted with taste-test panels show that aspartame's taste is very similar to the taste of sugar.

Enhances and Extends Flavors: Aspartame has the ability to intensify and extend fruit flavors, such as strawberry, cherry, and citrus flavors such as orange, in foods and beverages. For example, chewing gum made with aspartame tastes sweeter and more flavorful longer than sugar-sweetened gum.

Does Not Promote Tooth Decay: The American Dental Association has noted that it -welcomes the development and FDA approval of new artificial sweeteners that are shown to be safe and non-contributory to tooth decay—Aspartame is an FDA-approved, safe sweetening agent and flavor enhancer that can be substituted for sugar in the diet."

Can Help People with Diabetes: Aspartame provides people with diabetes greater variety and flexibility in budgeting their total carbohydrate intake allowing them to satisfy their taste for sweets while complying with a healthful meal plan. In addition, consuming products with aspartame can result in fewer calories, which can help people manage their weight.