Neotame is a similar artificial sweetener to aspartame. The two substances are composed of the same amino acids, which are substances the body uses to build proteins. Neotame is suspected of causing the same toxic damage as aspartame, and possibly more, though no conclusive proof links either artificial sweetener to health problems.
Neotame is often mixed with table sugar or other artificial sweeteners for use in a wide range of foods, from soft drinks to baked goods. Neotame is believed to be more stable than aspartame and thus better for use in food preparation that involves heat.
People who wish to lose weight or maintain a low weight often turn to artificial sweeteners as a way to reduce their calories. However, artificial sweeteners may contribute to weight gain.
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Neotame is a sugar substitute approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Neotame is at least 7,000 times as sweet as sugar and 30 times or more sweeter than the more well-known artificial sweetener aspartame, according to the International Food Safety Network. Less neotame is need... more
Neotame is a sugar substitute approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Neotame is at least 7,000 times as sweet as sugar and 30 times or more sweeter than the more well-known artificial sweetener aspartame, according to the International Food Safety Network.
Less neotame is needed to make foods sweet than other artificial sweeteners because of its higher level of sweetness. The other artificial sweeteners that are approved in the United States include aspartame, acesulfame potassium, saccharin and sucralose, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Neotame is not as popular as aspartame though the two are very similar. People often turn to artificial sweeteners as a way to lose weight because they hope that the lack of calories will lower their overall caloric intake. Unfortunately, neotame and other artificial sweeteners do not always lead to weight loss and may contribute to more serious problems than weight gain.
Neotame was approved in 2002 for use in some foods and beverages. The FDA allows neotame to be added as a sweetener in a wide range of foods, but it cannot be added to meats, including poultry, according to LiveStrong.com.
The European Union approved the use of neotame in 2010, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
A benefit of using neotame over other artificial sweeteners is that neotame is heat stable, which means that it can be added to foods that are cooked or baked. Neotame and aspartame are chemically related, but neotame has better chemical stability.
Only small amounts of neotame is necessary because it is so sweet. Neotame is frequently mixed with other artificial sweeteners or real sugar. According to the CSPI, it is not used often today.
Neotame not only sweetens dishes, it enhances natural flavors, such as citrus, vanilla and chocolate, according to according to LiveStrong.com. Foods that may contain neotame include:
Artificial sweeteners have long been associated with an increased risk of cancer. At least one study did link artificial sweeteners to cancer but other studies have shown the opposite.
However, the National Cancer Institute states that over 100 studies have been performed on neotame, and other sweeteners, to prove that artificial sweeteners are not cancer risks.
Neotame does not affect blood glucose, which in turn means it does not affect insulin. The body releases insulin when blood glucose (sugar) levels rise to prevent ill effects from too much sugar in the blood. Neotame is not a real sugar and does not increase blood glucose, according to SweetenerBook.com.
The Mayo Clinic states that neotame is likely a good substitutes for sugar for people who have diabetes, a condition related to the inability to control blood glucose levels. Neotame is considered safe for pregnant women.
However, diabetics and pregnant women should get permission from their doctors before using neotame.
Neotame is made from combining two amino acids, phenylalanine and aspartic acid. These are the same two substances in aspartame. Phenylalanine is a dangerous substance for people with a condition called phenylketonuria.
Phenylketonuria is a genetic condition that leaves people unable to metabolize phenylalanine. Neotame may be useful to people with this condition because unlike aspartame, when the body metabolizes neotame it does not produce phenylalanine, according to SweetenerBook.com.
Perhaps the most popular reason for using artificial sweeteners like neotame is for weight management. Neotame has no calories whereas sugar is very high in calories. A single gram of table sugar contains 4 calories.
Not only does neotame contain no calories, and therefore does not directly contribute to weight gain, it is sweeter than sugar so much less of it is needed.
However, according to the Mayo Clinic, some studies have found a link between artificial sweeteners and increased weight. The reason is unknown.
Eating sugar may lead to tooth decay and cavities. Certain bacteria bind together to become plaque, which is harmful to teeth. These bacteria feed on sugar, but not artificial sweeteners.
Therefore, neotame does not play a role in tooth decay.
Although neotame and its chemical relation aspartame are considered safe by the FDA, when metabolized both substances turn into formaldehyde, according to NaturalNews.
Neotame may be even worse though because it also contains 3-dimethylbutyl, a chemical that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers to be one of the most hazardous chemicals known to man.
According to HolisticMed.com, neotame is more hazardous than aspartame. The formaldehyde and 3-dimethylbutyl can cause damage to the brain and other tissues of the body, even at low doses.
The reason that manufacturers added 3,3-dimethylbutyraldehyde to aspartame to get neotame was that the chemical inhibits enzymes that severe the peptide bond that links phenylalanine and aspartic acid. This is why consuming neotame may be safe for people with Phenylketonuria, at least in terms of reduced phenylalanine.
However, 3,3-Dimethylbutyraldehyde is known to irritate the eyes, skin and respiratory system. It is also flammable and must be handled with extreme caution when used to make neotame, according to Mercola.com.
Neotame is also used in animal feed. According to FarmWars.info, some feed manufacturing companies use neotame instead of molasses to sweeten the food because it is cheaper. Sweeteners are often added to animal feed that is old to cover up poor taste and smell.
A product called Sweetos specifically contains neotame.
When people eat animal flesh, they consume the substances that the animals were fed, including any chemicals like neotame.
The Mayo Clinic advocates caution when consuming neotame and other artificial sweeteners. The clinic states that discretion and moderation are necessary when selecting an artificial sweetener.
Not all sugar-free foods are zero-calorie. Eating these foods can still cause weight gain as many of them have calories, even if they are not sugar calories.. Many foods that have neotame or other artificial additives are also low in nutritional value. These processed foods are not as healthy as natural, whole foods.
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Sources:
| Weight Gain |
| Neohexyl-aspartame, N-[N-(3,3-dimethylbutyl)-L-alpha-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester |
| Lose Weight |