Neotame

Neotame

Neotame

What is it:

Neotame is an artificial sweetener that is about 7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar. It is a white crystalline powder that is commonly used in foods, beverages, and other low-calorie or low-sugar products as a sugar substitute. Neotame is produced through a process called acylation, which involves the reaction of aspartame with a chemical called 3,3-dimethylbutyraldehyde. The resulting molecule is neotame, which is a derivative of aspartame but is much sweeter and more stable.

Rating:

Neotame is not naturally occurring and is a highly processed product. While it has been deemed non-toxic and non-carcinogenic by regulatory agencies, there is limited research on potential health effects. In rats, it has demonstrated the ability to alter the microbiome, which may have negative health implications. Neotame breaks down in the gut and produces small amounts of methanol, which is a toxic substance. While more research is needed on Neotame, artificial sweeteners may have a negative affect on metabolism.

Resources:

  1. Neotame alters microbial diversity of rats (animal study)
  2. General information on Neotame as an artificial sweetener
  3. Review of Neotame and artificial sweeteners
  4. Mechanisms for how non-nutritive sweeteners may affect metabolic factors

How we rate ingredients

Health is like a bank account, certain ingredients make a deposit into your health bank, meaning they add to
your health. Certain ingredients withdraw from your health bank. We want health promoting ingredients in our diet. To keep things simple, we rate ingredients on a green, yellow, red scale:

Clean

It is naturally occurring in food and has no harmful effects on the body. It is real food. It is health promoting.

Caution

It goes into one or more of the below categories

  • It is not naturally occurring in food but doesn’t have data showing it has a harmful effect on the body (additives like Gellan Gum)
  • It is naturally occurring but can have some harmful effects on the body (added sugars, oils, gums etc.)

We Avoid

It is known to have a harmful effect on the body (ex. All food colorings, Natural Flavors, MSG, Potassium bromate, aspartame, artificial flavors)

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