Is Aspartame Still Safe to Eat Despite Being Classified as Carcinogenic? – A Few Facts

The recent controversy surrounding ‘aspartame shock’ has drawn attention to food additives. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified aspartame, a typical artificial sweetener, as a potential carcinogen. Even though there’s a daily allowable intake, some people still feel uneasy if it’s not overused. Perhaps this is an opportunity to try to reduce the intake of food additives.

Aspartame is classified as a potential carcinogen

The World Health Organization has categorized aspartame, an artificial sweetener in many sugar-free products labeled ‘Zero,’ as a Group 2B potential carcinogen. This has sparked debate over its safety. Concerns about food additives, such as aspartame, can significantly affect daily life and the economy.

The proper intake of aspartame

In our country, the permitted usage of these substances is well below the daily allowable intake, ensuring they remain safe even if consumed daily throughout one’s lifetime. The current daily allowable intake for aspartame is 40mg per 1kg of body weight. This means an adult weighing 132 pounds must drink 55 cans of zero cola containing aspartame daily to exceed the daily intake.

Popular various zero food and beverages

 

The ‘zero craze’ in the carbonated beverage market is spreading across the food and beverage industry. Various liquors such as soju and products that complete cooking with sauces are emerging one after another, boasting low calories and low sugar. With the advent of low-calorie bibim noodles frequently eaten in summer, they maintain the original spicy taste while significantly reducing calories, attracting consumers’ attention.

Avoid excessive fear

Experts explain that there is no need to worry about food additives if they are within the allowable range. Since there is a daily allowable intake that is not harmful even if consumed every day for a lifetime, there is no need to misunderstand or feel anxious that food additives harm our bodies. Experts advise that there’s no need for excessive concern, as food additives are expelled through our body’s metabolic process when consumed in appropriate amounts.

Food additives are often unavoidable in our modern diet

However, one should exercise caution when consuming many processed foods. This is due to the potential increase in sodium, sugar, fat, and food additives intake. Moreover, if different processed foods contain the same food additive, this can lead to increased consumption of that particular additive. Therefore, it’s advisable to check the expiration date and the list of food additives when purchasing.

Do ‘this’ before eating ham sausage!

Food additives like phosphates go into processed meat products like ham or sausage. If you blanch them in boiling water before eating, you can remove the food additives and salt. When frying in a pan, the additives mix with the oil, so if you remove the oil and eat, you can reduce the intake of additives. You can also remove some food additives from fish cakes or crab sticks by soaking them in lukewarm water.

Boil ramen noodles once and throw away the water

Various food additives go into ramen along with oil, so it is good to boil the noodles and throw away the water once. If you prepare boiling water next to it and pour it immediately, you can prevent the noodles from getting mushy. This process may be cumbersome, but can reduce food additives, so why not make it a habit? For powdered soup, please don’t put it in a whole bag, but only about half, and try to flavor the missing part by adding other vegetables.

Soak pickled radish in cold water

To achieve the delicate color of pickled radish, it is first bleached. This process is sped up by adding sodium metabisulfite and phosphoric acid. Manufacturers mix the radish with synthetic coloring to give it the appetizing yellow hue commonly seen in the market. Given its food properties and intense yellow color, it’s advisable to soak such pickled radish in cold water for over 5 minutes and rinse it thoroughly before consumption.

It’s hard not to eat food additives at all

Rather than thinking of not eating food additives at all, you should avoid consuming a variety of processed foods in a day to prevent continuous consumption of specific food additives. Suppose you obsess over avoiding foods with food additives. In that case, you may face limitations in food intake, and it may not be easy to maintain it continuously, so it is better to approach with the thought of reducing it a little.

Eat mainly fresh, natural foods as much as possible

To naturally reduce the intake of food additives in daily life, it is better to eat fresh, natural foods rather than processed foods and to serve vegetables when consuming processed foods. When buying food, you should check the expiration date and the food additives to avoid excessive consumption of specific food additives in a day.

By. Jeon Sin Young (press@daily.co.kr)