Diet coke is seen as the lesser evil and is a go-to drink for most weight watchers and fitness enthusiasts
A can of diet coke is considered to be healthy and guilty free, especially by those who are conscious of their weight. However, a recent report on one of its key ingredients has shaken everyone. As per reports, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is set to list the main ingredient of diet coke as a carcinogen. Let's know what it is.
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WHO to label aspartame as "possibly carcinogenic to humans"
Is there a reason to be alarmed?
"The fact that it's classified as a possible carcinogen does not mean it is a carcinogen and further research is being performed to establish whether it does have cancer-causing effects or not," says Dr Vinay Gaikwad - Director- The Oncology Centre - CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram.
"European studies like in France and Italy which have shown within a certain population that people who consume large amounts of aspartame in their food and drinks have a slightly greater risk of cancer. But we cannot establish that as a fact yet. So there is no need to be alarmed as of now. But we have to keep an eye on the news and what's happening. Whether this is really something that can cause cancer is yet to be established, things like cigarette smoke. We Know It causes cancer. Red meat is also part of this whole campaign and as well as asbestos all these chemical carcinogens that have been proven to increase one's risk of cancer but is aspartame one of these," Dr Gaikwad adds.
Aspartame, the sweet killer?
Aspartame, one of the world's common artificial sweeteners is likely to be declared a possible carcinogen next month, Reuters reported. The media report cites sources from the WHO's cancer arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and says that this listing is expected to be out in July.
Which foods contain aspartame?
Aspartame is used in diet coke, ice cream, chewing gum, diet soda, sugar-free soda, cereals, low-calorie coffee sweeteners, puddings, sugar-free desserts, sugar-free jams, and various other low-sugar or sugar-free packaged foods. “#WHO’s listing of #aspartame as possibly carcinogenic won’t affect drink companies that much as there are many other sweeteners, such as sucralose and stevia, they can use in sugar-free drinks, Li Shuguang, member of the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology, told Economic View,” Yicai Global reported.
What is the recommended intake of aspartame?
As per JECFA (the Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organization's Expert Committee on Food Additives), which is the WHO's expert committee on food additives, an adult weighing 60 kilos has to drink more than 12 cans of diet soda to be at risk.
Aspartame is carcinogenic in rodents
A 2021 research paper published in the Environmental Health journal found that, aspartame which is used in more than 5000 products causes malignant tumors in multiple organs in rats and mice. "Increased cancer risk was seen even at low exposure levels approaching the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI). Prenatal exposures caused increased malignancies in rodent offspring at lower doses than in adults," the report says.
What else has been put into cancer-causing class by WHO?
Prior to this, working overnight, consuming red meat, and using mobile phones were put under cancer-causing categories by the WHO's IARC. The decision regarding aspartame is likely to be released on July 14, The Guardian reported. IARC-WHO classifies carcinogens: Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans), Group 2A (probably carcinogenic to humans), Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans), Group 3 (not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans). Aspartame is under group 2A which means "there is convincing evidence that the agent causes cancer in laboratory animals and some evidence that it could cause cancer in humans, but the evidence in humans is not conclusive."
Is aspartame the only sweetener we should worry about?
The media reports on WHO's decision on aspartame have stirred unrest among both manufacturers and consumers. But is it the only sweetener we should be worried about? In May 2023, the WHO "released a new guideline on non-sugar sweeteners (NSS), which recommends against the use of NSS to control body weight or reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)." It addressed three important matters in the report: unhealthy weight loss, the heightened popularity of artificial sweeteners, and the risk of noncommunicable diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mortality in adults.
On aspartame's fate, experts react
Dr Dhruv Chauhan says: WHO cancer research agency to declare that “Aspartame” which is an artificial sweetener used in chewing gum, cold drinks, breakfast cereals, and dry bases for certain foods is a possible cancer-causing substance (CARCINOGEN)
Then people ask why Cancer is getting common these days even in young age group !
Govt needs to Immediately withdraw all the products which include aspartame.
Several health experts have contested this. "According to the WHO aspartame is as carcinogenic as aloe vera and pickled veg. And less carcinogenic than eating red meat, drinking hot drinks, or being a hairdresser," James Wong, a science writer has tweeted. Experts have also questioned whether aspartame is carcinogenic or not as no human evidence is available.
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