PUR 100% Xylitol Chewing Gum, Sugarless Wintergreen, Sugar Free + Aspartame Free + Gluten Free, Vegan & Keto Friendly - Healthy, Low Carb, Simply Pure Natural Flavoured Gum, 55 Pieces (Pack of 1)

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The assessments of aspartame have indicated that, while safety is not a major concern at the doses which are commonly used, potential effects have been described that need to be investigated by more and better studies. Studies have found that chewing gum while performing tasks can improve various aspects of brain function, including alertness, memory, understanding, and decision making ( 21, 22, 23, 24, 25). Free methanol is present in some foods and is also created when aspartame is heated. Free methanol consumed regularly may be a problem because it breaks down into formaldehyde, a known carcinogen and neurotoxin, in the body. Animal studies have suggested that aspartame is a chemical carcinogen in rodents and that prenatal exposure to aspartame increases cancer risk in rodent offspring ( 12). The FDA is aware of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) conclusions about aspartame issued July 14, 2023. Aspartame being labeled by IARC as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” does not mean that aspartame is actually linked to cancer.

In fact, one study found that chewing xylitol-sweetened gum reduced the amount of bad bacteria in the mouth by up to 75% ( 46). If you are a person with PKU or are otherwise instructed by a doctor to manage your dietary phenylalanine intake, you should avoid all products containing aspartame. There are many alternative NNS available.IARC has assessed the potential carcinogenic effect of aspartame (hazard identification),” an IARC spokesperson confirmed to the Guardian. “Following this, the joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives will update its risk assessment exercise on aspartame, including the reviewing of the acceptable daily intake and dietary exposure assessment for aspartame. The result of both evaluations will be made available together, on 14 July 2023.” In 2018, the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations even withheld funding (later restored) for IARC over concerns about irregularities and conflicts of interest in the agency’s glyphosate monograph. The gums made by Wrigley (spearmint, doublemint and juicy fruit) DO NOT contain artificial sweetners, only plain old fashioned sugar. Is chewing gum with aspartame bad for you? Sylvetsky AC, et al. (2017). Consumption of low-calorie sweeteners among children and adults in the United States. The same conclusion was reached in a recent review of more current studies, all of which showed conflicting results on potential toxic effects of aspartame, said Dr. Francesco Branca, director of WHO’s Department of Nutrition and Food Safety Department in a news briefing.

A build-up of phenylalanine in the body can lead to a range of negative side effects, including brain damage. Experts said that while there was a "possible" cancer risk, the product can be consumed in limited quantities. The WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) confirmed in the report that aspartame was "possibly carcinogenic to humans." Many mainstream gums have employed cheaper, artificial sweeteners like aspartame to achieve the satisfying sweetness we count on in a gum. However, these sweeteners aren't natural and some people prefer to avoid them. Unless you are diabetic, try to choose gum that uses plant-based sugars like honey, agave, or table sugar (sucrose).

Initially launched in 1984 as the first sugar-free gum sold in the United States, Wrigley’s Extra gum is now owned by the Mars corporation. It’s still sugar-free, sweetened using products such as aspartame and acesulfame K. Does spearmint gum have aspartame?

There have been reports that the use of sweeteners is linked to other health issues but the evidence base for this is limited. Cancer Research UK has said sweeteners do not cause cancer. Shum B, et al. (2021). The effects of non-nutritive sweetener consumption in the pediatric populations: What we know, what we don’t, and what we need to learn. Despite unanimous consensus from global regulatory agencies and health organizations that aspartame consumed in the manner it has been approved for use is safe and has minimal health risks for the general population, public concern on if aspartame has side effects remains alive and well today.Beverages and drink mixes, such as Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Diet Snapple, Fanta Zero, Sprite Zero, Crystal Light and Wyler’s Light. A 2020 study, for example, found an increased incidence of leukemia and lymphoma in mice that consumed aspartame — but the doses were almost quadruple the weight of the mice, Popkin said, which makes them a poor point of reference for human risk. Meanwhile, studies from the 1980s found aspartame did not cause brain tumors or bladder cancer in rats. The FDA disagrees with IARC’s conclusion that these studies support classifying aspartame as a possible carcinogen to humans. FDA scientists reviewed the scientific information included in IARC’s review in 2021 when it was first made available and identified significant shortcomings in the studies on which IARC relied. We note that JECFA did not raise safety concerns for aspartame under the current levels of use and did not change the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI).