-T:'1e Intakes of Carbohydrates, Calories, C8.1ciu~n,
and Iron of Asparta~e and Non-Aspartame Users
An Honors Thesis (ID 499)
by
Conn 1. e L. 1:1 ell mrm
Thesis Director
7
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana
~lI.ay,
1985
Sprinr,/1')85
-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would li~e to sincerely thank Jr.
Alice Spaneler and Dr. Jeanette ~iller
for all the help they have p,iven ~e
a~d for letti~p, me work wjth them in
obtaininc these honors.
I'd especially
like to thank Dr. Sun~hee Kim for all
the ~atience and encourap,ement.
I
couldn't have ask ed for c:myone nic er
to have worked under.
TABLE OF CONTSr:T:":
.1.
Abstract . . . . • . . . . • . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
2.
Introduction and Bac:(f,round •...........•....•
2
3.
!\'lateri[lls [lnd i:lethod.s .......... "' ..... '" '" "'. '" '" '" "' . '" "'. '"
J
[1 '"
h
.J •
Re su 1 t f1 "'. '"
Discusnion
6.
Tables
<:0
u..
b.
c.
d.
-
c.
In'~akes of carbohydrates 'lnd calories for
as~art~ne and non-asparta~e users .•......
6
Co.loric intakes of AS[Jarta'Yle and ;,lonasparta~e Users as EX0ressed in %RDA .....
7
Intakes of Calcjum and Iron of AS;),'1rta:;)C
and };on-as::1arta'1le Uoers ..... .•... ..... ...
(3
Intakes of Aspartu'1le and Calorieo
for one, two and three neal cntero ...... .
Avera~e
='Jurnber of
7I
•
Eaten by !~otJartaT,e and
Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
',~eals
1'}011-QS~),~rto..l1c
8.
-
'" '" '" '" '" .... '" ...... '" • '" . . . . . '" '" • '" '" '" '" • '" '" . . . . '" '" '" '"
.
10
Literatllre Cited ........................ "' .................................................. ..
12
Concl UIS ion '" '" '" . '" '" '" '" '" ... '" '"
ill'
..
'"
..
'"
..........
'"
......
"
............
-
APPEN"DJ X
1.
2.
J.
-
Sample of 24-hour recall..... ... ....... ......
S2.>'Tlple of Codjnf, Sheet ...•.•.........•.•..•..
Computer Analysjs Sheet ..•. ...•.••.•.•.....•.
14
15
16
AB~3TRACT
Thirty-onc
fe~ale
Ball State University studentG
between the apes of 13- 22 were
~sked
They were
the day before.
~iven
?4- hour recslls.
everythin~
to write down
they had
C, fatty
vita~in
acid.
~~r
These diets were analyzed by computer
calories, protein, carbohydrates, liJlds,
n~ln
eate~
~cids,
vit!~nin
A, vit-
vitamin B]2, niacin, rihoflnvin,
thja~j~,
B6, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and .pantothenic
The
sub,iect~3
were then dl'/ided into
non-aspartame users.
and iron
inta~es
~ere
The
c!3.rbohydr~te,
;:j.si);lrt;~me
calorie,
r:.,vld
c:alciu;~i
then analyzed for the two groups.
Carbohydrate, calorie and iron intakes were hipher in the
non-aspartame users.
sicnifica~tly
The calcium
jnta~es
between the two groups ..
--
1
did not differ
2
-
I~TRODUCTIJ~
and BACrGROUHD:
On July l,
lJ~~3
FDA Clx)roved aSrJartame for '.13e 1 n car-
bonated soft drin:-::s in the Ucited States (1).
Ac'/3rtn.nc
is the new low-calorie [3We0.tener devcloiJcd b.'f C.l).
?~
Co.
It consists of ttrf'P Co:npoLPnts-
alanine, and
met~y]
food S Vie eat
ever~r
r1s~):rrtic
:~curle
t~e
alcohol- all naturally Jresent in
day (2).
;I~c:jyl-
acid,
::; evera: test s were do:'lc Ll c~s-
tablish the s1if'ety of asparta'TIe for rE)[,;ulatr)ry ;')lxrj)uses.
T~ese
include studies of
metabolis~,
phar:nacolopy, toxi-
teratolocr, and :nutllGentcity.
colof':~r,
studies cor..cluded tllut aspartame
results of these
rr:~e
Cf~use:::;
":l~lY:nful
llr)
ef~0cts
in any of these areas.
~uestions
~-:qve
beere asl:ed 8.bout H.e usP -of
31':c:Ct-
F3.nyt~lirw
ca:l he
One is Plat tte amino acids
ener.
It is true that large a'Tlounts of just about
But the a'Tlounts of
har.nful.
-
t~~js
artame are
extre:nel~r
s:nall.
If you consU'nEd the
lmusu8.1~:(·
larp0. amount of 500mr: of aspn.rtal1e, you wou1 d pet
phenylalanine and aspartic acid than
~rom
lesr~
6 oz. 8f
~il~
or
3 oz. of beef (3).
Other studies done on aspartame include the effect of
asparta;lle loading on amino acid levels in normal adults (4),
lactating women (5), and one-year old infants (6).
The use of Nutrasweet, the brand name for aspartal1e,
as an artificial sweetener has shown great popularity recently.
It can be found in diet soft drinks, celatins,
gum, chocolate-flavored drink mixes, cold breakfast cerr:uls
and many other products (7).
Taste tests indicate that
s<)ft drinks containinG aspartame are virtually i:1disti-:1guishable from beverages made with
su~ar
(1).
C~lories
be reducec by as much as CJ5% and aspartame is about 200
times sweeter than sugar so less is needed in foods
There are also many other
These include:
advanta~es
un.
of Nutrasweet.
can
*
it's safe;
*
*
does not cause dental caries;
metabolizes as a protein:
*
improves the taste of dietetic and low-caloric foods (J).
But there are some
disadvanta[~es
to usinr as;lartarr.e.
One of these is that it breaks down in heat so it can't be
used in bakinr:.
A
Asparta'";1e also contains phenylalanine.
genetic djsease called phenylketonuria (PKU) is present in
a small percentage of infants.
These children have the in-
ability to metabolize phenylalanine so they have to stay
away from products containinG aspn.rta:;]e (11 \ .
I.:any
peo~le
use jJroducts made with aspartame, cut hOVi
does their nutritional
use Nutrasweet?
inta1~e
Are they
relate to peotlle who dor:' t
~ettinr:
Are they gettinr: the proper vi tami
enourh calorLes a day?
TIS
each
da~r'?
T:Vlere are
many questions concerninr: the use of 5utrasweet ar:d its
safety.
But another concern is if it prevents a person fro:;]
~etting
adequate nutrition.
The purpose of this survey was
to determine how ones Nutrasweet inta:<:e relates to her diet,
and to
co~n.t->are
the di et s of .t->eo pI c who used
~:
u t raswect to
people who didn't.
:'.1ATERIALS AND
~uring
~:1ETHODS:
December, 1984, thirty-one female college stu-
dents, ages 19- 22, were given questionnaires to give a
24- hour recall of what they had eaten the day before.
duplicate of the questionnaire is shown in FiGure 1.
names wer'2 remained unanimous.
and ran
t~rough
a Z-29 computer.
A
The
These di ets were then coded
The computer analyzed the
diets on the basis of intakes of the followinr;:
calories,
protein, carbohydrates, lipids, vi ta'TIin A, vi tallin C, fatty
aCids, vitamin B12, ni ncin, rihoflavin, thia:nin, vi tamin BG,
calcium,
-
~ercent
iron, magnesium, zinc and pantothenic acid.
RDA for these was also calculated.
An
ex~nple
The
of
Fir;ure 1
-
I en doinc research for a thesis yllH?r on thr:: usc'
of
~utrasweet
i~
the diet.
In order for
~e
to do tne
diet analysis 1 need people to do diet recalls.
you please
partici~ate
by writinc down what you have
eaten yesterday on this sheet of
also.
Pleo..se ;>ut the
al)proxi~nQ.te
pn~er.
[l1l0U11t!J
Include
too.
you very much.
Corm j
Turn
the~
Would
(-?
'.'1 el1:n o.Y1
in today as soon as you can!
dri~~s
Tl"~n~~
one sutject's
the 24-hoUT
~~alysis
rec~ll,
is riven in the
the
codin~
~)~endix.
It
8h~ws
of the diet and the qnalysis
by the co:-n;)ut er.
'rhe
anp3.rta~ne
into two croups.
and non-rts)8.rto.me
The t-test for
0.
u~;er:::
v:erp t'len d i vi cicci
difference lietw('C'n two
independent means was used to anrtlvze the results (10).
test \'r_1S
the
a:,pro)ri[~te
perfo~nance
Th~s
bec8.use it is used to deter:nine whether
difference between two rroupn of subjects
is significant.
:tESULTS:
Analyzed
diet~~rJ
to expected values.
(P<O.05)
intFlkes of carbohydrates were similar
There was a sicnificant difference
betwee:1 the as1-mrtame and :-lon-as":lo.rtame users in-
takes of carbohydrates (Table l).
There was 81so a signi-
:icant difference (r<o.Or;,) between the caloric intakes of
asparteme ;3.nd non-aspartame users (TClble 2) as eXi,ressed if:
the percent TWA.
Calcium and iron intakes Vlere also arw-
lyzed for differences.
Greater intakes of iron occurred
with non-aspartame users s:i~nifLca.ntly (P<O.lO).
3ut ttere
was no siGnificant difference in the calc:iu:n intakes of the
subj ects ('rable 3).
The aSt'artame users were divided into
one, two or three meal eaters.
The results indicate that
the one meal eaters took in fewer erams of aspartame than
two meal e&ters and two meal eaters less than the three meal
eaters.
The caloric intakes increased from the one meal to
three meal eaters also (Table
4).
The number of subjects
eatine one, two or three meals between aspartame and nonaspartame
~sers
didn't differ
si~nificantly
(Table 5).
DISCUSSION:
The findines of this survey indicate that the diets of
aspartame and non-aspartal1e users differ in
nutrients and not others.
inta~(es
of SOl1e
The decreased intake of carbo-
6
TABLE 1
'lY1ta~(es
of carbol:lydrates
aspartame and
tlr~d
calories for
non-ac~artame
Non-Aspart a~n c:
Aspartame-Users
;;ubj ect #
CEO (g)
users
Caloric
Intake
(.
J..
~)U
').1
PC
t
#
C!~O
(rJ
(keal)
1
3
133.78
75.01
62. SH]
4
259.13
2
6
7
10
184.61
149.02
113.10
222.20
77 . 4f)
164.36
117.35
?77.02
Totsl
.~.'!eral:':e
1
~~().()O
(375.68
1028.17
r)
L
3')5,.40
32YL 30
?:.7.0S
23'>31.,)7
2038.97
1603.73
1470.21
3
4
5
6
~~2 :.> .7()
19YJ. ~~:,
21123.76
115.82
7
159.43
1725.19
0)
126.l1tj
Ilt,~.72
i)
S t~~
114(,.
1421.'7J
H~27.30
2[)tl • 'JrJ
~)12';. ~-;~
Itl'7.G?'
~~~f~.·Jl
lyl.81
rY)4.7~,
10
11
12
13
14
11(1.34
lCl.4,)
H14.13
lr:,
1113.53
242':'.37
214 7 5.05
151.71
1342.1S
~?3g.14
1
1024.96
1172.63
1)79.<)6
1624.30
322. :-4
152.93
2 C) I~~
•
,'l'7 ',7
• ';,
1 3,)1.
")~
13(Y~.
42
"7'7
72.:J 2
3Jl. 72
231r:.<1)
JWi.12
2~3Pl.J3
LLFL 92
:. rs'(~ •
21H.15
6J6.J.~
'7e
7
-
TABLE 2
Caloric intakes of Aspartame and
Users as ~x~rpssed
Non-as~artame
.
Subject /,1
1
•
jaLOrlCS
n1
" HDA
("1
in %
0
f
RJA
.
3ubject if
')
1
-
2
J
4
r::j
,
1
46.5
,')
rJ1
Pi \.,
Ii}
••
j Jri.
1_
113.4
49.CJ
3
97.1
76.4
It
12.11
r)
]1[.• 11
I::)
70.0
7
6
43.6
7
6e.'3
C). J
:: i) • (
p
82.2
R
9
':J5.~
9
18
11
12
10
.07
-'
11
~)
12
'34.3
77.4
47.4
38.8
13
"
]- +
15
16
Average
-
4 P ,. R
Calorj
~
.0
t:j • [3
53.0
63.9%
C~t •
~l
101 . .1
'7 -)
./
;-
•
'- ..i
30.3
-, '"l
1-...)
lJO.3
14
15
137.2
(-,S
-
Inta~es
(ry,,~
v: ..... \ !.t~·
('I q
• J7
,
I
-, I
r: •
(j.O!)
1 1 • Ci(l
,)r,J.?')
i
3]3.73
r
1')0. 70
".6G
C • I) r,
! • 32
1 :0'] J)}
~
33. '7J
13f12.29
'542.32
222.5,7
273.56
t [~.11 (;
C:.:.(:11.~)
p..-~{~;., \
'IC)(
f
')")
',I
•
L
J
")")
jC
12.32
(~
5')4.20
6.("10
<-
•
','
,
I
b1 J
L--,
•
'):
j
..'~C
"0
i·
'l'
.))
_-L
2'7[,. -:;C
1')
~
."1
"
1
11
14
P
tl • B9
'1')
:- ~ (~I~ • ~:
G.B)
'~52.92
[
1C;
Cl.R7
00
J . .;
l-·l:~r.?,'?
4[;C.Jl
'I ")
r~.
.)
c,~~~~/.
,l?)t1t
} •
[
1',
J()3~.'-L
~~l;)."'('
•
J
')
''--
1"1
q
7,C31j • (Ie:
~l~: ;~l:-J. r
;:-
,] .?J
1271.('3
[)'"),~ • r
n-
.11
r
~~g'J
-
~)t:r:ll(.'c;t I~!
I
l;~J.~<1t
c
~"J 0
\
1
r
of Calcium and Iren ~r ~GPQrt2mc
~~d Non-asp2rtame Users
).
J
r"":l
"J
C27.9:~
HG2.71;
1~.C3
JT).O':,
lC./+U
pr
P .. ( ;
C,(lO
:
/
l
j •
~ " ..--.1
", }
1
I '~
A'lerar"'p Tntfli(er;
en lor] 08
for
O:'H',
tvlO
()~
fl~:;;<iY'tDJ~(:'
Q,1d t
A 8 par t n:n (l
Total
"
L
il:r(>('
(;
~
[iLd
:r;r'n.J
m .2
426G.()1
672.8
112.13
822 ? • 76
174.()
TABLE 5
~umber
of ManIs Eaten by
and Non-Aspertattle Users
Aspart~ne
Aspartrur.e
II '1'Jeals
3:
2 erson [3
~
6
6
C 0.1
Totn~
324. Cl
-
1:
2:
err::
\
Averape
104!l JJ
#
U],t
Non-anpartame
11
Ir
perso~n::;
3
5
7
1
0
:'! (, S
(:: c: ~_~_ ~
'.
tV0:,~?0
1371.6;
111'3(;.
~',7
10
-
hydrates in the asparta'Tle users was probably due to the
Nutrasweet containing fewer
sugar.
~rnm8
of carbohydrates than tatle
The decrease in caloric intake is also due to the
noncaloric sweetener.
One reason 'TInny
sweet is to cut back on calories.
Jeo~le
use Nutra-
AccordinG to this study,
the aspartame users do cut back.
The calcium of the subjects were very close.
This could
be due to the fact thnt foods hif,h in calciu'Tl such as mi
l~:,
cheese and other dairy foods don't have products made with
aspartame so subjects eat the regular food.
the non-aspartalle users intook :nore.
3ut with iron
One reason may be that
they eat more calories so more iron is automatically
eate~
in the extra food.
The one, two and three 'TIeal eaters increased their
aspartame intakes respectively alone; with their calories.
This could be due to their increased food
cons~'TIption.
More and more questions will be asked as Nutrnsweet increases in popularity.
placed
wit~
More high sucar foods are beine re-
products containinG Rutrasweet.
The world is
beco'Tling more weight conscious and this helps in the dieter's
coal.
CONCLUSION:
The SAfety of Nutrasweet is the bigeest concern regarding
thE~
sweetener.
All of the advantages- low-calorie,
no dental caries, 200 times sweeter than table sugar- sound
so good that one tends to think about only the good things
and forgets about the possible side effects.
The intro-
duction of asparta:ne has caused a bie; boom in the market inc
of low-calorie foods.
It is now replacine; saccharin in sue 1;
products as cola drinks, gelatins and puddings.
As more
products C()l1e out containing Hutrasweet, more studies will
be done.
But the use of this seems to be around to stay
until the clay when a new "wonder" o.rtiLLcial
[~weetener
re-
1 ~_
-
places it.
12
l.I'rERA'I'URE CITED
-
1.
FJA ap~roves aspurtwne for use in carbonated beverages.
Food Processing 44, August 198], p. 11.
2.
Thoroughly Tested Food Additive. Searle Food Resources
Inc. Letter Ko. 564. 3kokie, Illinois, 1~79.
J.
Is a:::partarne safe? American Jiabetes Association,
~innesota, 1984.
~inneapolis,
4.
Stegink, L.D., Filer, L.J., Jr. and Baker, G.L. Effect
of Aspartame and Aspartate Loading Upon Plasma and
Erythrocyte Free Amino Acid Levels in l'Tormal Adul t
Volunteers. Journal of Nutrition 107:1837-1345, 1977.
5.
Stegink, L.D., Filer, L.J., Jr., and Baker, G.L.
Plasma, Erthrocyte and HU'TIan Milk Levels of Free Amino
Acids in Lactatinc V/omen Administered Aspartame or
Lactose. Journal of Nutrition 109:2173-21Rl, ]')79.
G.
Stecjnk, L.D., Brummel, M.C., Filer, L.J., Jr., and
Baker, G.L., Blood Methanol Concentr&tions In One-Year
Old Infants Administered Graded ]oses of ASjJartame.
tTourYwl of :Jutritio::1 I1J: 1600-l60E, 19(~J.
7
Law-calorie' sweetened foods in national distribution
in Cannd:t, tf;;;t rn.'1.r~\ets in U.S. Food Processine; 43,
July I~H2, pp. 22-4.
'3.
Asparta:nr=;
l'lPl
~ --'
-1..J.....
}.
Acce~)terJ
by FJ.·L
Food Technolor;,y 35, Se..:)t.
..
".;orr-is, Charles E. (19[31) FDA clears Asparta'TIe.
Pood Engineering, 0P. lS4-55.
Lei.
Asp~~~~tarne: The Lonr: Rand To Approval.
AUcu3t l)Gl, p. 155.
Food Engineeri::1C;,
11.
Bruning, James L., and B.L. Kintz. CO:Tl ;:mtat ional
H8.ndbook Of Statistics. Glenview, Illinois: Scott,
L'O re;3man and Company, 1 J 68.
13
APPENDIX
..
14
-
o f Nut r 8. sw e e t i n l h p d ~ "t .
] n order for :,.c' t':) do P:c
di et analy' 8i 8 I
tf)
you
plea~:('
T"'t
t' {' (;d
i c! ;'::
eaten
"J'
IE:
do d i ct ree:!;
Ii'
I"
f
also.
''''~'1·\tC
i~;n~)~J ..
t:,
f
~
(~?-((~
(..-('1
t;,_"'<;,.
·i':I.f... ·,f
'-.~~
w,b~
<.:0 l'- ~
if ~\U. ~",t~.a.~
.I. -'...;;.
',",
~ '~.
·~'.r
ell Ld
15
i
C,
--...,----
Name.---.~..---..
; .......,..
J
..--- ....
Prot.
Code
8-6
Gm.
Fooci Htl!P.
CO......
de........-t-_W....t ....._______
GIn.
Wt.
" H.'
-:-:---"1-'~-:-
} -t----,;~-.' ;,: +;_J
.~
~
.;; ~
~_._~__~~~~Yf ~: ~,:,
_
"
,
:-3=i
_.~~-~r--T--'···--~~~'
I
I,
_~-=~===~~-= -~==~_=L.
I.e: .
I -; ."
--.~ ---- -_.. 1____
. :'_'
----..-+--"-----+~------". -4
j,
___
\ '"_,,,- __
j
\
.
....-"
,,;:....!:.. •• --,~~:.....~:"----..J...------"
.>
'c
'. 'i.., -
"
._
--,-------
~-+-..:.' J ---tT'~-----c-__:____+-t-·----~~I
"j - I -~-'-.'.~ -- -.---- .. ---r--- t---r----------. ------
-'::"I<.J.I .
.--..-,--~
-.-+--e--
.=--~.
- -c----=-:---=-=~= :~~ ::·:1 ==~-=-:--=
--I------l.-..----f-----I--------------f----.-.. _..- ..._ ------.-t-...---+---.-+------------- -.--~---+---.-----\
---+-----.~-----+-----+--------. --.-~--~--. -------
E'"
---t----.-.L.~.---_+_-.--t-------------,~--+_------I
---1-r-------.-- .
-t------=r-'---- -.---t-------.----
==
---+---.-,.,...~
..
-+.if".......
--.------
-.-
-------
-
- -...- - - . - - - -
I
~_=-r-_"~~.~~~~:~~~~-"-_+_i--~~--. "~_=.====~ _____-+_-,=-_-_._______
_
=l:.,---f-----i-------~---·---
---,-----
Vitamin and Mineral or Other Suppiements
*Per
Potency
Brand Name
==+=-~~=-~ ~=----t----~
___
---L--,_~_.
__ . ..
-.~.-----"-,--~~-------+
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _....
Ser'vings in:
Meat Group
Milk Group - Grain Group'--
Fruit/Vegetable "Other" Group
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