USC School of Medicine Greenville culinary medicine instructor shares aspartame alternatives

A recent World Health Organization study that outlines the need for further investigation on aspartame’s potential health effects has many seeking natural alternatives to chemical sweeteners.

Dr. Krista Blackwell, a clinical assistant professor and culinary medicine co-instructor from the School of Medicine Greenville, suggests exploring healthier alternatives such as whole food, plant- and fruit-focused diets and substituting natural sweeteners when possible.

Aspartame is an artificial (chemical) sweetener for food and beverages. Popular since the 1980s, it is found in some sugar-free products such as diet drinks, chewing gum, gelatin, ice cream and yogurt. It is also found in toothpaste, cough drops, chewable vitamins and medications.

Why it matters

• 2023 is the first time the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) announced that aspartame should be categorized as possibly carcinogenic to humans due to a potential link to liver cancer.
• According to the American Cancer Society, liver cancer incidence rates have more than tripled since 1980, while the death rates have more than doubled during this time.
• The American Cancer Society estimates there will be more than 600 new liver cancer diagnoses in South Carolina in 2023.
• There are more than 6,000 products in the U.S. that contain aspartame, many marketed as low sugar options for youth.

Healthy alternatives

While a direct cause between liver cancer and aspartame has not been scientifically proven, the potential connection outlined in the WHO statement is concerning. Dr. Blackwell suggests substituting naturally sweet fruits and warm spices.

• Dates and Figs (natural sweetener used in baked goods and caramel)
• Bananas and applesauce (fruits used as a replacement for sugar, eggs and oil in baked goods)
• Honey (natural sweetener used as a sugar replacement in beverages and baked goods)
• Nutmeg
• Cinnamon
• Allspice (plant)

“Focusing on alternatives to artificial sweeteners puts us one step closer to reducing the risk of debilitating chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer,” says Blackwell. “Harnessing the effectiveness of lifestyle medicine to address nutrition gives us the power to prevent, treat and reverse these diseases in our patients and our population.”