Aspartame

Aspartame is a non-calorie artificial sweetener comprised of methanol, phenylalanine and aspartic acid. It is used in diet sodas and thousands of other products worldwide. Since it appeared on the US market in the 1980s, aspartame and the possible health risks from the substance have been a topic of much debate. Research has linked the sweetener to diabetes, fibromyalgia and certain forms of cancer.