Short answer
Neotame is approved by the FDA for general use in food. However, it shares some toxic properties with aspartame, another artificial sweetener. More data is needed to determine the long-term effects of neotame on the human body.
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Neotame is an artificial sweetener that’s up to 13,000 times as sweet as table sugar. Its high-impact taste is what makes the product so attractive to food manufacturers—they have to use significantly less of it (as opposed to sugar or high fructose corn syrup) to achieve the same degree of sweetness. As a result, neotame drastically lowers production costs while delivering fewer empty calories and a lower impact on blood sugar.
So is neotame safe? It’s hard to say for sure just yet—when it comes to artificial sweeteners, neotame is still considered the “new kid on the block.” And although Neotame was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for general use in 2002, it’s still not widely used in manufacturing. In fact, neotame remains fairly controversial.
Let’s start with the positives: artificial sweeteners have been long suspected carcinogens. However, the National Cancer Institute reports that after more than 100 studies, they have found no definitive links between neotame and an increased risk of cancer.
Additionally, neotame does not affect blood glucose (sugar). It’s not a real sugar, which means the body won’t release insulin to offset the effects of rising blood glucose levels. That’s why the Mayo Clinic has stated that neotame may be a safer sugar alternative for pregnant women or diabetics.
While neotame does offer some advantages over sugar and other artificial sweeteners, there are some lingering concerns about its long-term effects on the body. Neotame is chemically similar to aspartame, which is widely regarded as the most dangerous artificial sweetener. Both neotame and aspartame convert to formaldehyde when metabolized. However, the effects of neotame may be even worse because it includes 3-dimethylbutyl—one of the world’s most hazardous chemicals, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
When combined with formaldehyde, 3-dimethylbutyl can cause serious damage to the brain and other bodily tissues. It’s still unknown how much neotame must be consumed for this to occur—but the fact that it’s possible should be enough for you to want to steer clear of it.
Fortunately, neotame is easily avoidable. As previously mentioned, it’s still not very prevalent in many food products. Just to be on the safe side, it’s important to check ingredient labels. If you’re unsure if a product has been sweetened with neotame, reach out to the manufacturer and request clarification.
Possible long-term side effects
- brain damage
-
bodily tissue damage
Ingredients to be aware of
- 3-dimethylbutyl
-
formaldehyde
Benefits
- low in calories
-
no impact on blood glucose
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