UPSC Prelims 2011·GS1·science-and-technology·science and technology

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener sold in the market. It consists of amino acids and provides calories like other amino acids. Yet, it is used as a low-calorie sweetening agent in food items. What is the basis of this use?

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Last updated 23 May 2026, 3:31 pm IST
  1. AAspartame is as sweet as table sugar, but unlike table sugar, it is not readily oxidized in human body due to lack of requisite enzymes
  2. BWhen aspartame is used in food processing, the sweet taste remains, but it becomes resistant to oxidation
  3. CAspartame is as sweet as sugar, but after ingestion into the body, it is converted into metabolites that yield no calories
  4. DAspartame is several times sweeter than table sugar, hence food items made with small quantities of aspartame yield fewer calories on oxidationCorrect

Explanation

The correct answer is D because the primary reason aspartame is used as a low calorie sweetener is its intense sweetness. Aspartame is approximately 200 times sweeter than regular table sugar. Although it contains 4 calories per gram just like sugar, the amount required to achieve the desired level of sweetness in food is so tiny that the caloric contribution becomes negligible. Therefore, even though it is fully metabolized by the body, the total calories consumed are significantly lower compared to using sugar.
science-and-technology: Aspartame is an artificial sweetener sold in the market. It consists of amino acids and provides calories like other ami
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