Is it time to give up Diet Coke? Popular drinks may contain an artificial sweetener that causes cancer.

If you find yourself needing your daily Diet Coke to get through the workday (or anything), you might want to think about finding a new afternoon pleasure. For a variety of reasons over the years, you’ve probably felt ashamed for drinking it. But nothing felt worth quitting the drink—has it made anyone’s teeth black?—until now. It turns out that the artificial sweetener that was used in it, along with countless other foods and beverages, may be cancerous.

The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which conducts research on cancer, is reportedly getting ready to label aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” according to Reuters. “The low-calorie sweetener was examined separately by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) of the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. Both parties are expected to publicly state their preferences on July 14.

Naturally, Diet Coke drinkers considered the impending revelation. Since the beverage has practically become a cult favorite among celebrities, too. Actor Ben Affleck reportedly has a fountain that dispenses Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi in his home office.

Here is what we currently know about the in question sweetener, what the medical community is saying, and how the public is responding while we wait for the results.

Aspartame has been a popular low-calorie artificial sweetener since the 1980s and is sold under household names like Equal. Since it is 200 times sweeter than regular granulated sugar, the FDA estimates that you only need a small amount. However, some people still require a number of coffee packets.

Although the term might not come to mind right away, there’s a good chance you’ve used it before because it’s been used in more than 6,000 products worldwide. Snapple teas, diet sodas, and drink mixes like Crystal Light are just a few of the many products covered by this. Chewing gum, candy, breakfast cereals, and sugar-free gelatins like Jell-O are all common foods that contain it.

Many companies have made a concerted effort to remove it from their products. Before finally deciding against it and removing the chemical from its beverages in 2020, Pepsi debated the chemical for years. It now includes “a blend of sucralose and acesulfame potassium” as an alternate artificial sweetener to replicate the taste of classic cola.

Is aspartame safe to consume?
Up until this most recent change, it seemed to be the case. Aspartame is recognized as safe by the FDA and the American Cancer Society.

According to federal health authorities, it would take a lot for something to be deemed harmful to your health. For instance, it would take a 150-pound adult more than 18 cans of zero-sugar soda per day for them to start experiencing negative side effects like headaches, seizures, or even depression.

Numerous studies have shown that aspartame has no effect on insulin or blood sugar levels, even in small amounts, which may help to explain why it is frequently used as a sugar substitute in foods for diabetics.

However, persistent worries about its safety have led to extensive research over the years, and the findings are all over the place. For instance, French observational research found a weak association between aspartame use and a slightly elevated risk of cancer. Other research is less conclusive: According to a 2021 report that was published in the peer-reviewed journal Nutrients, “the results of its long-term use remain difficult to predict. ”.

What is known about the WHO’s aspartame declaration?
According to Reuters, it will take a lot of work to make the recommendations of the IARC and JECFA committees public. The WHO last reviewed aspartame in 1981 and came to the conclusion that the daily dosage was 40 mg per kilogram, or 2 points 2 pounds, of body weight.

Because they have prompted lawsuits and raised consumer concerns, these decisions have had a significant impact. The weed-killing substance glyphosate was deemed “probably carcinogenic” by the IARC in 2015. Then, in 2021, despite the European Food Safety Authority’s reservations about these findings, the Supreme Court upheld a ruling holding Bayer responsible for a couple’s cancer after they used Bayer’s Roundup weed killer.

Some valid criticism has been brought about by influence. Some claim that the public might find the IARC’s conclusions to be ambiguous. There are four classification levels generally used by the organization: unclassifiable, probably carcinogenic, potentially carcinogenic, and carcinogenic.

Contrary to popular belief, these levels are not based on chemical hazards but rather on the strength of the evidence. The purpose of classifying aspartame as a potential carcinogen, according to Reuters, is to encourage further research.

Why are there reprisals?
Aspartame has received criticism since it was learned that it may cause cancer, which is not surprising. Before the IARC made its intended decision, the International Sweeteners Association called into question the organization’s legitimacy, asserting that it “is not a food safety body and their review of aspartame is not scientifically comprehensive. ”.

Additionally, the leaked paper was condemned by the International Council of Beverages Associations, which warned that it “could needlessly mislead consumers into consuming more sugar rather than choosing safe no- and low-sugar options.”. This is just the most recent setback; the WHO recommended that people stop using non-sugar sweeteners last month because they couldn’t help people lose weight.

This opposition, though, is not exclusive to the food industry. Pop fans have vowed to continue drinking the beverage despite its risks to their health. Eventually, we all die. When the time comes, I’ll head out with a cold Diet Coke,” one Twitter user wrote.