Aspartame is an artificial, non-saccharide high intensity sweetener also identified as N-L-Alpha-Aspartyl-L-Phenylaline-1-Methyl-Ester. It is a dipetide composed of two Amino Acids, L-Aspartic Acid and L-Phenylaline. These constituents are found in everyday foods and are metabolized by the human body.

It is used as a sugar substitute in some foods and beverages. It was first synthesized in 1965. and it is approximately 200 times sweeter than sucrose, or table sugar. Due to this property, though upon metabolism produces 4 kilocalories of energy per gram, the quantity of aspartame needed to produce a sweet taste is so small that its caloric contribution is negligible.

The taste of this ingredient and other artificial sweeteners differ from that of table sugar in the times of onset and how long the sweetness lasts, though aspartame comes closest among artificial sweeteners to sugar’s taste profile.The sweetness of it lasts longer than sucrose, so it is often blended with other artificial sweeteners like acesulfame potassium (Ace K) to produce an overall taste more like sugar.