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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Q: 62 (IAS/2011)
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 ?

question_subject: 

Science

question_exam: 

IAS

stats: 

0,58,55,27,9,19,58

keywords: 

{'aspartame': [1, 0, 0, 1], 'artificial sweetener': [1, 0, 1, 0], 'table sugar': [1, 0, 0, 0], 'sugar': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'metabolites': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'fewer calories': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'calorie': [1, 0, 0, 1], 'food processing': [2, 0, 2, 2], 'food items': [1, 0, 0, 0], 'calories': [1, 0, 0, 2], 'other amino acids': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'sweet taste': [1, 0, 0, 1], 'requisite enzymes': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'amino acids': [1, 0, 0, 0]}

The basis of using aspartame as a low-calorie sweetening agent in food items is that it is several times sweeter than table sugar, and hence, food items made with small quantities of aspartame yield fewer calories on oxidation than the same quantity of table sugar. Therefore, the correct answer is option D: "Aspartame is several times sweeter than table sugar, hence food items made with small quantities of aspartame yield fewer calories on oxidation than table sugar."

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that is made up of two amino acids: phenylalanine and aspartic acid. It is several times sweeter than table sugar, but it provides fewer calories because the human body cannot metabolize it completely. When aspartame is consumed, it is broken down into its component amino acids and a small amount of methanol. These metabolites are not converted into glucose and do not yield any calories on oxidation, which is why aspartame is used as a low-calorie sweetener in food items.