The World Health Organization reported to all eager Diet Coke fans and regular Extra gum chewers that the sweetener used within it, aspartame, is possibly something that could cause cancer.

On July 14th, 2023, the World Health Organization told the public that they were officially categorizing the artificial sweetener aspartame as a possible candidate for causing cancer. This means that aspartame, which is used in Diet Coke and Extra Gun, has a chance of being connected to cancer, but more research is necessary before a full conclusion can be made.

However, many companies have disputed this announcement. The FDA released a statement of disagreement, saying that aspartame’s connection to cancer are just “claims” made by the World Health Organization. The FDA also said that the WHO had “significant shortcomings.” They also stated that aspartame is under the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), and other health organizations like Health Candy and European Food Safety Authority have also backed the FDA’s points.

Although this particular debate is quiet recent, artificial sweeteners have been disputed over for years, as different companies have had different results whilst experimenting with them, and this has led to much argument and controversy about the subject.

Ignoring the current situation, artificial sweeteners have been claimed to be bad for your health - but still, some research organizations have said otherwise. Frontiers in Nutrition published a review which concluded that artificial sweeteners can sometimes help you eat less and lose weight, other studies say the opposite, and others state completely different things.

Research is still ongoing, but it’s highly possible aspartame could cause cancer. Next time you choose a soda, be wary of Diet Coke, or pay the ultimate price.