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UPSC 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?
(a)Aspartame is as sweet as table sugar, but unlike table sugar, it is not readily oxidized in human body due to lack of requisite enzymes
(b)When aspartame is used in food processing, the sweet taste remains, but it becomes resistant to oxidation
(c)Aspartame is as sweet as sugar, but after ingestion into the body, it is converted into metabolites that yield no calories
(d)Aspartame is several times sweeter than table sugar, hence food items made with small quantities of aspartame yield fewer calories on oxidation
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Not attemptedCorrect Answer: (d) Aspartame is several times sweeter than table sugar, hence food items made with small quantities of aspartame yield fewer calories on oxidation
Aspartame is about 180–200 times sweeter than sucrose, so only a tiny quantity is needed to achieve the same sweetness; although it yields 4 kcal g⁻¹ like other amino-acid peptides, the ingested amount is so small that the caloric contribution is negligible. This high relative sweetness (not chemical inertness) is why it serves as a low-calorie sweetener, matching option (d). ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame?utm_source=openai))
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the correct answer to this UPSC 2011 Science & Technology question?▼
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. Watch the detailed video explanation in our Sherlocking Prelims course on UnlockIAS.
Which year was this Health & Diseases question asked in UPSC Prelims?▼
This question was asked in UPSC CSE Prelims 2011, GS Paper 1, as Question 62. It falls under Science & Technology > Health & Diseases.
What is the difficulty level of this UPSC question?▼
This question is rated "moderate". It requires sound conceptual understanding of the topic.
How many UPSC Prelims questions have been asked from Health & Diseases?▼
UPSC has asked 86 questions from Health & Diseases (under Science & Technology) across multiple years. Visit the topic page to see the full list and year-wise trends.