Aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener which is approximately 200 times sweeter than sucrose. The rapid rise in aspartame's popularity can be attributed to the many benefits aspartame provides to calorie-conscious consumers, Aspartame has the ability to intensify and extend fruit flavors, such as cherry and orange, in foods and beverages. For example, aspartame makes chewing gum taste sweet up to four times longer than sugar-sweetened gum. Aspartame can reduce or replace the sugar and calories in foods and beverages while maintaining great taste. Thus, aspartame offers one simple step to help people move closer to achieving a more healthful diet.