Aspartame is an artificial sweetener composed of two amino acids: aspartic acid and phenylalanine. While it provides approximately 4 calories per gram (the same as sugar and other amino acids), it is about 200 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). Due to this high intensity of sweetness, a very small amount of aspartame is needed to achieve the desired level of sweetness in food and drinks. This minute quantity results in a negligible caloric contribution to the final product, which is why it is marketed as a low-calorie sweetening agent. This justifies why small quantities yield fewer calories on oxidation compared to the large amounts of sugar required for the same effect.