Does boiling diet coke get rid of the aspartame?

Question

Since aspartame is sensitive to heat, would boiling a diet coke get rid of it or would the menthol alcohol stay?

Answer 1

Technically you wouldn't get rid of it you will hydrolyse it into its component amino acids, so instead of getting rid of the aspartame you're just making some aspartic acid and phenylalanine.  

The only thing you will for sure get rid of is all of the carbonation and some of the water.

I sure hope you don't plan on drinking it...sounds gross.

Answer 2

Aspartame is an amino acid which is sensitive to heat.  By boiling it, you disturb the structure which causes the sweetness.  

As for menthol, I do not think there is any in diet coke - in any abundance.

Answer 3

Aspartame melts at about 246 C, boiling coke boils at around 100 C.  Boiling coke will not destroy the aspartame.

Since phosphoric acid can be used in a process to make aspartame, the phosphoric in the coke will not react with it.

Diet coke has two dangers, one is debated and the other is actual:

1.  Debated:  Aspartame metabolizes into methanol (methyl alcohol, not menthol) along with other compounds such as formaldehyde, this is known.  The contested part is the aspartame is excreted before it is metabolized into these components, but that is not entirely known.  Even a small amount of methanol and formaldehyde may have long-term effects over the course of a lifetime, and these byproducts also effect fetal development.  Basically, the danger is there, it just has not been proven.

2.  Known:  Coke contains about 0.075 grams of phosphoric acid per can, or about 0.003 molar, with a pH of about 3.4.  This is sufficient to leach the Calcium out of your tooth enamel, speeding decay.  Additionally, phosphoric acid is a STRONG binding agent for calcium and magnesium, strong enough to prevent absorption into the body, and combined with the acidic effect, greatly increasing loss of calcium in your teeth.  Essentially, any dark cola with phosphoric acid will hinder calcium and magnesium absorption.  The more you drink, the weaker your bones will become with age, and the worse your teeth will be.  This is not an opinion, it is just basic chemistry.

Answer 4

Aspartame is an amino acid and like many amino acids the bonds are easially broken by heat, so yeah i guess it would get rid of it.