Equal is a zero calorie artificial sweetener that is ten times as sweet as sugar and does not contain saccharin. Its ingredients include: Dextrose with maltodextrin, and aspartame. It also contains Phenylalanine, which is an amino acid found in aspartame. This ingredient is particularly important to Phenylketonurics,(http://my.webmd.com/content/asset/adam_disease_pku) which are people with Phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare hereditary condition. For Phenylketonurics, Phenylalanine is toxic to the central nervous system and can cause brain damage. Click above to find out more about this condition!