There are many so called "artificial" sweeteners on the market today none being more dubious in nature than Aspartame. This sweetener is approximately 200 times sweeter than refined sugar, and in my opinion more deadly as well. Aspartame is used in such brands as: Equal and NutraSweet. It was founded in 1965 and took approximately sixteen years to be approved by the FDA. This approval process was riddled with massive conflict as research data was manipulated to approve this product. Aspartame is comprised of two amino acids: aspartic acid and phenylalanine. It is due to the fact that the product is made from amino acids which are normally balanced when ingested in the complete amino acid profile, that it has been dubbed "natural" by the NutraSweet industry! However, this could not be further from the truth as when ingested, Aspartame breaks down into wood alcohol, or methanol and then into formaldehyde, otherwise known as embalming fluid! What is frightening is that since Aspartame hit the market after it received approval in 1981, it has been added to a multitude of food products, most of which are consumed by an unknowing public wanting to cut calories from their diet. One category in particular, soda or pop, either contains HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) or Aspartame, neither of which do a body good. The average consumer drinks one gallon of pop a week, yes, per week! The new kid on the proverbial block, Splenda, will be the subject of a future blog, as this sweetener is not much better. Going back to before the FDA approved the usage of Aspartame in massive amounts of consumer packaged goods, the sweetener was tested in over 100 scientific studies on both lab rats and humans. The rats were fed up to 100 times the amount that humans would normally consume. There are volumes of evidence which lead to the fact that Aspartame's safety was indeed exaggerated. For instance, out of 166 studies felt to have relevance for questions of safety for humans, 74 were funded by the makers of Aspartame and 92 were independently funded. Out of the 74 tests funded by the manufacturers of Aspartame, 100 percent of the results pointed to the total safety of the sweetener, whereas, over 92 percent of the independently funded tests, out of 92, provided evidence of a myriad of health issues regarding Aspartame. I do not know about you, but I surely do not trust an industry that tests the safety of its own product!
Many researchers have studied Aspartame since its introduction into the food supply, providing volumes of information regarding its lack of safety efficacy in humans. The term "aspartame disease" was coined by H.J. Roberts, M.D., a foremost authority on the sweetener. This phrase was the result of a 1,000 page compilation by Mr. Roberts, of which, 80 percent were formal complaints reported to the FDA regarding health problems suffered by the consumers' of the sweetener. Some of the health complaints reported are as follows: headache, dizziness, vomiting/nausea, abdominal pain, memory loss, seizures/convulsions, etc. If these symptoms are not enough to steer the consumer clear of eating/drinking foods made with Aspartame, there are more ill effects as well, such as: joint pain, tinnitus, development of fibromyalgia, blurred vision, lupus, cancer, etc. The laundry list of symptoms seems endless and to some medical professionals, not related to each other. Most of these symptoms are caused by the combination of the two amino acids, or dipeptides as they are called.. Amino acids are normal/natural, but do not occur as free floating and not balanced by the full complement of amino acids. Aspartic acid is a neurotoxin in its own right, and phenylalanine has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and cause headaches, mess up how neurotransmitters cross synaptic membranes, etc. All of these symptoms, tho varied, do have the commonality of being neurological in nature and thus, affect the nervous system of the consumer. The "cous de gras regarding the consumption of Aspartame containing beverages, is that it in fact increases appetite and cravings for sugar. This is counter to the very reason why many consumers turn to artificial sweeteners in the first place, to conserve calories!
In light of this information, I for one would not drink any beverage or food containing this potent neurotoxin. Especially since there are many viable and healthy options, such as: agave nectar, brown rice syrup, stevia, maple syrup, lo han, etc. Some of the aforementioned sweeteners can be used by diabetics as well without driving up insulin levels. I would not sacrifice health by utilizing a more than suspect sweetener. I would do internet research on healthy sweeteners and go to your local food cooperative and check out the options. Your life and health are worth it!
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