Aspartame is known commercially as "Nutrasweet" or known as "Equal" when it is in the form of a sugar substitute in a packet. Most people who have tried to reduce their sugar intake and have changed to so-called diet product would probably have consumed Aspartame.
This unnatural sweetener pervades supermarket shelfs. How much aspartame do we eat exactly? The average American consumes over 14 pounds of aspartame each year and this amount has been rising daily, sounds outrageous doesn’t it. I’m thinking most of them are the diet soft drinks.
So is Aspartame safe? Although especially prevalent in many diet foods it can also be found in the following products. · Cereals · Breath Mints · Instant Coffee beverages · Frozen desserts · Milk drinks · Some multi vitamins · Toppings · Wine coolers · Diet Yoghurts · Non prescription pharmaceuticals · Sugar free chewing gum · Soft Drinks ·
So is Aspartame safe? Although especially prevalent in many diet foods it can also be found in the following products. · Cereals · Breath Mints · Instant Coffee beverages · Frozen desserts · Milk drinks · Some multi vitamins · Toppings · Wine coolers · Diet Yoghurts · Non prescription pharmaceuticals · Sugar free chewing gum · Soft Drinks ·
In 1993, aspartame was approved for use in baked goods and mixes which greatly added to the other 4,200 products already containing the synthetic sweetener in the United States. They do seem to sneak into a lot of foods so it does pay to check your food labels closely. If a product sells itself as a diet product it usually has aspartame or simular artificial sweetener in it to replace sugar.
So what is Aspartame exactly? It consists mainly of 3 components. Methanol and amino acids phenylalanine and aspartic acid. The chemists who invented this stuff claim that Aspartame is metabolised by our bodies in the same manner as in it’s natural counter parts. Research indicates that when you consume aspartame in a soft drink for instance there seems to be a flooding of these amino acids into the bloodstreams which isn’t what happens when you find simular amino acids say in dietary protein.
So what is Aspartame exactly? It consists mainly of 3 components. Methanol and amino acids phenylalanine and aspartic acid. The chemists who invented this stuff claim that Aspartame is metabolised by our bodies in the same manner as in it’s natural counter parts. Research indicates that when you consume aspartame in a soft drink for instance there seems to be a flooding of these amino acids into the bloodstreams which isn’t what happens when you find simular amino acids say in dietary protein.
It’s thought that this rapid rise can cause health problems. It is accepted by all sides that folk who suffer from phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid phenylalanine as they lack the specific enzyme that converts it to tyrosine. When phenylalanine is not converted it build up and can lead to brain damage. Others also who may be at risk are those with low iron levels and kidney disease as they may find themselves with high levels of this amino acid and they risk toxicity. There has been speculation that this mechanism may help to explain such diseases as Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease and Lou Gehrig's Disease. Examples of neuroexcitatory toxins in high concentrations are monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG and components or breakdown products of aspartame. Children also seem to be very susceptible to toxicity issues. So what symptoms may appear? Reported reactions include · Headaches ·
Changes in vision · Nausea · Sleep Disorders · Memory Loss · Extreme mood swings · Confusion · Convulsions If you think you are being affected by aspartame, eliminate all aspartame products for about three weeks. If some of your symptoms improve, you may then reintroduce aspartame and see if your symptoms return. If they do, you should probably eliminate aspartame entirely. Myself, I always intentionally avoid it whenever I can, especially for my children as they are more susceptible. So is Aspartame safe?
I don’t believe it is safe. Go natural whenever you can, I don’t mind seeing sugar in a product I just try to restrict it’s volume. Stevia is a plant that is really sweet and you can buy it in liquid form and add it to products by the drop, it’s very effective and sweet. If a product says “Diet” it will more than likely have an artificial sweetener in it.
I don’t believe it is safe. Go natural whenever you can, I don’t mind seeing sugar in a product I just try to restrict it’s volume. Stevia is a plant that is really sweet and you can buy it in liquid form and add it to products by the drop, it’s very effective and sweet. If a product says “Diet” it will more than likely have an artificial sweetener in it.
Avoid it!
Stephen Smith ND
No comments:
Post a Comment