Aspartame was the most contested substance that the FDA allowed on the market, despite evidence linking it to increasing brain tumours it was approved in 1981.
There have been more reports to the FDA regarding reactions to aspartame than all other food additives combined. Most of the 92 documented side effects are related to neurological, cognitive and digestive problems. The scientific data also strongly suggests that it can increase the risk of cancer.
Over 6000 products contain aspartame including diet soda, flavoured water, chewing gum and specialty diet foods. It can also be found in over-the-counter drugs like Alka Seltzer, Tylenol and Metamucil. What’s more alarming is that aspartame is added to some children’s vitamins!
So why should you consider avoiding it?
Aspartame is composed of 3 chemicals.
- Aspartic Acid: When the body breaks down aspartic acid, it creates a chemical that can lead to degeneration of neurons. This can have a significant influence on diseases such as Alzheimer’s, MS and Parkinson’s.
- Phenylalanine: Increasing phenylalanine can reduce serotonin levels in the brain making you more susceptible to depression. Elevated phenylalanine has also been implicated in higher cancer risk.
- Methanol: This chemical compound breaks down to formaldehyde – a deadly neurotoxin!
Not a great choice for weight loss!
Using aspartame to support the low carb craze that began in the 80’s may not be that effective if you are trying to lose weight. Aspartame is shown to:
- Stimulate fat storage and weight gain
- Increase carbohydrate cravings
- Increase your appetite
- Ruin your body’s ability to count calories
- Double your risk of obesity
- Reduce bacterial flora in the gut by 50%
As a healthier substitute you can try stevia or agave nectar.
What do you think about aspartame in our food, should it be banned?
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I think it should never have been allowed. Living in a reactive society, we simply want to pretend everything is okay until we are directly impacted.
With our health, we need to be proactive so we can live long healthy lives. Omitting Aspartame is one key step in achieving this goal.
It’s no secret drinking artificial sweeteners makes your body go nuts. Eating anything with carbs after spikes the bodies glycemic index and makes us crash harder, crave more food and, on top of it all, fucks with our brain’s ability to interpret sweetness correctly.
Why do we even need it? I don’t know. Thank goodness there’s Whole Foods and a world of better low cal sweeteners that are naturally derived.
Kudos on publishing this!
WOW!! I can’t believe it’s used in so many products and companies turn a blind eye to the potential effects. I definitely think aspartame should be banned!
Does anyone know of companies using healthy alternatives?
You just can’t win in the weight loss industry these days… almost every product is a double edged sword.
On the one hand, obesity is linked to an enormous (no pun intended) number of illnesses which can be just as deadly, if not more so, than the cons of artificial sweetener.
With that said, I totally agree with the effects of aspartame, especially with regards to the increase in appetite and cravings. While trying to drop those ‘last 5 pounds’ I started consuming more artificial sweetener, and found that instead of losing any weight, I began to gain weight! My cravings increased tenfold, and I felt always hungry (but it was fake hunger – my stomach was full, but my mouth was hungry).
I’ve recently discovered Stevia, an all-natural, super-sweet herb that comes with no calories and no chemicals. You can pick it up in packets that resemble artificial sweetener packets and use it instead. Since replacing my Splenda/Aspartame with Stevia, I’ve seen a noticeable difference in my cravings!
A lot of fad diets pride themselves on low in sugar content and artificial sweeteners. As mentioned in the post above, it increases your appetite 10x because your body isn’t fully satisfied with what you’ve consumed, you’re not getting the right (and enough) nutrients.
I’ve recently changed my eating habits, removing all processed foods from my cupboards and have noticed that a) I’m eating more during the day, b) I’m no longer hungry late at night and c) I’m losing weight. Eating right and having my first meal shortly after waking up has me eating more often throughout the late morning to late afternoon, by the time dinner rolls around I’m less inclined to have a large meal and even less likely to go hunting for dessert.
I found that I was less likely to work out when consuming artificial foods, sugars, etc. but now that they’re out of my diet I have so much more energy and feel so much better.
I’ve strayed a bit off topic but will end it simply… just say no to fake food disguised as real food!
My brother who researches this type of thing has found REAL, tangible links to increased cancer cases in people consuming aspertame – and we’re not talking people who abuse aspertame. We’re talking incredibly healthy people who have consumed it during infrequent instances in their lives.
Duke University has shown that sucralose (aka Splenda) has negative effects on our bodies. Many people are stepping forward with the side effects of this insecticide (yes, you read that right).
Don’t take my word for it, do your own research. Find out what others who are stepping forward have to say about the side effects, don’t take Splenda-bought and paid for lab tests as Gospel.
And keep in mind, they found that 80% of sucralose ends up in our drinking water and cannot be removed with even advanced filtration processes