A word on aspartame

[RandyJH]

I'm typing this whole damn article out of a book, so lets hope someone gets some use out of it.

An article from "Prescription for Nutritional Healling" By Phyllis A. Balcch, CNC.

Is Aspartame A Safe Sugar Subsitute?

Due to America's obsession with dieting, the popularity of aspartame (found in Equal and NutraSweet, as well as any processed food products) has soared. Because it is about two hundred times sweeter than sugar, much smaller amounts of aspartame are needed to sweeten foods. This artificial sweetener pervades supermarket shelves. It is especially prevalent in diet foods, and can be found in a number of products, including instant breakfasts, breath mints, cereals, sugar-free chewing gum, cocoa mixes, coffee beverages, laxatives, milk drinks, multivitamins, non tabletop sweeteners, tea beverages, instant teas and coffees, topping mixes, wine coolers, and yogurt.
Upon digestion aspartame breaks down into three components. The first two are the amino acids phenylalanine and aspartic acid and the third is methanol, or methyl alcohol.
Ever since it was introduced, aspartame has been the center of controversy. Supposedly, a significant number of people have reported suffering ill effects as a result of aspartame consumption. According to the 1990 book "Aspartame (NutraSweet): Is It Safe?" by H.J. Roberts, reactions include headaches, mood swings, changes in vision, nausea and diarrhea, sleep disorders, memory loss and confusion, and even convulsions. People with phenylketonuria (PKU) lack an enzyme needed to convert phenylalanine into tyrosine. Because of this, the accumulate phenylalanine, and at high levels it can be toxic to them. Consequently, these people should almost certainly not use aspartame. But how about the rest of us?
By now, the subject has become so emotional that is difficult to separate fact from fancy. An entire cottage industry exists to educate people of the safety (or non-safety) of this one sweetener. Proponents claim that neither aspartame nor its components accumulate in the body and that the chemical components are used in the body in exactly the same way as those derived from "natural" foods. The amounts of the chemicals also quite small compared to those gained from other food sources. For instance, a serving of low-fat milk contains about six times more phenylalanine and thirteen times more aspartic acid than does the same quantity of diet soda sweetened with 100 percent aspartame. In the same vein, a serving of tomato juice has six times more methanol than an equivalent diet soda.
Other voices claim that the sale of aspartame must be stopped and the conspiracy between the manufacturer, the FDA and the entire cast of players, some quite unlikely needs to be exposed.
Actually, aspartame has been tested for more than thirty years in over two hundred studies, and so far all have concluded that that it is a safe product, and can be used by almost anyone, including pregnant women. This is true not only in the United States, but also in France, Great Britain, and Europe as a whole.
In summary, earlier fears about safety centered on the components of aspartame being ingested in very high doses by laboratory animals. Some flaws in original studies were taken to be conspiratorial rather than simple mistakes. Subsequent research has shown that it just isnt possible for a normal human being to injest enough aspartame to raise plasma concentrations of its metabolic constituents to toxic or dangerous levels.
Needless to say, however, there are sensitive people who have allergic reactions to many products. If you have experienced any type of reaction to aspartame, you should refrain from using foods that contain this addative. Better yet, avoid controversy by avoiding all additives, and enjoy a diet rich in fruits and fruit juices. These foods are naturally sweet, free of artificial coloring and preservatives, and full of the nutrients needed for good health. An herbal sweetner called stevia is also available, although it is marketed not as a sweetner but as an additive.



So there ya go, hope you enjoyed it. I'll edit it for my errors eventually.

[RandyJH]

I hate to do this but....


Bump for what I believe to be a useful post.

[Theenforcer1]

Good post Randy- its too bad that now we are going to hear how evil milk is.

[RandyJH]

Good post Randy- its too bad that now we are going to hear how evil milk is.

Don't forget tomato juice....apparently that **** will kill you too!

[Theenforcer1]

Don't forget tomato juice....apparently that **** will kill you too!

haha, I always enjoy your posts Randy- keep up the good work.

[Whomper107]

Bump. I'm so sick of seeing threads about how terrible aspartame is for you...

[Dr. Horse]

Don't forget tomato juice....apparently that **** will kill you too!

Tomato juice is also high in MSG, so that's a double whammy right there.

[RealMenDeadLift]

Speaking of milk, has anyone actually ever seen a proper scientific study with significant evidence that milk is bad? You have all the soy-freaks out there spitting out half-truths and it gets ridiculous sometimes.

[RandyJH]

Speaking of milk, has anyone actually ever seen a proper scientific study with significant evidence that milk is bad? You have all the soy-freaks out there spitting out half-truths and it gets ridiculous sometimes.

I have yet to see one, if one does come out tho....thats like the 5th account I'm screwed on.

[WorldStrike]

Repped just because it took some time. Glad to see someone actually cares about people on here knowing things.

[RealMenDeadLift]

I have yet to see one, if one does come out tho....thats like the 5th account I'm screwed on.

haha me too, I drink a pint to a half gallon a day. College kid like me you cant beat a 2 dollar gallon of milk with all the protein carb and fats it provides

[Nefariousx1]

bump because so many people need to put sh*t in perspective...so many people think aspartame is evil yet they go out every weekend and smoke and drink... lol repped for a good find

[Greater Deity]

Good post Randy- its too bad that now we are going to hear how evil milk is.

Well, might as well get ready for it... ****.

[RandyJH]

Glad to see there are some folks who apreciate it! Reps around on recharge!

[Jill75]

Good post of the article there! Keep posting some useful and informative article on health.

[iDrive]

Great post! I'll have to make a milk and tomato juice cocktail now

[Billbasch]

good post man

[rockevans]

Awesome!
Repped

[wanaBsedated]

LMAO wow... are you aware that there are other chemicals like ethanol in fruit that cancel out the effect of methanol?

Re-write please.

[wanaBsedated]

Great post! I'll have to make a milk and tomato juice cocktail now

It's a crap post as it doesn't take into effect the other chemistry of the food involved and it's relation to the amount of the one's people are concerned with.

[ShibbyUTD]

I love my milk!

[machx]

I love my milk!

lactating at such an early age? (no homo)

[RandyJH]

LMAO wow... are you aware that there are other chemicals like ethanol in fruit that cancel out the effect of methanol?

Re-write please.

Actually if you paid attention to the post you would note that the peice of literature isn't my work. Why on earth would I re-write something that isn't mine?

[LatinoMusculito]

Great post! I'll have to make a milk and tomato juice cocktail now

Don't forget to add some Sweet N' Low to it!

It's a crap post as it doesn't take into effect the other chemistry of the food involved and it's relation to the amount of the one's people are concerned with.

No, it is actually a great post.

If you don't have phenylketonuria, have someone in your family with it, or are a medical scientist conducting studies and trying to find a cure, then who gives a ****.

I use so much aspartame I may as well be snorting it!

[Dr. Horse]

Don't forget to add some Sweet N' Low to it!

Sweet n low is saccharin.

[LatinoMusculito]

AH!! I meant Sugar Twin! DAMNIT!! DAMN YOU HORSE!! DAMN YOUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!

[pmpimbura]

Good Post. Thanks!

[Obnoxious123]

i have coke zero with every damn meal :P

[dimasso69]

It's a crap post as it doesn't take into effect the other chemistry of the food involved and it's relation to the amount of the one's people are concerned with.

Soo your implying that it's bad, what are the exact effects? Enlighten me..seriously i wanna know how it would effect me badly.

i have coke zero with every damn meal :P

uhh dude...crystal light rasberry lemonade kicks coke zeros ass or diet root beer!(though i like regular better than both)

[Holyspokes]

Soo your implying that it's bad, what are the exact effects? Enlighten me..seriously i wanna know how it would effect me badly.

He's talking of the whole foods mentioned, in which the whole nutrient "diversity?" may alter things.