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artificial sweeteners
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Anonymous
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Forgive my ignorance but I haven't paid attention to all the different artifical sweeteners out there. I just bought some Crystal Lite lemonade mix for my kids. It contains aspartame. Is that okay for kids? for pregnany women? Could someone point me to a link that can explain it all?
TIA |
Anonymous
| I wouldn't give aspartame to my kids, but I also wouldn't give my kids a diet coke (which also has aspartame). Some people don't care. Personally, I don't want to give my kids a taste for that type of beverage. If you google aspartame you can find tons of information, some true, some a hoax, and then judge for yourself. |
Anonymous
| I wouldn't give it to my kids, either. I mean, don't throw out the crystal light, but I wouldn't necessarily buy any more of it. There are a lot of issue with artificial sweeteners, not the least of which is they tend to make you gain weight because of how they mess with our body's natural regulation of sweets, etc. |
Anonymous
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I personally don't think people should use artificial sweeteners regularly and I would not give to my kids. That said, I do like Splenda in my coffee for some reason, but I don't drink coffee that often. And sure, I have an occasional diet soda (maybe half a soda every 6 weeks - I never buy them but sometimes at a meeting if they are free I might grab one).
The thing is, obesity rates continue to rise as we turn more and more to artificial sweeteners. There is some evidence that they cause cravings. I work with a lot of physicians and a gastroenterologist I know eats everything under the sun, greasy pizza, tons of coffee, etc., but won't touch sodas - diet or regular. He says they will rust a nail - definitely made me think! I don't think anything in moderation will cause harm but I also noticed I crave sweets a lot less and am less hungry all the time since I dropped artificial sweeteners from my diet. Years ago I used to eat the "lite" yogurt, artificially sweetened cereal, diet drinks, etc. all the time, and when a professor of mine said she wouldn't give that stuff to her kids, I started slowly eliminating products from my diet and have totally noticed a difference. And I just don't want my kid to have 50 years of this stuff and then have them find out, well after 50 years it causes problems. Almost anything is not that bad in moderation but think about it - if you have some day after day, year after year, it's not moderate over time. |
Anonymous
| I don't use them, and I'm on Weight Watcher. They're off limits to my child. |
Anonymous
| OP, google aspartme and read about how nasty it is. |
Anonymous
| OP here - is there a healthier lemonade mix on the market? I know making it from scratch would be best but that's not going to happen. My kids usually only get milk and water and have a healthy diet overall, but they asked for lemonade as a treat. Now I'm wondering if that can happen at all. |
Anonymous
I buy the frozen lemonade concentrate from Trader Joe's. |
Anonymous
| We buy Simply Lemonade (or Simply Limeade) for special treats in the summer. They're refrigerated, with other cold juices in our Safeway. When they're on discount, we might buy a couple to have on hand in the fridge. |
Anonymous
| Aspartame converts to formaldehyde at 86 degrees. Why is this crack even legal to consume? |
Anonymous
This is not true. Methanol and formaldehyde Approximately 10% of aspartame (by mass) is broken down into methanol in the small intestine. Most of the methanol is absorbed and quickly converted into formaldehyde and then to formic acid.[75] Some opponents of aspartame have falsely claimed that this causes metabolic acidosis[28]. The metabolism of aspartame does not damage the body because: (a) the quantity of methanol produced is too small to disrupt normal physiological processes;[74] (b) methanol and formaldehyde are natural by-products of human metabolism and are safely processed by various enzymes;[74] (c) there is more methanol in some natural fruit juices and alcoholic beverages than is derived from aspartame ingestion;[74][76] and (d) even large doses of pure methanol have been shown in non-human primate studies to lead to ample accumulation of formic acid (as formate), while no formaldehyde was detected.[77] In experiments on rodents given radiolabeled aspartame, labeled protein and DNA accumulated in the brain, liver, kidneys and other tissues after ingestion of either 20 mg/kg or 200 mg/kg of aspartame.[75] However, these scientists were not directly measuring formaldehyde, but simply measuring levels of some by-product of the methanol from aspartame.[74] [edit] |
Anonymous
Synopsis The artificial sweetener aspartame, contained in products like Nutrasweet©, Equal© and many diet colas, causes a wide variety of ailments. See the email here. Is it true? No. Why? The Nutrasweet scaremail is so larded with claims that it is difficult sort fact from fiction from innuendo from the outrageous quackery. To refute every claim in the email would be tedious, we'll address just the central claims. Let's start with the 'facts' contained in the screed. When the temperature of this sweetener exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in ASPARTAME converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. This is about a close as the email gets to scientific fact, which is to say, in the neighborhood but not at the right address. Aspartame is composed of two substances, aspartic acid and a methyl ester of phenylalanine. High heat can cause aspartame to break down into byproducts, including methanol, but so do the normal digestive and metabolic processes in the body. The process of digesting aspartame goes something like this. Phenylalanine is broken down into methanol. Methanol is broken down into formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is turned to formic acid. Ultimately the formic acid is turned into water and carbon dioxide. But aren't methanol (also known as wood alcohol) and formaldehyde (commonly used as an organic preservative, embalming fluid, for example) highly toxic substances? Yes, they are. But it's important to remember that the human body is a happy little chemical factory built to handle the conversion of methanol and formaldehyde into water and carbon dioxide. The Urban Legend Zeitgeist is not claiming that it's OK to knock back a quart of wood alcohol at your next party, just that your body can handle the amounts of methanol from aspartame contained in one or even dozens of diet colas. Let's put this in perspective: the average diet cola contains about 200 milligrams of aspartame. About 1/10 of that aspartame gets metabolized into methanol. For comparison, a serving of tomato juice the same sizes as a can of diet cola will produce about five times the methanol in your body as the aspertame in the diet cola. Fruits, fruit juices, vegetables, wine and beer will also produced methanol when digested. The chemical plant in your body can handle it in moderation, even in excess. So maybe there is something special about how aspertame is broken down that interfers with how the body handles methanol and formaldehyde. Nope, not according to current scientific research. Studies have tested how aspartame is converted into methanol. One study showed that consumption of 2000 milligrams of aspartame - that's 10 cans of diet soda - had no effect on the amount of methanol present in the bloodstream. Another study showed that ingestion of 600 mg of aspartame per hour for eight hours - that's 24 cans of diet soda - did not increase the amount of methanol in the bloodstream to abnormal or harmful levels. Yet another study showed that subjects were able to consume 10,000 milligrams of aspartame - that's the equivalent of 50 cans of diet soda - without ill effects and the level of methanol in the bloodstream returned to normal levels within eight hours. Let's turn to the less veracious claims made about aspartame. The methanol toxicity mimics among other conditions multiple sclerosis. People were being diagnosed with having multiple sclerosis in error. Among the symptoms of methanol poisoning are: blurred vision, blindness, dilation of the pupils bluish coloured lips and fingernails drop in blood pressure, cardiac failure coma, fatigue, headache, dizziness, convulsions, seizures renal failure pulmonary edema, breathing difficulties, rapid, shallow breathing, stopped breathing Compare them to the symptoms of multiple sclerosis: bladder dysfunction bowel dysfunction slowed ability to think, reason, concentrate, or remember dizziness and vertigo depression fatigue itching, numbness and pain sexual dysfunction spasticity speech and swallowing disorders tremors blurring or graying of vision, or blindness in one eye Unlike multiple sclerosis, the symptoms of methanol present themselves in a few hours rather than than the days, weeks and months that multiple sclerosis develops. Unlike multiple sclerosis, the effects of methanol poisoning are immediate and dramatic: blindness, coma and in many cases, death. It's hard to see how methanol poisoning could be mistaken for multiple sclerosis. But methanol is produced by digesting aspartame, so methanol poisoning is possible if one consumes enough aspartame, isn't it? Yes, theoretically, but no, in practice. Consider the following back-of-the-envelop calculation. Methanol poisoning occurs around when consuming about 1 gram of methanol per kilogram of body weight. For the 75 kilogram [165 lbs] male, a dose of 75 grams of methanol would be required. About 10% of aspartame is broken down into methanol, so to get 75 grams of methanol, you'd have to ingest 750 grams of aspartame. To get 750 grams of aspartame, you'd have to drink about 375 cans of diet cola (remember, a can of diet cola contains about 200 milligrams of aspartame). But you'd have to drink those 375 cans within a few hours since methanol has a half life in the body between one and two hours. Bottoms up! In the case of those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, (when in reality, the disease is methanol toxicity), most of the symptoms disappear. We've seen many cases where vision returned and hearing improved markedly. This is quackery. Even if we accept the premise that methanol poisoning could be misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis, the effects of methanol poisoning are most often permanent. In patients suffering from neurological damage, vision loss and movement disorders from methanol poisoning, Dr. David Likosky notes, 'Little long-term improvement can be expected in patients with the complications listed.' If you are using ASPARTAME (NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc.) and you suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting pains, numbness in your legs, cramps, vertigo, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, joint pain, depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision, or memory loss-you probably have ASPARTAME DISEASE! They might as well as thrown in bad breath and ingrown toenails into list as well. Beyond the fact that there is no recognized condition 'aspartame disease,' this laundry list of aches and pains is so generic that any number of conditions and ailments could fit the bill. What about aspartame and lupus? Systemic lupus has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis,especially with Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers. The victim usually does not know that the aspartame is the culprit. He or she continues its use, aggravating the lupus to such a degree that it may become life-threatening. We have seen patients with systemic lupus become asymptomatic once taken off diet sodas. Unlike the supposed link between aspartame and misdiagnosed multiple sclerosis, the email offers no explanation of why aspartame causes or aggravates lupus. Medline, the medical and scientific publication database, found no scientific research showing relating or linking aspartame to lupus. The FAQ of the Lupus Foundation of America states: We are aware there is an email message circulating on the Internet warning individuals with lupus about dangers associated with using the artificial sweetener aspartame. The Lupus Foundation of America consulted with the chair of the LFA Medical Council, Evelyn Hess, MD, MACP, MACR. Dr. Hess is one of the nation's leading researchers in the field of lupus specializing in environmental influences. According to Dr. Hess, there is, as of now, no specific proof of an association with aspartame as a cause or worsening of SLE. |
Anonymous
| Well you can have my share. I'll can live without artificial anything in my diet. |
Anonymous
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when i was consuming a ton of aspertame (read: 12 pack of diet coke/6 pack of diet jello/day!!!) i was having major problems. i also used to leave the stuff in my car and it would heat up to who knows how much. i experienced memory problems, dizziness, confusion, etc.
it would also make me crave more sweets. i've since given up the stuff, but on the occasion (when there is nothing else around) i will have some. i've tried truvia too, but even though its "natural" i stick to the real stuff now. |
Anonymous
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From: http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2008/12/18/the-unnatural-history-of-sweet-from-sugar-to-stevia/
29 Share0 diggs diggThis was the week of stevia, a new zero calorie sweetener, that got FDA approval as a safe food additive, and will shortly find its way into soft drinks and other products scattered about our supermarket aisles. If you are confused about all the different sweetening options out there, you are not alone. Once upon a time, it was either honey or cane sugar. But then came the industrial revolution… (Grab a cup of coffee, take a deep breath, this is a long post) 10,000 BC – archeological evidence of honey harvesting by humans. Honey has 4 calories per gram. 6000 BC – first use of sugar sourced from sugar cane. The cane is crushed, the liquid boiled and purified, and when dried crystallines are formed. Sugar has 4 calories per gram. 1000+ AD – Stevia leaves are chewed and used in teas by tribes in Central and South America. 1879 – Saccharin is accidentally discovered at Johns Hopkins university. Much sweeter than sugar, with a slightly bitter aftertaste, it became commercially available soon after, but did not gain much popularity. Saccharin has zero calories and is 300 times sweeter than sugar. Trivial fact – honey bees will not eat saccharin. 1907 – First USDA investigation of harmful side effects of saccharin. 1915 – Sugar shortages during World War I helped bolster sales of saccharin. 1931 – French researchers isolate the compounds responsible for stevia leaves’ sweetness. Stevioside and rebaudioside are 250–300 times sweeter than sucrose, heat stable, and have zero calories. They are natural substances, as oppose to artificially produced sweeteners such as saccharin. 1937 – Cyclamate, an artificial sweetener, is discovered at the University of Illinois, again, by accident. Cyclamate has zero calories and is 30 times sweeter than sugar. 1938 – The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act is passed by Congress. The FDA is given the authority to oversee the safety of food, drugs, and cosmetics. 1957 – Sweet’N Low, a blend of Saccharin, dextrose and cream of tartar is introduced to market as a table sugar alternative. The pink packets go on to become a cultural icon. 1958 – Cyclamate is granted GRAS status (generally regarded as safe) by the FDA. 1958 – The Delaney Ammendment to the Food, Drugs, and Cosmetic Act states: “the Secretary of the Food and Drug Administration shall not approve for use in food any chemical additive found to induce cancer in man, or, after tests, found to induce cancer in animals.” 1963 – Coca Cola’s introduces Tab, a diet soda sweetened with saccharin. 1965 – Aspartame is accidentally discovered in a laboratory of a company later acquired by Monsanto. Aspartame is a zero calorie artificial sweetener 200 times sweeter than sugar. Some people don’t like its taste because it reacts with other food flavors. It will take 15 years to get it approved for use as a food additive. Another drawback is limited shelf life of aspartame sweetened drinks because its active ingredient breaks down in water. Aspartame is 100-200 times sweeter than sugar and has zero calories. 1967 – German chemist discovers Acesulfame K, 200 times sweeter than sugar, with a bitter aftertaste adn zero calories. 1969 – Cyclamate is banned by the FDA, after research links it to cancer in mice. To this day, it is still banned in the US. 1971 – First commercial use of stevia in Japanese soft drinks. 1970’s – The high cost of sugar leads soft drink manufacturers to look for other solutions. A farm subsidy system that created huge corn surpluses triggered a switch from sugar to high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The sweetener is produced by milling the corn to produce a starch and then processing that corn starch to yield corn syrup. The cost of HFCS is much lower in the US than sugar. HFCS has 4 calories per gram. 1976 – Sucralose is discovered by scientists from Tate & Lyle and King’s College London. Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar and has zero calories. 1977 – The FDA propose to ban saccharin, after the publication of a studies showing that rats fed large doses had high rates of cancer. Saccharin is the only artificial sweetener on the market at the time. A huge public outcry ensues, orchestrated by various lobbies, which helped Saccharin survive. 1977 – The Saccharin Study and Labeling Act allows saccharin to continue to be sold but requires a warning label – “Use of this product may be hazardous to your health”. 1981 – Despite testing that suggested aspartame caused brain tumors in rats, the FDA approves its use. 1981 – Nutrasweet, a brand name aspartame sweetener, is introduced to markets as a table sugar alternative in blue packets. 1982 – Diet Coke is introduced, using rising star aspartame as the artificial sweetener of choice. 1984 – Coca Cola and Pepsi, the #1 and #2 soft drink manufacturers switch from sugar to HFCS in the US. In other countries, they continue to use sugar. Since then, obesity rates in the US have shot up and many fingers have been pointed at HFCS as the culprit. Studies have not yielded a definite answer. Researchers agree that there is a correlation, but argue as to causality. The jury is still out. 1985 – A request to re-approve cyclamate is filed, after it is found that the tests showing it causes cancer were flawed. 1988 – Acesulfame K is approved for use in foods by the FDA. Ever since, it is used in addition to other artificial sweetners such as aspartame and sucralose. 1991 – the FDA labels stevia as an “unsafe food additive” and restricts its import. Some believe this was done at the behest of the companies manufacturing artificial sweeteners based on aspartame. 1992 – Nutrasweet patents expire, allowing additional companies to produce and market aspartame. Equal is one. 1992 – FDA approve the use of Neotame, a new sweetener from the Nutrasweet company. Neotame, 10,o00 times sweeter than sugar, will fail to achieve siginificant market success. 1998 – FDA rejects petitions to ban Acesulfame K despite indications that it may lead to health problems. 1998 – Sucralose is approved by the FDA, paving the way for the yellow packets of Splenda table sugar alternative. 2000 - Congress repeals the law requiring saccharin products to carry warning labels. 2008 – The Corn Refiners Association, trying to quell consumer unease with high fructose corn syrup, initiates a full blown TV advertisement campaign. 2008 – 18 years after the FDA deemed it unsafe, stevia is granted GRAS status. For more details see here and here Today the best selling zero calorie sweetener in the US is Splenda by far, with Nutrasweet in 2nd place, and saccharin a close third. Now that its “kosher” it will be intersting to see where stevia sales will be in a few years. |