Over a year ago, I went on a conscious crusade to cut chemicals out of my diet. I started reading up and found that those five or so Diet Cokes a day I was having to "stay slim" and "energized" were doing more than the exact opposite. One of the reasons: a chemical called Aspartame.
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener used in many diet products because of its nearly non-existent caloric count. The funny thing about Aspartame is that it was actually denied FDA approval eight times between 1973 and 1996. In ’96, it was approved even though the chemical has been documented with 92 possible side effects of ingestion including blindness, hair loss, weight gain (oh irony!), migraines and Alzhemier’s, just to name a few. In the end though, as with most things, money and connections won out with the FDA Commissioner Arthur Hull Hayes. Hayes overruled scientists’ findings that the chemical was not fit for consumption. That same year, he left the FDA under investigation of accepting kick backs from FDA regulated organizations and went to go work for the man who invented Aspartame, G.D. Searle. Since then, Aspartame has racked up more reports to the FDA than all the other food additives combined with multitudes of class action lawsuits to boot.
So why is it approved still, you may be wondering.
Well, I’m sure it has to do with the fact Aspartame is now a one billion dollar industry.
Aspartame is in over five thousand things our society consumes, not just diet sodas. Aspartame can be found in cereals, jams, chewing gum, even "vitamins". That’s why you have to read the labels! And don’t just look for "Aspartame" in the ingredients but look in your shopping cart and coffee cup. NutraSweet and Equal are both made of Aspartame.
And now, the newly branded, fresh new look of Aspartame… AminoSweet!
HORAY! BECAUSE OUR KIDS TOTALLY NEED A GOOD DOSE OF ARTHRITUS IN THEIR FUTURE!
Oh, because that’s another side effect linked to Aspartame. Along with Parkinson’s disease, diabetes and a score of psychological disorders.
The new name is to play upon the fact that Aspartame is to "remind the industry that aspartame tastes just like sugar, and that it’s made from amino acids — the building blocks of protein that are abundant in our diet." Too bad the same freaking product also ruins your pH balance, the metabolism of your amino acids, your protein structure and releases excessive dopamine, so say hello to increased chances of depression if reading this article hasn’t already bummed you out.
Although sugar is not particularly good for you, natural (unbleached) sugar is light years from ruining your life like this propaganda product. Since cutting Aspartame and the products associated with it out of my life, I am a noticeably happier and healthier person. No more mood swings, no more six days at the gym. My mind is in better shape and so is my body because my metabolism isn’t run down with toxins like Aspartame. If there is anything I could give to the Intent community, it would be my intent of ridding your diet of this horrible and dangerous additive. Read your labels and be aware of what you consume! In the end, they may be the difference between your health and a hospital bed.
Cover photo: CC Flickr//PunchingJudy
Very informative article!! Definitely will make a point to steer clear of Diet Cokes (though I loved them so much)….
I have terrible reactions to aspartame, including UTI-like symptoms. (Too much history to put in a comment post!) It's interesting that Truvia and PureVia cause these very same symptoms – I do *not* believe these new sweeteners are anything natural at all!
great post! i recommend looking into Stevia.
But Stevia is SO sweet. Is there anything else out there that tastes good but is healthy? I would dearly miss my diet coke.
I try to never consume artificial sweeteners. If I need sweet, I use organic pure can sugar or Stevia. Marissa, thank you so much for educating us on the real dangers of artificial sweeteners.
Namaste
there is always delicious fruit
Exactly spoole! I've been trying to convert to stevia from splenda (see my intent on it) but I have to import it off Amazon as I'm in the Caribbean and it's not available here yet so waiting for my shipment! So I've been thinking like so now what do I do about Diet Coke and I think out there in North America etc. Coke and Pepsi are getting into stevia sweetened lines and there may be already some limited supply in some areas. Apparently in the past too diet coke in Japan used to be sweetened by stevia.
Anyway I hope soon a nice not so sweet cool bev comes out on the market! Of course there is always good ole water and I luckily love to drink lots of it.! And if we are withuot vice all we really need to drink but…
So then you can drink the really sweet juices and use natural brown sugar etc from time to time but in all reality for most of us to control weight too and have something to drink more often these artificial sweeteners will be part of our life for a while yet! I did a survey of juices the other day and even florida natural orange juice has like 22 g of sugar a serving so! I mean where can you find a quick drink on the go that is not insanely high in sugar without the artificial stuff! Couldn't they make juices less sweet? Or like even the iced teas why do they have to put so much sugar!? Or decide to just start make reduced sugar coke etc too…of course coke pepsi etc as a whole has other 'bad' stuff not just aspartame so…really it's about balance and choice isn't it.?
Questions questions choices choices! And perhaps in the end everything in moderation? But it's a tough eating and drinking world out there to maneuver your life through! LOL!
True…….. sugar is not a FOOD it's Byproduct.
Just like this sugar Illusion…….. there is also a killing OIL and that is TRIPLE Filtered OIL…………………….
I have always known about the dangers of using aspartame and I continue to share this with others. Thank you for this added info and another good healthy choice would be to not consume sodas. I am also in the Caribbean and due to our climate sodas are high in consumption. Keep sharing with us.
What a awesome 6 hour, thankyou to Dave and all the crew at Roudtuit Caravan park for all the work that went to running this event, well worth marking in the dairy for next yearZayıflama Lida Fx15 ve Biber Hapı zlfvbh burmeh yaza lida fx15 biber hapı ile formda girin burmeh yaza lida fx15 biber hapı ile formda girin Trakya Üniversitesi tabiii en önemliside bize baya bi para getirecek. his family and particularly the children he had artificially created will be happier and far better off without him, not to mention wealthier. Remember and play his music if you want..it was pretty good but don't for get what an absolute failure as man he was. He dies a whiny drug addicted loser.. Save your sorrow for someone worthy
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