Article I read on Artificial Sweetners and soda

Jade1964

Studies continue to show that these artificial sweeteners can cause weight gain, disruption of sleep patterns, sexual dysfunction, increases in cancer, MS, Lupus, diabetes, and a list of epidemic degenerative diseases. How ironic that a product originally intended for medicine can actually make you sick.

So it is your choice after reading this Article or don’t mind the above mentioned ailments, and diseases will you continue or will you stop immediatley and share this with all your friends, family and coworkers??

1. Aspartame (phenylalanine)
Used in the majority of diet products, including Diet Coke®, Aspartame can be up to 200 times sweeter than regular (real sugar). The high levels of phenylalanine (detrimental to people with PKU disorder) and methanol in Aspartame destroys neurons and can lead to memory loss, brain tumors and cancer. Twelve ounces of Diet Coke® can contain about 200 mg of Aspartame. Aspartame is a half-billion dollar industry and is the main ingredient in Equal® and NutraSweet®

2. Acesulfame-K (acesulfame potassium) or Ace-K
An artificial sweetener used in Coca-Cola Zero®. Acesulfame-K is 150-200 times sweeter than sugar and is a potential cancer-causing agent. Similar to saccharin, Acesulfame-K enhances a beverages’ sweet taste while extending its shelf life. Acesulfame-K failed to meet FDA standards. Acesulfame-K is marketed under the brand, Sunett and is in Sweet One sweeteners.

3. Neotame (dimethylbutyl)
7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar (one quarter teaspoon of neotame contains the equivalent of 22 pounds of sugar). Neotame is relatively new and is being marketed to replace high fructose corn syrup in many Coca-Cola products. Neotame can cause ADD/ADHD and other emotional and behavioral disorders. Currently not available in individually wrapped packages.

4. Saccharin
Made from an organic petroleum molecule and can be 300 times sweeter than natural sugar. Saccharin is found in fountain Diet Coke® and should be avoided during pregnancy. Especially harmful to children, saccharin has been implicated as a carcinogen and can cause tumors in the bladder as well as cancer. Saccharin is used in Sweet and Low®

5. Cyclamate or sodium cyclamate
Found in Coke Zero and Coca-Cola Light. Banned by the FDA, cyclamate is especially harmful to the male reproductive system causing infertility and diminished testicles. Cyclamate is a carcinogen, which when combined with other harmful substances, can increase the onset of cancer. Look for this harmful sweetener in products when traveling overseas, especially in Latin America. Cyclamate is in Sugar Twin.

6. Sucralose (E955)
600 times sweeter than sugar and is found in Diet Coke. Preliminary research indicates that sucralose can cause organ damage and intestinal complications as it is removed from the blood stream by the kidneys. Sucralose has also been found to trigger migraines. Sucralose is the ingredient known as Splenda®.

7. Maltodextrin
A bulking base for most, common artificial sweeteners. A type of carbohydrate, Maltodextrin is only slightly sweet or almost flavorless. Affects people with allergies to corn or wheat. It is found in Equal, Splenda and many others.

8. Sucrose
Regular table sugar. In one can of Coke there can be over 40 grams of sugar, equivalent to eight to ten teaspoons. If you substitute water with cola beverages, you could gain 18 pounds in one year. Excessive sugar consumption can cause mood swings, nervous disorders, diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. Sugar feeds every cell including cancer cells. In Mexico, Coca-Cola is made with sugar.

9. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS 55)
Quite possibly the single most common sweetener. High fructose corn syrup also extends the shelf life of products and is cheaper than sugar. Linked to obesity possibly due to the pervasiveness of its presence, digestion of high fructose corn syrup promotes the storage of fat in the human body. High fructose corn syrup is found Coca Cola Classic.

10. Alitame
2000 times sweeter than sugar and is not calorie free. Alitame is not approved for use in the U.S. and petitions have been withdrawn. Alitame is approved for use in Coke beverages found in Australia, Mexico, New Zealand and China. Alitame was developed by Pfizer®, and is marketed under the brand name, Aclame™.

Kelly_Wilson1990

Nasty stuff! I have not had a soda since last December!!! I do not even miss them.

kriswigg

I try to avoid them, but do admit to a diet soda now and then. I've also read that artificial sweeteners (not sure exactly which ones) can contribute to joint pain, so if you have arthritis like me, good to stay away from that stuff.

LovingMe19

Wow, thats a bit of an eye opener. And I have 3 packs of Diet Coke and Pepsi MAX.

Azuleelan

I feel physically sick whenever I eat or drink something sugar-free... :ohwell:

gentlebreeze2

Here's a neat little video that explains things very clearly. It takes about 8 minutes to watch, but so worth it.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1623210223012&oid=177136132328524&comments

tmarie2715

I am an artificial sweetener addict, but am slowly cutting out most aspartame and relying mostly on Splenda.

Would OP mind citing this article? I'd love to read it from the source.

Thanks!

Cadenpet

MS and Lupus are genetic. Its written into your DNA before you are born, perhaps they meant it can cause flair ups in people suffering from these?

And I might be bitter...my doctor ordered me to stop all caffeine consumption yesterday and practically had Diet Dr. Pepper running through my veins in place of blood. Already the headaches have started.

tracivee

From what I've read, the jury is still out. I LOVE my diet pop, and don't plan on giving it up any time soon. Anybody can find studies that anything can cause diseases. I think the key is to not overdo anything.

barbiex3

i drink regular pop and other sugary drinks almost every day, and I've lost 12 pounds in the past two months. My percentage body fat is around 18%, so I don't really think this is a big deal.

EVERYTHING WITH MODERATION. =]

WifeMomDVM

Just wanted to put out that Maltodextrin is commonly used for post-work out to aid in muscle recovery and help muscles uptake protein - so it can be beneficial when used at the right time with the right amount consumed - this is of course assuming you aren't allergic to corn or wheat.

Sugar in moderation.

All other artificial sweeteners - stay far, far away. Thanks for sharing!

muth3rluvx2

Okay, so just to play devils advocate (because I so love doing it!) ...

Nothing "causes" add/adhd. It's a different set of neuronal pathways to compensate for an over or under production of various synaptica responses to a variety of chemicals (often non-reproductive related hormones which regulate the majority of our functions from emotions to body temperature) and is genetic in nature (ie: hereditary). Personally, I think it's almost time for it to come out of the DSM and parents, teachers, communities and families just need to understand that teaching is a differentiated process and no one learns the same way, at the same rate, in the same environments. But that's a whole different soap box right there.

In any case, the claim that some sweetener *causes* a neural "disorder" of that particular type then has me question the entire paper. The claim of corn syrup causing obesity is also crap. As all of us here at MFP have learned, moderation, exercise, and healthy eating are the keys to prevention; sugar could similarly be linked to obesity. Over indulgence will indeed result in those outcomes, certainly.

Lastly, natural is ALWAYS better. Always always always. Period, without question. If you don't want to gain weight from soda, then either don't drink it or drink less. I did the diet thing for a short time... very short. There's a reason my palate is so senstive to fake products; I'm attuned to my body and it does not like alot of processed mano-made crap. Once in a while... yeah, okay... I might indulge because it tastes good or I'm in a super hurry or there's nothing else in the house. But generally, if it's processed in a laboratory and has more things on the package that I can't pronounce than things I can, then I'll probably avoid it.

Did you know twinkies bounced and do not expire? If you unwrap a celophane covered twinkie in 200 years, it will be just as "fresh" as it was the day it came out of the factory. Uhm, ew? I think I'll have my coffee with real sugar, thanks. I was somewhere that I had to use splenda (or some such) yesterday because they had no real sugar and I'd already brewed the coffee.... my coffee tasted like the styrofoam cup it was in.

It's funny how scientists and media can take research and make facts reflect a truth that's just not *quite* right. Sugar, caffeine and artificial sweeteners (and sometimes, other things depending on the child) can produce disregulated hormones that affect mood states that can mimic the appearance of ADHD, btw. Many more children are misdiagnosed and overmedicated when the cause of the behavior is really something far more immediate to the environment. All other possibilities need to be considered before resorting to a medical cause that can't really be diagnosed but has to do purely with individual (and therefore biased) reports. ADHD has no scientific method of diagnosis at this time, although recent research has shown variations in brain fluids, movement of those fluids and electrical impulse paths. However, it is still not a reliable method of diagnosis. Now, sometimes it may benefit the parent and child to receive a diagnoses so that he or she may receive specialized services at school that are only available with a diagnosis. Sometimes, a child just needs additional stimuli to help him or her focus more effectively (gum, the freedom to stand or take a break to do jumping jacks, or a stress ball, etc) - and there's nothing wrong with that. As someone with a BA in Psych and graduating in a month with a M.Ed., I am rather frightened to see information like this being dispersed to the public. It is misinformation that could lead many parents and new educators astray. Please be cautious of what you read, post and always cross-reference information before taking it for "fact".

Your friendly neighborhood nerd. ;-)

Strive2BLean

Thanks for posting, but I have always been aware of this. That's why I only drink bottled spring water and don't eat asnything diet or anything with high fructose corn syrup. It's pretty simple to do if you only eat whole foods and nothing processed. Congrats on your progress thus far! :happy:

chiroGirl77

Here's a neat little video that explains things very clearly. It takes about 8 minutes to watch, but so worth it.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1623210223012&oid=177136132328524&comments

That video was so professional and educational! Thanks for sharing it!!!!!!!!!

EricMurano

Are there any references to the studies that "continue to show" the bad effects of aspartme?

dnsrmr

Can you tell us where your studies are coming from? I use Sweet n Low and my 83yr old mother has been using it much longer (probably since it first came out). Neither one of us have any side effects from it, nor have I read of anything to support the facts you state.
My mother is very healthy each time she goes for her checkups.
Althought she believes in eating more healthy foods like old fashioned oatmeal, legumes, fresh fruites and vegies, she still adds Sweet n Low to her coffee.
I'm not saying your right or wrong, but to be on the safe side, I believe I'm going to do a study on myself by not using them for a few months to see if I feel different.
This could possibly be the reason my metabolism has stopped. I sure hope so
It seems all foods have additives, preservatives or some poisonous word that's listed in the ingredients most people don't read up on.
What has happened to our natural foods that people once ate without worry?
So sad.
Thank you for this informative message.
I would like to know where it came from and how they support the side effects that possibly come with artificial sweetners.
Thank you for the time you took to post this. Very informative.

dnsrmr

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1623210223012&oid=177136132328524&comments
VERY informative. Thank you!

Awkward30

So far I've yet to find any study that can find anything more than a correlation, and I believe there is s high burden of proof for causation. For example, full calorie sodas are probably correlated with obesity because they are probably correlated with large calorie consumption. It would be incorrect to say that they cause obesity though because it is actually the calorie surplus that causes one to become obese.

I recently read the book 'abs diet for women' and it was full of correlative statistics being passed off as proof of causation and it honestly annoyed the crap out of me. Human behavior is so complex that there are generally too many confounding variables, like that of lifestyle. For all we know there is a correlation between drinking more soda and exercising less, which then skews the data even though it would be ridiculous to suggest that drinking soda makes you exercise less.