Artificial Sweeteners good or bad?
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Oh, my, low-cal sweeteners are getting a lot of mileage in the forums of late!
A summary of a summary of my recent posts on the subject:
1. The real benefit is that they make things taste sweeter without adding calories.
2. There are side effects in some sensitive populations to each sweetener.
3. Many of them (aspartame - fully approved in 1996, sucralose - fully approved in 2006) have not been around long enough for the populations who use them to have experienced any long-term effects yet.
4. The constant intake of sweetened items can, in some people (like me) increase cravings for sweet things. Reduction in said intake eases craving control.
Given the benefits (flavor), costs (makes it harder for me to avoid other sweets), and risks (small but unknown), I'll stick with sweeteners that have been around for a while and whose side effects and long-term impacts are very well known and well-documented. I completely respect the opinion and right of others to make their own decisions based on their own assessment of the risks and rewards.
At the moment, saccharin is the only thing with enough long-term use for me to consider it safe for my use, and that tastes like chemical-dipped *kitten* to me.
Experimental test subjects: In 25 years, if y'all are still extolling the virtues of sucralose, or in 15 years if aspartame is still the paragon of zero-calorie sweetening virtue, I'll give it more thought. Thanks for testing it out for me, though!
Hugs and kisses,
- A member of the experimental control group.
Wait, what? Aspartame was given final approval in 1981, not 1996. As for safety, it's been studied since 1965, when it was first created. Here's a summary:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17828671Abstract
Aspartame is a methyl ester of a dipeptide used as a synthetic nonnutritive sweetener in over 90 countries worldwide in over 6000 products. The purpose of this investigation was to review the scientific literature on the absorption and metabolism, the current consumption levels worldwide, the toxicology, and recent epidemiological studies on aspartame. Current use levels of aspartame, even by high users in special subgroups, remains well below the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Food Safety Authority established acceptable daily intake levels of 50 and 40 mg/kg bw/day, respectively. Consumption of large doses of aspartame in a single bolus dose will have an effect on some biochemical parameters, including plasma amino acid levels and brain neurotransmitter levels. The rise in plasma levels of phenylalanine and aspartic acid following administration of aspartame at doses less than or equal to 50 mg/kg bw do not exceed those observed postprandially. Acute, subacute and chronic toxicity studies with aspartame, and its decomposition products, conducted in mice, rats, hamsters and dogs have consistently found no adverse effect of aspartame with doses up to at least 4000 mg/kg bw/day. Critical review of all carcinogenicity studies conducted on aspartame found no credible evidence that aspartame is carcinogenic. The data from the extensive investigations into the possibility of neurotoxic effects of aspartame, in general, do not support the hypothesis that aspartame in the human diet will affect nervous system function, learning or behavior. Epidemiological studies on aspartame include several case-control studies and one well-conducted prospective epidemiological study with a large cohort, in which the consumption of aspartame was measured. The studies provide no evidence to support an association between aspartame and cancer in any tissue. The weight of existing evidence is that aspartame is safe at current levels of consumption as a nonnutritive sweetener.0 -
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blah!! I like natural sweetener.....a pretty girl
HA HA!0 -
Most artificial sweeteners are a no-go. A great way to sweeten things is to use honey.
However, we use Stevia. My mother is a personal trainer and has had extensive training in nutrition. She herself is a triathlete. She seems to approve of this one over any of the others and in place of table sugar.0 -
In before omgaspertameequalssmoking!0
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SOME people have intensified cravings, headaches or other side effects from artificial sweeteners.
THOSE people should avoid them.
Similarly, some people have bad reactions to shellfish, or strawberries, and those people who have those reactions should avoid them, too.0 -
Just FYI, sugar = 15 cal tsp, honey is 22 cal tsp.
Unless you are using it like crazy a little sugar can be worked into the equation pretty easily. Lord knows I have a bit of honey from time to time. I love the stuff :bigsmile:
^^ it tastes better... yum If I need something other than naturally sweet it's going to be actual sugar or honey.0 -
I just use real sugar if I use anything.0
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blah!! I like natural sweetener.....a pretty girl
lmao.0 -
SOME people have intensified cravings, headaches or other side effects from artificial sweeteners.
THOSE people should avoid them.
Similarly, some people have bad reactions to shellfish, or strawberries, and those people who have those reactions should avoid them, too.
Word. :smokin:0 -
I am not a fan of artificial sweetners at all. If I sweeten something I usually use honey or agave. But it must be used in moderation.0
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I'm in the process of purging artificial sweeteners for a month to see if Splenda is what's been causing this unexplained itchy patch I've had on my neck that's come and gone for years. I've had various other skin issue that have developed as well. For certain reasons I feel like these things are internal. I'm going to try to eliminate sucralose (Splenda) and aspartame to see if these might have something to do with it.
No, what you read online may not be scientific. But when you read story after story after story of real people like us who've had horrible and often serious experiences from sucralose only to have the problems go away once they eliminate it, it's hard not to at least look in to it. They are chemicals and are processed. And maybe certain people are more sensitive to these products than others. But you can't say that natural can't be better.
I'll report back in a couple of weeks with my experience. I don't drink a lot of diet drinks. I do have two to three cups of coffee a day with a splenda in each and eat snack type foods with the ingredients in them. I put it in smoothies and oatmeal. But it builds up in your system which is why I'm giving it a month. It's surprising how many foods from our fridge/pantry contain artificial sweeteners.0 -
The study on aspartame was actually conducted by the FDA and in order to consume enough aspartame to do damage, you would have to drink 22 two liter bottles of Diet Coke per day. If you are looking for an all natural sweetener, Truvia is the way to go. As a nutrition major studying to be an RDA, I see no problem with any of the alternative sweeteners when used in moderation. They do not "trick" your body. Unless you have PKU, aspartame is not a problem.0
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Aspartame is also known to cause:
blindness in one or both eyes....
That's the funniest thing I've read here today.0 -
We should avoid artificial sweetener, as we should avoid white sugar, corn sirup, etc. We should use honey, maple syrup, xylitol is also an excellent substitute (and natural, with a glycemic index of 7-10 : to compare, sugar have a g.index of 100), and of course Stevia (all natural, and with 0 cal).
Never forget that there is a lot of lobbying, and it can takes time before some informations change. Always look where the study came from.... It tells a lot.
And when not shure... I choose to avoid.
No one will make me belive that sugar, for instance, is GOOD for human health. Of course, the taste is amazing !!! :-)) But for the helth, it's another story. If you take a little bit of sugar, the impact will be less important. But have you looked at any food label ? There is sugar everywhere !!!! That is why I'm not using processed food anymore, 98% of the time. I know, it take time to do everything. But for me, it worth it.
More and more, nutrition remind me of religion... People have a lot of belief, and it hard sometimes to know all the truth !!! :-)
Eventually, just choose what you believe is the best for you ! :-)0 -
There was a recent article by a leading physician that Aspartame is the most dangerous product someone can legally purchase. I am inclined to agree. Aspartame DESTROYS THE NEURONS IN YOUR BRAIN. Think about that for a minute.
Every single artificial sweetener should be avoided, period.
Use regular sugar, honey, stevia, or certain sugar alcohols like erythritol.0 -
There was a recent article by a leading physician that Aspartame is the most dangerous product someone can legally purchase. I am inclined to agree. Aspartame DESTROYS THE NEURONS IN YOUR BRAIN. Think about that for a minute.
Every single artificial sweetener should be avoided, period.
Use regular sugar, honey, stevia, or certain sugar alcohols like erythritol.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
But you can't say that natural can't be better.
Some people will die if they eat peanuts. Does that mean the rest of us should avoid them (ignoring that I do because I don't like the taste )?
Have a read here:
http://whatdoesthesciencesay.wordpress.com/2010/06/13/aspartame-and-formaldehyde/While it is true that aspartame does break down into methanol then formaldehyde, it actually happens much more in fruit juices (about 2x in a banana, or 6x in an 8oz glass of tomato juice2). Gold attempts to address this in item 4, but simply waves his hand as an explanation for why it can be ignored. The fact is that it simply is not enough to do anything and your body easily disposes of it.0
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