Aspertame

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juanpegler
juanpegler Posts: 92 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi Everyone.
Just a quick question.
Has anybody had any bad experience with Aspertame?
I see there are lots of bad things written about it on the net. then again, I dont trust these sites unless I can see its some official health website. I do trust you all though :) So what is the verdict?
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Replies

  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
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    I haven't.
  • ereck44
    ereck44 Posts: 1,170 Member
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    I'm so allergic! My chest and back break out in hard welts! and I can taste it immediately, then I look at the ingredients and it is buried somewhere in the middle. I just stay away from any "diet" anything. Just not worth it.
  • stephygetsfitt
    stephygetsfitt Posts: 38
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    I am allergic to many things including Aspartame. I used to consume a small amount every time I'd chew Wintermint Orbit Gum (♥) and started noticing weird heart pain. I felt like I had a brick on my chest and then my heart felt like it was getting stabbed with a needle. I was like wtf! I couldn't figure out why I was feeling this way.

    Then I started noticing I'd get weird headaches. After about a year I finally related some of those things to what I was eating and the ingredients in them. Now I don't eat any Aspartame product or artificial sweetners for years now and haven't had that feeling since.

    I've read lots of scary stuff on the internet about since then and I am SO happy I don't eat that nasty stuff anymore!
    ♥
  • FrankieBenjamin
    FrankieBenjamin Posts: 61 Member
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    I did slimming world about 10 years ago. Switched all sugar products to fake sweetner products, was fine at first, but after a while became very sensitive - looked it up nad realised I was suffering from a lot of side effects - blurred vision, tinitus, mood swings (really didnt feel myself and became quite agressive etc), thirsty cant remember them all, but as soon as I realised what it was I cut them out and went back to normal. Decided I would rather be fat than mad! Couldnt touch it for around a year without symptoms coming back immediately as I was very sensitive. Anyways I can have some products now with sweetener in, but really try to limit my intake as I dont want to feel that way again - especailly the mood aspects. In moderation its ok, but becareful,
  • juanpegler
    juanpegler Posts: 92 Member
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    Good to know. Staying away.

    Thanks for all the replies.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,923 Member
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    Just reading this thread is giving me a headache.....
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    I'm intolerant to it, same symptoms as for lactose intolerance. I avoid it. My mum and gran have the same issue with it, so it's possibly genetic.

    However, that doesn't mean it's unsafe for everyone. There's a ton of scaremongering about aspartame on the internet. Some people don't tolerate it well, most people clearly don't have a problem otherwise no-one would buy stuff that contains it because people generally avoid foods and drinks that make them ill.

    I don't think there's any point avoiding it if it's not causing any problems for you. Should everyone avoid peanuts just because some people are allergic to peanuts? A severe peanut allergy is potentially deadly. But the vast majority of people eat them without problems.
  • mrsamanda86
    mrsamanda86 Posts: 869 Member
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    Sounds like anyone who isn't allergic to it gets along just fine. I don't go looking for it to eat/drink with, but it's in some of the things I like and haven't ever noticed any ill effects from it. Most of the studies showing ill effects are from amounts that you would never actually consume. Kind of like dogs not being able to eat chocolate, they would basically have to eat their body weight in chocolate for the ill effects.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    I've never read anything that convinced me that aspartame/artificial sweeteners are bad for the average person to consume in moderation.

    If you have certain health issues it should be avoided. For example, people with PKU have to avoid it completely because it contains phenylalanine. But they also have to avoid natural sources of Phe, which include meat, dairy, and starches.

    Some people find that it makes them crave other sweet foods. If it causes problems with adherence to your calorie goal, then limiting or eliminating it might be wise.

    Most of the scary studies involve consuming massive quantities, far beyond what the average person would consume. The dose makes the poison and just about anything can be harmful in enormous quantities, even water.

    TL;DR: If you don't have a health issue and it doesn't cause cravings, enjoy artificial sweeteners in moderation and in the context of a balanced diet.
  • ElusivePete
    ElusivePete Posts: 50 Member
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    I've consumed quite a lot of aspartame (and many other sweeteners) for many years, and it's never caused me any problems.

    My fiance and her mother seem to get minor headaches though from something in certain sweetener-containing products. Not sure if it's actually from the sweeteners themselves or not. Could be all sorts of things.
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
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    It stole my girlfriend and finished the cake I was saving for a snack.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    its more addictive than crystal meth, when you add it to crystal meth, cause it tastes sweet too.

    definitely will quell your sweet craving, and replace it with a much deeper, bugs on your skin, sell your grans TV kinda craving.
  • ekz13
    ekz13 Posts: 725 Member
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    Splenda, Equal, S&L, etc... no issues..
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,995 Member
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    Was just starting to think these Aspertame is the evil enemy! Threads had faded away.

    New Evil Enemy Sugar threads have taken over - and nobody is answering Aspertame threads with 'Natural sugar is better '
    answers any more.

    Anyway Op, I drink a few glasses of diet coke a week - hasn't caused me any side effects at all.
  • GingerLolita
    GingerLolita Posts: 738 Member
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    I've given up artificial sweeteners recently, using real sugar or honey if I need to. Because sweetness is no longer calorie-free for me, I'm more inclined to leave things unsweetened. As a result, I've started craving sweet things less - and therefore sweet things are more satisfying when I have them!
  • npayne90
    npayne90 Posts: 83 Member
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    I was a diet coke junkie, got severe headaches etc, gave it up, and headaches vanished, I feel really great.
  • ttknowles01
    ttknowles01 Posts: 255 Member
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    I've never read anything that convinced me that aspartame/artificial sweeteners are bad for the average person to consume in moderation.

    If you have certain health issues it should be avoided. For example, people with PKU have to avoid it completely because it contains phenylalanine. But they also have to avoid natural sources of Phe, which include meat, dairy, and starches.

    Some people find that it makes them crave other sweet foods. If it causes problems with adherence to your calorie goal, then limiting or eliminating it might be wise.

    Most of the scary studies involve consuming massive quantities, far beyond what the average person would consume. The dose makes the poison and just about anything can be harmful in enormous quantities, even water.

    TL;DR: If you don't have a health issue and it doesn't cause cravings, enjoy artificial sweeteners in moderation and in the context of a balanced diet.

    ^^^^ This...I have not had any issues with it
  • bluesunset2015
    bluesunset2015 Posts: 120
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    I've heard that aspartame and any other kind of artificial sweetener is worse than sugar, so go figure :P
  • midwestmixtape
    midwestmixtape Posts: 66 Member
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    Unless you have adverse reactions (rare), artificial sweeteners are something you just crap out without any effect on your health, like swallowing gum.

    Some studies have alleged that it affects your insulin levels / metabolism, but other studies have found the opposite. Jury is out on that as far as I know.

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