Aspartame: Good or Bad?

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soccerkon26
soccerkon26 Posts: 596 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I just found out that one of my favorite low calorie foods (Cary's Sugar Free Syrup) uses aspartame, which is one of the reasons it received a bad rating on "Fooducate"

So, I read up on why aspartame is used (very sweet, requiring less than normal sugar, which means less calories)...but I've received conflicting information on if it is really unhealthy for you.

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  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    It's neither good nor bad, unless you have a metabolic condition called Phenylketonuria, in which case you would have a list of prohibited foods one of which is aspartame. If you don't have the condition, and do not seem to be affected by the consumption of aspartame, then it's fine to consume, especially if it's in one of your favorite foods.
  • dunetraveller
    dunetraveller Posts: 3 Member
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    There were concerns over it breaking down when exposed to heat over time. Whether those things were healthy or dangerous wasn't known. That is until the European Union food safety folks found that even those weren't dangerous at the levels any normal person would be ingesting. So those people spreading concern are really just spreading bad science. Unless you're chugging the syrups to obscene levels I wouldn't worry about it. There are a great many things that if taken in ginormous amounts can be harmful so this is just one more thing to add to the long list.
  • RhineDHP
    RhineDHP Posts: 1,025 Member
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    Here is an informative post on the subject:

    Why Aspartame Isn't Scary
  • isulo_kura
    isulo_kura Posts: 818 Member
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    Aspartame is one of the most overly tested foods on the planet. Despite the scare mongering there is no reputable peer reviewed science that shows any danger. Like any food moderation is the key. As long as your not getting it intravenously enjoy your foods

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