The Aspartame Thread
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A. I forget that this forum is stone age
B. Is that your best attempt at humor?
History is usually a good place to look for indicators of future outcomes.0 -
Has anyone watched Sweet Misery? It's a documentary and it's available for free on YouTube.
I aso think it's worth looking into how aspartame was passed by the FDA. It was banned for sme time before being passed and the man instrumental in passng aspartame has some very padded pockets...
Aspartame is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. Think about the way our bodies react to sugar. As soon as we taste "sweet" on our tongue, our brain sends a signal to the pancreas to create insulin in preparation. When the aspartame enters our system and the insulin realizes that it is not sugar, it doesn't know what to do with it. Now you have all this insulin "sitting around" that doesn't have a task to complete. Your pancreas cannot simply make the insulin go away, so more signals are sent out and suddenly you are craving more "sweet"- sugar, carbs...
Back to aspartame being about 200 times sweeter than sugar- as a mother, I don't want my children getting used to such a powerful and artificial sensation. I try avoid sugar as much as possible when it comes to my kids (let's be honest, it's not really possible to avoid it all together, especially with so many advertisements out there geared towards kids these days), but if sugar is an issue, than surely something 200 times sweeter than sugar should also be an issue when it comes to our little ones (and ourselves)!
That is all I have to say! Please don't be mean to me, today is my birthday :happy:0 -
A. I forget that this forum is stone age
B. Is that your best attempt at humor?
History is usually a good place to look for indicators of future outcomes.
It's funny you post that. Actually in hindsight they're recommending going back to using DDT. The problem was overuse. They were hosing kids down with it back in the day. It would actually be rather effective at fighting malaria in certain parts of the world at proper dosages. But fear mongering will prevent that from ever being a reality.
Here's an article backing up my statements. Because that's what people are looking for here. Facts. Not fear.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=ddt-use-to-combat-malaria
Oh and
B. I was a professional comedian for 9 years. My sense of humor is just fine.0 -
Likely. Also likely is an allergic reaction. It's funny how when millions of people have severe allergic reactions to peanut, peanuts are still fine for everyone else to eat, but once one person complains of a headache from aspartame, it's suddenly poisonous for everyone else.Is it possible that some of the migraines that are attributed to the aspartame are actually due to the caffeine in the drink?
Because when something is natural, like peanuts, it is fine for non-allergic people. But when something is a man-made chemical, it probably is poisonous.0 -
I think there are going to be studies for and against every thing. Personally it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and if I do manage to drink it I feel dizzy especially if it is in something like crystal light and such. But to each their own. I personally will use Stevia, which I know there are studies for and against as well.0
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I don't understand why this is even an issue. If something is more than questionable, why would you consider putting it in your body? There's absolutely no justification for it. Now, if you want it, just say you want it, but don't try to defend it as a sensible choice when you're asked about it.0
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A. I forget that this forum is stone age
B. Is that your best attempt at humor?
History is usually a good place to look for indicators of future outcomes.
It's funny you post that. Actually in hindsight they're recommending going back to using DDT. The problem was overuse. They were hosing kids down with it back in the day. It would actually be rather effective at fighting malaria in certain parts of the world at proper dosages. But fear mongering will prevent that from ever being a reality.
Here's an article backing up my statements. Because that's what people are looking for here. Facts. Not fear.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=ddt-use-to-combat-malaria
Oh and
B. I was a professional comedian for 9 years. My sense of humor is just fine.
The back and forth is exactly what is wrong with (largely corporate sponsored) science. One minute it's good...the next it's bad.
Their motivations are highly suspect when there's money to be made for them either way. Condemn one product and roll out the next. When the newest one is condemmed, revise the science on the old one. In the mean time, public health in industrialised countries continues to decline.
Professional comedien, eh? You're a joke a minute. Cue symbol hit.0 -
Honestly, I don't know
Maybe it's bad for us, maybe, 20 years from now :laugh: , we'll find out there's no problems with it. Today, though, if I want a Coke to drink and I have a Diet Coke instead, I'm counting that as a win because I'm taking in 0 cals and that's important to me.
It does taste kinda funny to me sometimes though sometimes 0 -
Food scolds have been abuzz lately, promoting the scientifically questionable idea that drinking diet soda boosts the risk of heart attack and stroke. And the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has kept the heart-health-focused story alive by injecting it with a fresh dose of cancer fears.
Seemingly unable to control his urge to play on the public's fear of the dreaded "C-word," CSPI Fear-Monger-in-Chief Michael Jacobson told USA Today this week that he thinks diet drinks are better than sugar-sweetened soda—and then promptly changed the subject to begin perpetuating cancer fears both new and old:
Animal studies have raised cancer concerns about some of the artificial sweeteners in [diet] drinks, including aspartame and acesulfame potassium, he says. And the caramel coloring in colas contains two cancer-causing chemicals and should be banned, Jacobson says. There is "clear evidence of toxicity in animals."
The cancer risks in diet soda are probably small, Jacobson says,"but there is no reason to accept any cancer risk in a worthless junk food, whether it's diet soda or regular soda."
Jacobson's most recent cancer scare—over caramel coloring—was based on rodents being subjected to ultra-high doses of "chemical by-products" assured to cause "lung, liver, and thyroid tumors in laboratory rats and mice." But how risky is the coloring? It turns out that you'd have to drink 1,000 sodas a day to consume the levels that caused cancer in lab rats. That's about one soda every minute if you stayed awake for 16 hours a day. We're going to go out on a limb and say that the risk of getting cancer from caramel coloring in soda is effectively nil for people who aren't hooked up to a soda IV.
And Jacobson couldn't resist digging up two old cancer scares—aspartame and acesulfame potassium—that continue to haunt CSPI because it just can't convince the federal government to fear them. According to the National Cancer Institute, neither of these artificial sweeteners is associated with increases in cancer risks. And aspartame scaremongering has also been shot down by other "science in the public interest" entities, including the Food and Drug Administration, Food Standards Australia New Zealand, and Health Canada.
Just for fun, we decided to see what else Americans shouldn't spend their precious time here on Earth needlessly worrying about. The odds of dying from an air- or space-transport accident are 1 in 7,032. By Jacobson's logic, every plane should be grounded. Thankfully, consumers who need to get somewhere have decided it's worth the minuscule risk.0 -
This is a kind reminder from the OP that this thread is supposed to be a discussion of ideas and conceptualizations of aspartame. A lot of you are doing a really great job both for and against aspartame and I appreciate it, I'm learning a lot.
Comments of anecdotal evidence (unless used to illustrate something larger) are not the goal. There are other threads that will happily accept those.
I have a question for those in the "against" camp (I am obviously currently "for" aspartame camp, I don't deny it). By saying things like "there's no point in eating it" aren't you over simplifying things? The "point" is that caloric intake leads to weight gain and that weight gain is, for many of us, not desirable. IF it was harmless in terms of science (theoretically, assuming you're not allergic or anything) then would it be acceptable or would its status as a non-nutritive food position it as staunchly and irrevokably pointless?0 -
Yep. Apparently millions of Asians can't be wrong.:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:l love apartame! It goes great with MSG.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
The back and forth is exactly what is wrong with (largely corporate sponsored) science. One minute it's good...the next it's bad.
Their motivations are highly suspect when there's money to be made for them either way. Condemn one product and roll out the next. When the newest one is condemmed, revise the science on the old one. In the mean time, public health in industrialised countries continues to decline.
Professional comedien, eh? You're a joke a minute. Cue symbol hit.
You distrust science. I understand. But I am going to ask that you log off the internet.
I'm going to ignore the last part. You're welcome.0 -
The back and forth is exactly what is wrong with (largely corporate sponsored) science. One minute it's good...the next it's bad.
Their motivations are highly suspect when there's money to be made for them either way. Condemn one product and roll out the next. When the newest one is condemmed, revise the science on the old one. In the mean time, public health in industrialised countries continues to decline.
Professional comedien, eh? You're a joke a minute. Cue symbol hit.
You distrust science. I understand. But I am going to ask that you log off the internet.
I'm going to ignore the last part. You're welcome.
I distrust corporate sponsored science motivated by greed.
"Log off the internet"...you're in need of some new material, my friend.0 -
Might as well keep worrying about the end of the world too.A. I forget that this forum is stone age
B. Is that your best attempt at humor?
History is usually a good place to look for indicators of future outcomes.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
The back and forth is exactly what is wrong with (largely corporate sponsored) science. One minute it's good...the next it's bad.
Their motivations are highly suspect when there's money to be made for them either way. Condemn one product and roll out the next. When the newest one is condemmed, revise the science on the old one. In the mean time, public health in industrialised countries continues to decline.
Professional comedien, eh? You're a joke a minute. Cue symbol hit.
Eh... you clearly have no idea how science works.
Science is always a work in progress. Scientific knowledge is the accumulation of hundreds of stories that eventually paint the big picture of truth. One research article does not make good science.
And this thing about our motives being highly suspect when money is involved... exactly how do you expect us to live? Should we all work 9 to 5 at McDonald's and cook up science in our basements at night?
Some scientists are unethical. Some are greedy. Some are in it for the money and the prestige.
And you know what? I'll agree that 'the system' is broken... but it's not for the reasons you and so many others think it is broken.
It's broken because it has taken me 15 years to get to where I'm at now. 15 years of slaving away in college. 15 years of night-and-day give-all of me years.
Do you know that I make LESS money than a high school teacher? Yup.
Soooooooo where's this money we're talking about? The kind that's going to make me lie to the world?
In fairness... the higher-ups... yah, they are under tremendous stress to publish or perish. Some of them cave. I've been the victim of dishonest/unethical conduct from my bosses.....
However, as I already mentioned, science is the accumulation of knowledge. The lies are eventually discovered. Time reveals the truth.
Aspartame has been around for a while. I'm more confident in Aspartame's safety than I am in Stevia. Aspartame has been tested more. Stevia... people assume it's safe because it's 'natural'. A lot of 'natural' things can kill.0 -
I haven't had time to read the whole thread so maybe this has been said. One effect of artificial sweeteners is to induce a craving for sweet. Certainly there is a heightened desire for intake of carbohydrates following consumption of aspartame et al. There are many studies demonstrating this effect. In addition research, lots of it, shows that aspartame has no overall positive effect on weight loss.0
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Happy Birthday. Don't eat a cake with sugar in it.Has anyone watched Sweet Misery? It's a documentary and it's available for free on YouTube.
I aso think it's worth looking into how aspartame was passed by the FDA. It was banned for sme time before being passed and the man instrumental in passng aspartame has some very padded pockets...
Aspartame is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. Think about the way our bodies react to sugar. As soon as we taste "sweet" on our tongue, our brain sends a signal to the pancreas to create insulin in preparation. When the aspartame enters our system and the insulin realizes that it is not sugar, it doesn't know what to do with it. Now you have all this insulin "sitting around" that doesn't have a task to complete. Your pancreas cannot simply make the insulin go away, so more signals are sent out and suddenly you are craving more "sweet"- sugar, carbs...
Back to aspartame being about 200 times sweeter than sugar- as a mother, I don't want my children getting used to such a powerful and artificial sensation. I try avoid sugar as much as possible when it comes to my kids (let's be honest, it's not really possible to avoid it all together, especially with so many advertisements out there geared towards kids these days), but if sugar is an issue, than surely something 200 times sweeter than sugar should also be an issue when it comes to our little ones (and ourselves)!
That is all I have to say! Please don't be mean to me, today is my birthday :happy:
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
The back and forth is exactly what is wrong with (largely corporate sponsored) science. One minute it's good...the next it's bad.
Their motivations are highly suspect when there's money to be made for them either way. Condemn one product and roll out the next. When the newest one is condemmed, revise the science on the old one. In the mean time, public health in industrialised countries continues to decline.
Professional comedien, eh? You're a joke a minute. Cue symbol hit.
Eh... you clearly have no idea how science works.
Science is always a work in progress. Scientific knowledge is the accumulation of hundreds of stories that eventually paint the big picture of truth. One research article does not make good science.
And this thing about our motives being highly suspect when money is involved... exactly how do you expect us to live? Should we all work 9 to 5 at McDonald's and cook up science in our basements at night?
Some scientists are unethical. Some are greedy. Some are in it for the money and the prestige.
And you know what? I'll agree that 'the system' is broken... but it's not for the reasons you and so many others think it is broken.
It's broken because it has taken me 15 years to get to where I'm at now. 15 years of slaving away in college. 15 years of night-and-day give-all of me years.
Do you know that I make LESS money than a high school teacher? Yup.
Soooooooo where's this money we're talking about? The kind that's going to make me lie to the world?
In fairness... the higher-ups... yah, they are under tremendous stress to publish or perish. Some of them cave. I've been the victim of dishonest/unethical conduct from my bosses.....
However, as I already mentioned, science is the accumulation of knowledge. The lies are eventually discovered. Time reveals the truth.
Aspartame has been around for a while. I'm more confident in Aspartame's safety than I am in Stevia. Aspartame has been tested more. Stevia... people assume it's safe because it's 'natural'. A lot of 'natural' things can kill.
Your first sentence was a personal insult against someone you know nothing about. Not a great start to your argument.
The rest of your post...cry me a river.0 -
Might as well keep worrying about the end of the world too.A. I forget that this forum is stone age
B. Is that your best attempt at humor?
History is usually a good place to look for indicators of future outcomes.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
The sky is falling! The sky is falling! - Chicken Little0 -
Might as well keep worrying about the end of the world too.A. I forget that this forum is stone age
B. Is that your best attempt at humor?
History is usually a good place to look for indicators of future outcomes.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Yeah and the end of the world seems more likely at this point then getting an argument from this thread FOR Apartame other than "it taste like crap but it has 0 calories."
Cardboard has zero calories too but you don't eat that...well, then again weren't there some burgers in China being infused with cardboard a while back.0
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