Artificially Sweet

[Gillette]

I'm highly sensitive to artificial sweeteners, be it Aspartame, sucralose or acesulfame potassium. Without fail, any time I consume something containing these sweeteners within minutes I'll feel nausea, lightheaded (almost high) and my legs will feel like lead weights. These symptoms can take up to an hour to clear.

I've always thought I had an allergy to these products but have come to learn that they're actually neurotoxins. Well, isn't that special?

Your Brain on Aspartame
Some of the most commonly reported neurological symptoms include:
*Headaches
*Changes in behavior or mood
*"Fuzzy" thinking
*Seizures
*Depression[xi]

Source - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/aspartame-health-risks_b_668692.html

Apparently there were concerns prior to FDA approval but searle managed to sneak it through. Swines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38if0pyeli8&feature=player_embedded

Has anyone else experienced acute reactions to sweeteners or other food additives?

 

[nudeyorker]

I just have never liked "Diet" products containing artificial sweetener; they taste vile. I read a report on aspertame and the side effects specifically if the temperature of the product is raised above 105 degrees; it amazes me that it has not been removed from products on the market.
I read something else that diet products containing aspertame actually stimulate your appetite.
I'm sticking to sugar in moderation.

This is not the link I was looking for but it sums up what I have previously read about aspertame.
http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-information.html

 

[D_Myer_Dogasflees]

Personally I mix 2-4 parts Stevia powder with 1 part sucralose (called splenda in usa), then add a bit hot water/depends with what you use it with. This combination is superb, and at least to current research(splenda) has the lowest risk, stevia afaik is completely safe.

Other safe options include xiatol.

however aspertame k is really good if you substitute sugar for mufins and scones and such, and for grilled sweet potato as well.

diversify, however, spenda should make up the most, xiatol and sucralose (spenda) second

maple syyp is also a good one, however it is very close to sugar in calories too, but it's full of rare minerals, and a bit of magnisium(good for testostorone) too.

 

[B_BeautifulDark]

I wonder where my shift from an addiction from plain Coke to Coke Zero will take me health wise.

These days I can't drink plain Coke anymore and Diet Coke always had too much of a chemical after taste for me.

Coke Zero is my new vice that's almost impossible to break free from.

 

[D_Myer_Dogasflees]

I wonder where my shift from an addiction from plain Coke to Coke Zero will take me health wise.

These days I can't drink plain Coke anymore and Diet Coke always had too much of a chemical after taste for me.

Coke Zero is my new vice that's almost impossible to break free from.

anything is better than sugar, however i would take any other alternative option to sugar than aspertame k whenever i could. however between the two i think i'll stick with the aspertame. i think certain Pepsi products (not sure if it's pepsi lite) uses stevia(only sweetener which is completely safe, in fact may be beneficial too)

 

[HiddenLacey]

My physician told me to stop drinking the flavored water packets with artifical sweetners and I would likely stop having so many headaches. While the issue has not completely resolved I do not go to sleep and wake up with a headache the way I used to.

I also do not use stevia after reading a few articles saying it may not be safe and I have decided to stick with sugar. If I want sugar I use it in moderation or I use organic honey.

 

[Bbucko]

Luckily I really never developed a sweet tooth and prefer flavors many would describe as "bland" or, in some cases, even "bitter". The one time my French lover came to the US prior to my having moved to Paris, he commented continuously on how everything here seemed to have some kind of added sweetener, and he found our taste of a mix of salty and sweet inedible bordering on perverse.

I was still in high school when I first read about the danger of "refined sugar" and made a conscious effort to rid my life of it as near as possible, such as conventional condiments (ketchup: yuck! It's red sugar water-paste) and carbonated drinks. At home I drink pots and pots of unsweetened tepid black tea, which is decidedly acquired taste; back when I drank coffee, it was really good stuff and always drank it black and unsweetened.

I allow myself occasional exceptions like Cranberry "juice", which I know is essentially all high-fructose corn syrup, but only rarely. And I avoid anything labeled "diet" (always tasted like a chemical wash to me) and will not buy artificially-sweetened yogurts and the like.

Now if we're discussing salt...that's a different matter entirely. I over-salt everything :redface:

 

[HazelGod]

I allow myself occasional exceptions like Cranberry "juice", which I know is essentially all high-fructose corn syrup, but only rarely.

I'm a similar fan of the cranberry blends, particularly the raspberry and the pomegranate, but I go for the 100% juice varieties...no added sugar and no HFCS. I also tend to cut it to 50% with water when I drink it.

For years, this was something you could only get from niche players like Northland. These days, the Ocean Spray heavyweights have jumped onto the bandwagon too...but I tend not to have any inclination to support the giant who served up the sugar-laden shit for decades and only now gets into the pure juice game since smaller players have discovered a viable market.

 

[Belly_Dancer]

When it comes to foods, I will choose real sugar (or honey, or maple syrup) every time -- I just don't consume sweets in excess, only in moderation, so the calories are not a problem.

When it comes to drinks, though, I admit to consuming both aspartame and sucralose, and I don't think it causes me any problems whatsoever. Since I gave up wine, I like to drink cola and ginger ale in the afternoon and evening, and I would rather drink them without sugar -- why add the calories when I don't even notice the taste of artificial sweeteners?

I know some people will say they could cause cancer or other side effects, but the side effects of being overweight from drinking too much sugared pop are also considerable.

And I personally don't believe artificial sweeteners either stimulate your appetite or cause your body to release insulin. At least, they don't seem to with me.

 

[CUBE]

I have really had to explore this as a diabetic (type 2) I am in excellent health and pretty good shape just to put that out there. I also exercise. In trying to avoid sugar I tried these sweeteners and researched them. Most every one of them has different people saying they are slow poison or the best thing for you. I know it is highly important to keep sugar down but I just found more of these bad then good. Be very careful of Splenda. Some people get a response similar to food poisoning and they think it was something bad at a restaurant the night before. Very often there was Splenda in something and they didn't know it. Stevea tastes to me like pepper. I was using Sweet n Low as my sugar sub of choice for years. I really like the flavor. But this last year I thought diet drinks (my beloved Diet Coke) really needs to go. I missed it all the first three weeks and then I kind of felt generally better. I think I process food better and don't feel bloated in the tummy. I mainly drink plain tea or ice water. If I make a pie...and let me tell you my desserts are my weakness and awesome. I use the least amount of sugar I need and I take some to friends so it is not teasing me all week. But I eat the pie with no guilt. On my oats in the morning I use maybe a teaspoon of agave syrup. It is the best and natural. You can bake with it if you experiment a little....sometimes it means using only have the regular sugar. The break down of foods that turn to fast sugar are wise to use in moderation if you possibly can. I really cut back on bread consumption and all rice. When I found out how bad it really was I don't even crave it. A small bowl of ice cream is more honest to me in that I clearly recognize what it is made of...over breads and cereal any day

 

[Bbucko]

I'm a similar fan of the cranberry blends, particularly the raspberry and the pomegranate, but I go for the 100% juice varieties...no added sugar and no HFCS. I also tend to cut it to 50% with water when I drink it.

For years, this was something you could only get from niche players like Northland. These days, the Ocean Spray heavyweights have jumped onto the bandwagon too...but I tend not to have any inclination to support the giant who served up the sugar-laden shit for decades and only now gets into the pure juice game since smaller players have discovered a viable market.

CVS has an especially tasty private-label pomegranate juice which I haven't bought in almost nine months now. I ought to check it out next time I'm in one to see whether it's a "cocktail" or 100% juice.

Having grown up on Boston's South Shore, Ocean Spray was king of the only hill in town; I'm not sure I even saw a container of Northland until I was well into my 30s, by which point I'd been living in downtown Boston off and on for about 17 years :redface:

Edited to add: instead of water, next time try vodka or rum: yum.

 

[Mem]

I only drink diet soda. I think it's mostly made with Aspartame now. For a while I was drinking a regular Mountain Dew here and there and I started to gain weight so I stopped. I usually don't like other diet sodas besides cola. Just on a whim I bought some Diet Dr. Thunder which is Walmart's bootleg of Diet Dr. Pepper, but to me it tastes much better and has more of a Cherry cola taste. This was after Walmart ran out of Diet Cherry Coke Zero and now Diet Dr. Thunder is my new favorite soda.

I prefer Diet Pepsi to Diet Coke, but if it's on sale I will sometimes buy Coke Zero which I think is like Pepsi One.

I also use Equal type aspartame packets in my coffee. Just one can sweeten 10 to 12 ounces of coffee, where with sugar you need several teaspoons. The only time I use sugar is if I want to sweeten some instant grits.

To me Sweet-n-Low has an awful chemical taste.

 

[B_subgirrl]

Luckily I really never developed a sweet tooth and prefer flavors many would describe as "bland" or, in some cases, even "bitter". The one time my French lover came to the US prior to my having moved to Paris, he commented continuously on how everything here seemed to have some kind of added sweetener, and he found our taste of a mix of salty and sweet inedible bordering on perverse.

I can't eat most of the US chocolate bars because there is so much sugar in them, but I LOVE the salty-sweet combination. Reese's peanut butter cups are delicious!

 

[SpeedoMike]

type II diabetic here. never had a problem with any sweetners except for excessive sorbitol causing the runs. I read the food labels and select those with as low a carbohydrate level as possible, per my MD's recommendation.

 

[molotovmuffin]

I have a diabetic friend who ended up with MS from artificial sweeteners. Forgive me for not remembering which one, but it can also cause lupus like symptoms. Pretty nasty stuff.

 

[CUBE]

I want to say again about checking out agave nectar. It is a sugar but does not have a fast blood spike. It has a slower burn in the body and is a natural product. It is very sweet and takes just a small amount to be noticed. You can get this at many places now.

 

[concupisys]

while i'm not in to artificial sweetners at all (i'm hypoglycemic), there's one thing about artificially sweetened foods that baffles me: why do so many people go out and eat these supersized, high fat, high carb foods only to wash them down with a diet soda? i've almost busted a gut laughing in some places after observing people who have this habit....

.... talk about wearing a fur coat with no knickers....

 

[Mem]

why do so many people go out and eat these supersized, high fat, high carb foods only to wash them down with a diet soda?

Because diet soda has zero calories. If they drank regular soda they would gain a few extra pounds per week.

 

[sxjTheFirst]

while i'm not in to artificial sweetners at all (i'm hypoglycemic), there's one thing about artificially sweetened foods that baffles me: why do so many people go out and eat these supersized, high fat, high carb foods only to wash them down with a diet soda? i've almost busted a gut laughing in some places after observing people who have this habit....

.... talk about wearing a fur coat with no knickers....

LOL I have thought of the same thing too. If you were really health conscious why not a fruit juice or just water!

 

[AquaEyes11010]

Ever a skeptic, I have read the links attached by others describing the dangers of artificial sweeteners, but none list quantities required to induce the negative symptoms as compared to quantities actually found in the artificial sweeteners. I've read accounts proclaiming that aspartame breaks down into methanol and formaldehyde in the body, and then citing the dangers of these chemicals in the body. Again, no mention is made of amounts. As per the Discover article below, "Both methanol and formaldehyde are toxic in high doses, but a person would have to drink 600 cans of diet soda to get as much of either substance as is contained in a single orange."

I also remember reading the origins of the "sweet-n-low causes cancer in lab animals" study, prompting the warning to be placed on the product. The study was conducted on rats, which have metabolic differences from humans, resulting in bladder tumor formation in rats when given continual high doses of saccharin but no similar effect when the same amount (as a percentage of body mass) was given to primates. In any case, aspartame "has been studied more than any other substance in FDA history, yet it has consistently been declared safe" (again, in the Discover article).

Yes, I can agree with the basic stipulation that there are possible risks attached to consuming artificially made food additives, but I believe there is much more myth than truth to most claims. Artificial sweeteners are over a hundred times sweeter than sugar, thus the amount used in a product is less than 1% of the amount of sugar needed in the "non-diet" version.

I've read about concerns for PKU, an inherited metabolic disorder which is affected by the phenylalanine present in artificial sweeteners. Yes, this is a serious disorder, which is caused by the individuals being unable to metabolize phenylalanine properly, and causing amino acid build-up in the brain, eventually causing severe mental retardation. What isn't mentioned when PKU is referenced is that infants are checked for this at birth and it is the symptoms, not the disorder, which develop over time with exposure to phenylalanine in the diet. One website recommended individuals get tested for this disease if they suspect to be having adverse reactions to artificial sweeteners. If an adult was not diagnosed as an infant with PKU but had the disorder and consumed a non-restricted diet, that adult, if still alive, would be so severely mentally disabled that reading an website would be an impossibility (as would speaking, moving, possibly breathing without mechanical assistance...).

One thing I notice when searching the web for "artificial sweetener danger" is that the sites promoting the dangers are often also promoting the sale of something in the "natural living" genre: books, supplements, etc. This seems to me too much like a scare tactic, directing readers to "salvation" through the products/philosophies promoted by these websites. Those that aren't seem to be merely echoing the exact same "studies" consisting primarily of anecdotal evidence.

I see a lot of "headaches" listed as symptoms ascribed to consuming artificial sweeteners, usually in the form of diet soda. I'm wondering if it isn't more the caffeine withdrawal and/or sodium causing this.

As an additional note of irony, many of these "natural living" websites speak of the dangers of artificial sweeteners, despite any scientific studies backing -- and many refuting -- their claims, then go on to list recommended supplements (which, as designated, avoid FDA testing which artificial sweeteners have overwhelmingly passed) with dubious claims based on anecdotal evidence.

Aspartame controversy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

snopes.com: Aspartame -- Sweet Poison?

Saccharin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

C&EN: WHAT'S THAT STUFF? ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

The Chemistry of . . . Artificial Sweeteners | Senses | DISCOVER Magazine