Jury still out on aspartame
Categories: Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
I'm a fan of foods without sugar. But sometimes I worry about items labeled sugar-free that still retain a semi-sweet taste. How can this be? How can something sugar-free taste so, well, sugary?
It all comes down to two words: Artificial and sweeteners. Like aspartame, the sweetener no one is really too sure about.
According to an article in the Fall/Winter 2007 issue of Beyond, a magazine all about breast cancer, long-term studies of low doses of aspartame given to rats beginning in the womb indicated a cancer connection. A different study of humans, published in the January 2007 Annals of Oncology, contradicts this conclusion, though, revealing there is no link between the use of artificial sweeteners and cancer. Data is just not strong enough to say anything about human risk.
It all comes down to two words: Artificial and sweeteners. Like aspartame, the sweetener no one is really too sure about.
According to an article in the Fall/Winter 2007 issue of Beyond, a magazine all about breast cancer, long-term studies of low doses of aspartame given to rats beginning in the womb indicated a cancer connection. A different study of humans, published in the January 2007 Annals of Oncology, contradicts this conclusion, though, revealing there is no link between the use of artificial sweeteners and cancer. Data is just not strong enough to say anything about human risk.
For now, I don't plan on dismissing the possibility that something artificial like aspartame might contribute to compromised health. But that's just me. How about you?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rich Murray 9-30-2007 @ 2:12PM
13 mainstream research studies in 24 months showing aspartame toxicity, also 3 relevant studies on methanol
Aspartame toxicity was shown in thirteen detailed mainstream research studies in 24 months in work by expert teams in South Africa, England, Italy, Greece, Hungary, and Mexico.
Very little has been publicized in mass print and broadcast media.
Also highly relevant are a study in South Korea that finds levels of methanol similar to those from aspartame drinks cause the hangovers from alcohol drinks, a study in China on Alzheimer's type damage in nerve cells from low dose formaldehyde, and an IARC review by 25 experts that determines formaldehyde to be a human carcinogen.
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JENNY 11-01-2007 @ 3:46PM
All I know is that, for me, drinking diet sodas sweetened with aspartame sometimes leads to migraines. I think I might have also read about this link elsewhere.
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Joyce 11-01-2007 @ 5:52PM
Ok I am a diabetic so sugar is out....I use Equal and like it.Yes I worry about the long term effects however what am I to do drink water? I use it in hot and cold drinks as well as fruit and cereal.
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