O/T The Not-So-Sweet Truth About Aspartame

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The Not-So-Sweet Truth About Aspartame

By Ronnie Koenig Jul 12th 2010 1:29PM

Categories: Healthy Eating

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Aspartame is an artificial sweetener found in many of the foods we consume every

day, including soft drinks, chewing gum, breakfast cereals and jams. Even though

it is FDA approved, many dietitians and nutritionists warn against its use, wary

of the claim that it can deliver the taste of sugar without any of the health

drawbacks.

Official complaints to the FDA about aspartame use include headaches and

gastrointestinal problems. Detractors like Dr. ph Mercola, author of " Sweet

Deception, " say that aspartame consumption can actually contribute to weight

gain and even cause neurological side effects such as migraines and brain tumors

due to a disturbance of the dopamine and serotonin balance.

An aspartame producer has recently rebranded the product under a new name,

AminoSweet, which sounds healthy (amino acids are the building blocks of

protein), but is it?

Marissa Lippert, a registered dietitian and a New York City nutritionist and

author of " The Cheater's Diet, " says that although the research is inconclusive

regarding the long-term health risks of aspartame, people should think twice

about consuming it.

" Saccharin has been linked to cancer, " says Lipper. " Artificial sweeteners like

aspartame can indeed cause digestive distress (bloating, diuretic effects,

diarrhea, etc.). Bottom line: It's still an artificially/chemically processed

item. "

In her practice, Nourish Nutrition Counseling & Communications, Lippert

recommends her clients eschew " fake foods " in favor of an all-natural diet.

If a product is labeled " sugar free, " " no sugar added " or " light, " it most

likely contains aspartame or some type of artificial sweetener. While Diet Coke

and Diet Pepsi are obvious culptrits, you may be surprised that some seemingly

healthy foods, like most nonfat, flavored yogurts(including some varieties of

Dannon's Light & Fit), contain aspartame.

Even some of the most trusted brands are adding the controversial sweetener to

their foods. Smucker's Sugar Free Breakfast Syrup has it, as do the company's

light and sugar-free strawberry preserves. Tofutti chocolate fudge treats and

Edy's Grand Fat Free No Sugar Added Vanilla Swirl also contain aspartame.

Dieters have long believed that the best way to reduce their waistlines was to

eat " light " or artificially sweetened foods instead of those containing sugar.

Although it seems counterintuitive, it may actually be more beneficial to weight

loss to eat a small amount of real ice cream than the lower-calorie stuff.

" Research is now indicating that sweeteners may actually cause people to gain

weight because of a negative metabolic response, " says Lippert. " They can also

increase sweet cravings and alter our taste buds in terms of our 'threshold' for

sweetness. Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar, and Splenda is 600 times

sweeter. "

So if you're a four-can-a-day diet soda drinker, do you have a chance of kicking

the aspartame habit?

" I actually help clients to wean themselves off of sweeteners and even the

biggest addicts can be successful, " says Lippert. " Switch to natural sources of

sweetness -- fresh fruit, honey, sugar in the raw, agave nectar. Flavored

seltzer and flavored unsweetened iced tea is a great way to swap your diet soda

for something other than regular water. Retrain your taste buds to appreciate

natural sweetness, and you'll feel and taste a significant difference. "