Almost every food or beverage you come across will have some kind of sweetener in it, frequently in the form of aspartame or sucrose. Over the years, both have been the subjects of growing controversy over whether or not they're healthy. Both are linked to health problems.
Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener. Discovered in 1965, it was at first banned, thanks to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and neurosurgeon John W. Olney. In 1981, aspartame was approved for use in dry goods, and approved for drinks in 1983. Today, aspartame is found in many sugar-free products. It's used as Equal, Sweet and Low, Sunette, NutraSweet, Splenda, diet drinks and sugar-free gums, yogurts and candies.
Aspartame Warnings
According to the FDA in 1995, aspartame is responsible for more than 75 percent of adverse reactions to foods. Some side effects include nausea, weight gain, depression, insomnia, anxiety, loss of hearing or taste, eczema, seizures and headaches. Since its release, there have been conflicting claims about aspartame. One way to consider this is by looking at what aspartame is made of: 10 percent methanol, 40 percent aspartic acid and 50 percent phenylalanine. The phenylalanine, a type of amino acid, has been linked to tumors in mice, according to Olney in 1970 and Dr. Reynolds, who performed his own study shortly thereafter. The Environmental Protection Agency warned in 1994 that intoxication of methanol -- though not likely -- can result in blindness or death. However, methanol does form formaldehyde in the body, which can injure your neurological system. As your body breaks down aspartame, the compound DKP -- diketopiperazine -- is also produced. Neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock M.D. warned in his 2002 "Health and Nutrition Secrets That Can Save Your Live" that DKP then produces a component identical to N-nitrosourea, a chemical that can cause brain tumors. Blaylock warned that even drinking one diet coke daily will increase these toxins in your body.
Sucrose
Sucrose is generally known as table sugar after it's extracted from sugar beets or sugar cane. Glucose and fructose are formed together to make sucrose. It's found in natural foods like fruit, but it's typically added into many desserts and junk foods. It's thought to have been first used thousands of years ago in Polynesia.
Sucrose Warnings
Consuming products with added sucrose can cause health problems, such as high triglycerides, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, yeast infections, obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. Too much sugar has been known to age the human body. Dermatologist Fredric Brandt reported on MSNBC in 2007 that the collagen and elastin of skin are nearly defenseless in people who eat diets high in sugar. This can result in sagging skin and wrinkles. Today, people are consuming sugar through gum, drinks, candies, and more. As of 2009, the "Journal of the American Heart Association" recommends that women consume no more than 6 tsp. of sugar daily, from all sources, while men should have no more than 9 tsp.
References
- World Natural Health Organization: History of Aspartame
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Aspartame Summary
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Reported Aspartame Toxicity Effects
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Chemicals in the Environment: Methanol
- NaturalNews.com: The Link Between Aspartame and Brain Tumors: What the FDA Never Told You About Artificial Sweeteners
- MSNBC.com: Face Facts: Too Much Sugar Can Cause Wrinkles
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