Phenylalanine is an amino acid the body needs. It can be found in a variety of natural foods, such as dairy products, fish, nuts and poultry. It is also an additive in artificially sweetened foods and beverages, such as diet soft drinks. Though it...
As the name suggests, diet drinks are often consumed by dieters, or those wishing to lose weight. Additionally, certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, involve a reduced intake of sugar, and because diet drinks are generally sweet and...
Diet soda is marketed as though it is helpful for dieters who want to lose weight. Evidence shows that diet soda containing artificial sweeteners may cause health risks. According to The Dr. Oz Show, diet pop has several health risks, including...
One of the most widely consumed commercial beverages in the United States, Diet Coke is marketed as a healthy alternative to the sugar-laden original, Coco-Cola. In place of the heavy concentration of high-fructose corn syrup, Diet Coke contains...
Aspartame, a widely used artificial sweetener, has gotten a bad rap since its approval in 1974. Fueling the controversy are purported links between the sweetener and a host of diseases, including brain cancer, obesity and autoimmune disease....
Artificial sweeteners are compounds that taste sweet but are not able to be used by the body for energy, so they do not add any calories to foods. One artificial sweetener, aspartame, can cause changes in your heart rhythm. Aspartame intake has...
Diet soda, which contains artificial sweeteners, is often used as a substitute for regular soda in order to keep calories low and improve weight loss. However, questions have been raised regarding the effects of artificial sweeteners, especially...
When you drink a diet cola, you're loading up on two chemical substances: caffeine and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, or NutraSweet. Caffeine is a legal stimulant, while aspartame is an artificially-produced sweetener. Together, they'll...
Aspartame has been the subject of controversy since it was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration. It does not become poisonous when added to soda drinks, but because of its common usage in diet soda drinks, opponents warn against...
Protein shakes can be a great way to get some additional protein in your diet to meet recommended daily requirements. Some protein shakes contain aspartic acid, which is a non-essential amino acid that your body can produce on its own. According...
Diet soda is a widely consumed beverage among individuals wanting to reduce their weight. It contains significantly fewer calories than regular soda. This often is due to the artificial sweetener aspartame, which is found in many diet sodas. The...
Diet Coke is an alternative to regular soft drinks that contain sugar and can be a source of excess calories, promoting weight gain. When deciding whether a drink is healthy, however, it is important to look at each ingredient separately. Some of...
Controversy about the use of the artificial sweetener aspartame, also known as NutraSweet and Equal, has existed for decades. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration renounced claims of aspartame toxicity in 1981, officially approving it for use in...
Americans consume 10.4 billion gallons of regular soda each year, enough to supply a 12-oz. can for every person every day of the year, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Some of the differences between regular colas and diet colas...
You may see warnings on diet soda bottles about the risks of phenylalanine. An essential amino acid used to make proteins as well as brain chemical and some hormones, phenylalanine occurs naturally in many foods, including meats, dairy products...
The kidneys are part of your body's filtration system. Located in your lower back, the twin organs purify 50 gallons of blood daily. Every time you urinate, you pass the waste that the kidneys pull out of the bloodstream. Certain substances that...
There are a variety of artificial sweeteners and food additives available other than the more traditional sweeteners such as sugar, honey and molasses. Two of these artificial sweeteners, aspartame and sucralose, have been approved by the Food and...
Diet sodas are a staple in the diets of many Americans. These drinks replace sugar with aspartame or other artificial sweetener. Aspartame is considered safe by the FDA, and no conclusive studies link it to negative health effects. Despite the...
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener, sold under brand names like NutraSweet or Equal, used in a variety of foods and beverages. Developed in 1965, aspartame combines aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Although many reported health risks have been...
A simple Internet search for aspartame turns up many wild theories about the dangers of this common non-nutritive sweetener. It is everywhere: in soda, gelatins and chewing gum. While there are claims that it causes side effects and disease,...
Despite its sweet taste, aspartame has sparked a bitter and prolonged battle over its safety. Numerous books, websites, blogs and chain-email campaigns warn of aspartame's alleged health risks. Among these reports are claims that aspartame use can...
Ever since their inception in the 1950s, and 60s, diet sodas have grown in popularity as people seek to reduce sugar consumption and the health risks associated with excess sugar in the diet. The beverage and diet industries took advantage of this...
Homemade cookies generally do not require as much sugar as the recipe calls for according to the American Dietetic Association. When creating low-sugar cookies, flavorings and sugar substitutes can spice up the recipe. Whether you are diabetic or...
Diet Coke is a no-calorie soda that is consumed throughout the world. While it does not provide any essential vitamins or minerals, it doesn't add to your calorie intake either. This product is sweetened with two artificial sweeteners: aspartame...
Its sugary sweet and the effervescence is cool and refreshing, especially on ice. Unfortunately, what tastes good going down is not always good for your body. Such is the case with soda. A single can a day can result in unwanted weight gain and...
You might think you're doing yourself a favor by drinking Diet Coke as opposed to regular. While diet soda may contain fewer calories, it contains aspartame, a controversial artificial sweetener that may be toxic and hazardous to your health....
Artificial sweeteners are classified as food additives by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has approved their use in products such as gum, sweets, diet soda, jams, pudding, and other foods and beverages. As of 2010, there are six...
According to the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, 66 percent of adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese. The diet industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry, and beverage companies, eager to grab a piece of the action, offer sugar-free...
Aspartame, an artificial sugar substitute approved for general use in foods by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1996, has inspired numerous media wars over its safety. Despite many studies attesting to its safety, concerns remain. Many...
