History of Aspartame
Aspartame entered the world’s food supply as an artificial sweetener in 1981. By 2003, it accounted for 55% of the artificial sweetener market. One of the driving factors behind its market success is that it is now off patent protection and it is far less expensive than other artificial sweeteners like Splenda to manufacture.
Aspartame is marketed under the names Equal, Nutrasweet, Spoonful, Canderel, Benevia and other names. It is found in over 6,000 food products in the market today. If the food product is advertised as diet, low sugar, light, sugar free, low carbohydrate, or low calorie, chances are that aspartame is the chemical sweetener additive in this food product. Diet sodas account for seventy percent of the aspartame consumed in the world. One twelve ounce serving of diet soda contains 180 mg of aspartame and the average user ingests about 200 mg per day. This product is also in many other commercially made food products as candies, cakes, cookies, etc.
Ajinomoto Company in Tokyo is one of the leading aspartame manufacturers in the world. They rebranded aspartame and it became AminoSweet in 2009. This may deceive some people with the new name on the product label. Is this innocent sounding sweetener now in your favorite diet foods?
At the time aspartame was approved by the FDA in 1981, it was the most contested additive in FDA history. Concerned scientists had fought and were successful in keeping this product out of the food supply for over ten years from 1971-1981. Many of these scientists are still alive and continue to speak out against its use today.
Dangers of Aspartame Usage
Dr Russell Blaylock, a retired neurosurgeon, wrote the book Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills. He is considered a world expert on aspartame. He says this is a “poison that affects protein synthesis; affects how the synapses operate in the brain and affects DNA, so it can affect numerous organs and get many different symptoms that seem unconnected.” Some of the most common reported neurological symptoms include: headaches, changes in behavior or mood, “fuzzy thinking”, seizures and depression. Did you know that aspartame breaks down into formaldehyde within the body? Formaldehyde is the main ingredient in embalming fluid and is also a toxin!
If a person has a genetic disease called phenylketonuira (PKU) they cannot digest the amino acid phenylalanine (1 of every 15,000 people), and they are extremely vulnerable to the toxic effects of aspartame. That is why this warning label is written on products containing aspartame.
Published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2008, a study shared the research of the potential workings of aspartame on the brain. This study discussed that excessive aspartame ingestion may lead to certain mental disorders and to compromised learning and emotional functioning. It may be a toxic poison that is a leading contributor for MS.
A recent study on aspartame shows the effects on lab mice of the ingestion of aspartame and resultant premature births up to 78%. A seven year study of aspartame has linked this product to high rates of lymphoma, leukemia and other cancers in lab rats. Decreased kidney function was seen in another study. These are just a sample of the many aspartame research reports and articles compiled by Dr Joseph Mercola to help you make educated and healthy food choices. http://aspartame.mercola.com/sites/aspartame/home.aspx?aid=CD945
Aspartame Reactors and Detoxification Process
How do you realize if you are having health problems related to aspartame ingestion? You can see if you are an aspartame reactor by doing the following two week test. For two weeks, remove all artificial sweeteners from your diet. Do this very gradually if your drink is also caffeinated to avoid caffeine withdrawal symptoms. After two weeks, reintroduce aspartame with about 3 servings per day and avoid other artificial sweeteners. Take the 3 servings per day for one to three days and experience how you feel compared to the two weeks with no artificial sweeteners. If you notice no effects, you are able to tolerate aspartame without an immediate, adverse response. However, your long-term health may still be affected by this chemical.
Dr. Betty Martini, Founder of Mission Possible International http://www.mpwhi.com/main.htm shares much information about aspartame and the effects it has on you, others, and the environment. Another link shares how to detoxify and remove aspartame from the body. The most important thing to do is to stop exposure to this toxin by not eating or drinking foods with aspartame. After the body is no longer accumulating aspartame, a detoxification process needs to take place. The liver particularly is the place for the bulk of the detoxification to take place. Some of the nutrients which enhance detoxification include broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. For specific recommendations of herbs, vitamins and supplements to assist this detoxification process, go to: http://www.proactivehealthnet.com/healthBB/showthread.php?t=764
Future Uses of Aspartame
An interesting business agreement took place this summer. Kellogg Company and Ajinomoto created a research and development alliance on July 12, 2010. These two companies plan to collaboratively develop food products that help with weight management, sugar reduction and sodium reduction. Kellogg is the world’s leading cereal manufacturer. Ajinomoto is the sole distributor of Kellogg products in Japan. People must carefully read the product information on Kellogg cereal boxes and other products in the upcoming year(s) and see which sweetener is listed on the ingredient list in these cereal products. Will it be AminoSweet? Time will tell.
Movie about Aspartame that Coke and Pepsi Don’t Want You to See
Aspartame consumption may have finally stalled as more people are becoming aware of the many potential health problems associated with this product. Do you need more information to convince yourself to give up your favorite diet food or diet cola containing Nutrasweet, Equal or AminoSweet? If so, please look at the online video movie titled ‘Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World’. http://aspartame.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/02/06/sweet-misery-a-poisoned-world-you-can-finally-view-free-online.aspx This is the movie that Pepsi and Coke don’t want you to know about or to see!
How about a glass of your favorite raspberry or peach green tea iced tea (organic of course, with no sweeteners added) to chill yourself on a hot summer day while you watch this movie? Also, the first weekend after Labor Day is Aspartame Awareness Weekend!
References:
http://aspartame.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/02/06/sweet-misery-a-poisoned-world-you-can-finally-view-free-online.aspx
http://aspartame.mercola.com/sites/aspartame/home.aspx?aid=CD945
http://aspartame.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/07/31/aspartame-update.aspx_
http://www.ajinomoto.com/about/press/g2010_07_12.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5681570/eliminate_aspartame_for_better_health_pg2.html?cat=68
http://www.rense.com/general91/asp.htm
http://www.aminosweet.info/
http://www.proactivehealthnet.com/healthBB/showthread.php?t=764
http://douglassreport.com/reports-2010/x600hc03-aspartame/x600hc03-home/?gclid=CKTbwdey0qMCFRpinAodnS6N8Q
Aspartame Toxicity Center: www.holisticmed.com/aspartame
Dr Russell Blaylock book: Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills
