So here's the deal...on artificial sweeteners and how they can affect your health. If you’re clutching your diet soda or other artificially-sweetened product tightly, then this may not be the article for you…or maybe it is…if you’re truly concerned about your health. It may be one of those things that Rachel Ray, from Food Network calls 'Things That Make You Go Hmmmm...'.
Nearly a decade ago, studies were already revealing that artificial sweeteners can stimulate your appetite, increase carbohydrate cravings & stimulate fat storage and weight gain. Hmmm…why are people using artificial sweeteners???
Splenda is the brand name for sucralose. Splenda is a chemical substance and not natural sugar. The makers of Splenda have purchased over 211 domain names, like SplendaKills.com, SplendaPoison.com, SplendaVictims.com. It is their elaborate attempt to prevent any negative information being written on-line. Hmmm…if their products are safe as they say, why are they doing this?
The inventors of Splenda admit that about 15% of sucralose is absorbed by the body, but they cannot guarantee us (out of this 15%) what amount of chlorine stays in the body and what percent flushes out. Wait a minute…chlorine is a cancer-causing agent…Hmmm…
As of 2006, only 6 human trials had been published on Splenda. Of these 6 trials, only 2 of the trials were completed and published before the FDA approved it for human consumption. The 2 published trials had a whopping total of 36 human subjects, of which only 23 total were actually given sucralose for testing. The longest trial at this time had lasted only 4 days, & looked at Splenda in relation to tooth decay, not human tolerance.
The absorption of Splenda in the human body was studied on a whopping total of 6 men-—and based on that 1 human study, the FDA allowed the findings to be generalized as being representative of the entire human population, including women, children, the elderly, and those with any chronic illness. The FDA claims they reviewed over 100 studies conducted on Splenda. The part they don't mention is that most of the studies were on animals.
The web site www.truthaboutsplenda.com lists a variety of consumer complaints from Splenda consumption, such as gastrointestinal problems, migraines, seizures, dizziness, blurred vision, allergic reactions, blood sugar increases, & weight gain. Hmmm…why is this considered a weight loss option---and recommended for diabetics?
Equal and Nutrasweet are brand names for aspartame. The FDA approved aspartame as an artificial sweetener for use in solid form during 1981, and in soft drinks during 1983. It is a synthetic chemical consisting of two amino acids, phenylalanine (50 %) and aspartic acid (40 %), and a methyl ester (10 %) that promptly becomes free methyl alcohol (methanol; wood alcohol). Free methyl alcohol is considered a severe poison.
Some side effects of aspartame: decreased vision, headaches, seizures, confusion, drowsiness, tremors, depression, anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, heart pounding, aggravated allergies, the initiation or aggravation of diabetes mellitus, hypoglycemia, depression, other psychiatric states, hyperthyroidism, arthritis & the simulation of multiple sclerosis. There are more---this just gives you an idea of what it can do in your body!
Senior FDA scientists and consultants strongly objected to the release of aspartame products because of the disturbing findings in animal studies (especially the frequency of brain tumors), questionable experimental data, and the absence of extensive pre-marketing trials on humans using real-world products over appropriate research time frames.
The link between aspartame and associated symptoms has been shown by stopping the intake of aspartame-containing products and having the symptoms quickly disappear—as well as restarting aspartame product intake and noting the return of symptoms. Studies have found that around 2/3 of aspartame users with symptoms experienced symptomatic improvement within 2 days after avoiding aspartame. With continued avoidance, their symptoms usually disappeared.
So…are you convinced that artificial sweeteners are not the best option out there? I used to drink diet soda---I looked forward to it every day. That was over 10 years ago—and I honestly don’t miss it. I check food labels to make sure my family & I aren't getting these artificial sweeteners in other forms of food as well.
Safer options are out there: Stevia (Truvia) and agave nectar or syrup are 2 examples. Another step in the right direction of Total Wellness for you and your family. I look forward to your comments!
Be well and Stay well—
Sana
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I would never eat or drink anything that has aspartame or splenda in it! I prefer SweetLeaf stevia, the first stevia brand to recieve GRAS status, and the only sweetener on the market with 0 calories, 0 carbs, and 0 glycemic index! I love using it in smoothies!
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