Top Ten Sources Of Aspartame

Labels can be misleading. The manufacturers of so called “sugar free food items” often fail to mention on the labels that to maintain the sweet taste of the substance, they have replaced the sugar with aspartame.  There have been so many reports about the hazards of consuming aspartame that, given a choice, most of the people would like to avoid it. But, more often than not, these people are taken for a ride. The manufacturers fail to mention on the labels the amount of aspartame the food product contains.

Aspartame is a food additive and comes under the class of “Artificial Sweeteners.” It is used as a non-nutritive sugar substitute. This implies that the calorific value of aspartame, when used as a sweetener, is almost negligible. It is said to be 200 times sweeter than sugar. It was approved for use by the FDA in 1981 and at present, it is used in over 6000 products.

Because of its sweet taste and almost zero calorie content, it seems to be a perfect sugar substitute for people on a diet. However, studies done in the recent past have shown that aspartame is associated with a horde of side effects including migraine, tumors, and even cancer.

Yet, no re-investigation into its toxicity has been ordered by any major food regulatory body anywhere in the world.

Aspartame is sold under the brand name of NutraSweet and Equal. Its marketing agents say that it is completely natural and made up of two amino-acids, namely phenylalanine and aspartic acid. However, they fail to mention that these amino-acids are held together by a methyl ester bond which forms 10% of the molecule. Aspartame dissociates within 20 minutes, when kept at room temperature, releasing phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol. Methanol can cross the blood brain barrier and there it is further broken down to form formaldehyde and formic acid, both of which are toxic metabolites.

Methanol can damage myelin, the protective material around the nerves leading to demyelinating symptoms, commonly seen in diseases like multiple sclerosis. It can also lead to migraines with inconsistent visual field disruptions. Formaldehyde, the major by-product of methanol, is immensely neurotoxic and acts as a carcinogen. All other animals can detoxify methanol before it can cause any damage to the body. But humans lack the requisite enzymes to do so. Once absorbed, methanol gets accumulated in the body because of its slow rate of excretion.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the maximum dose of methanol should not exceed 7.8 mg/day. 

However, using diet sodas and soft drinks containing aspartame to replace the fluid loss taking place during exercise or physical exertion, can result in an intake of methanol amounting to 250 mg/day. This is almost 32 times the recommended dose.

Aspartame By-products Can Produce Dangerous Side-Effects

The deleterious side effects of methanol include migraines, dizziness, vertigo, shooting numbness in the extremities, neuritis and vision problems. There may be temporary obscuration of vision, retinal damage or even permanent blindness. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and can cause congenital anomalies in the fetus because of genetic defects.

A study carried out on rats has shown that chronic exposure to aspartame can produce oxidative stress in the brain resulting in brain damage. The stress can lead to glutathione deficiency in the brain which may lead to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Moreover, even though aspartame with its almost zero calorie content appears a good choice for people on a diet, it can in fact stimulate appetite and increase carbohydrate cravings. Compared to glucose or water, aspartame also increases subjective hunger. This is because, when you have already consumed some glucose, the preload reduces the perceived sweetness of sucrose. However, this is not the case with aspartame. Therefore, you end up eating more. While both natural and artificial sweeteners stimulate the taste buds, the latter only activate the pleasure-related regions in the brain but do not satiate them. Therefore, in the long run, they are more likely to cause a gain in weight.

Phenylalanine and aspartic acid also stimulate the release of insulin and leptins. The latter, in turn, stimulate the body to store food. Phenylalanine is said to decrease the levels of serotonin and increase the food cravings. Both phenylalanine and methanol increase dopamine levels in the brain which gives you a high. Hence, one can conclude that aspartame is also addictive in nature.

Despite so many side effects, aspartame continues to enjoy a vital position in many food products. This is because the general public is wide aware of its zero-calorific value, but largely unaware of its harmful effects.

Aspartame is an important ingredient in the following products

1. Diet soda

It is believed that about 5,250 tons of aspartame is consumed in the U.S. every year, of which 86% is in the form of diet sodas. Limiting yourself to even one can a day is sufficient to produce harmful effects. Studies have shown that a single can of diet soda increases the link of leukemia by 42% in both men and women. It can increase the risk of multiple myeloma by as much as 102% in men whereas the risk of developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is up by 31% in men.

     2.  Yogurts

Yogurts were considered as a safe choice by most people keeping a watch on their calorie intake, but addition of aspartame does not leave it safe anymore.

     3.  Chewing gum

Aspartame has made its presence felt even in something as innocuous as chewing gums. So many kids chewing it are exposed to aspartame’s side effects, especially because the blood brain barrier in kids is poorly developed and by-products of aspartame metabolism can easily crossover into the brain.

    4.  Cereals

Nutritionists the world over suggest that your breakfast should comprise of cereals. But with the presence of aspartame in most of the cereals available in the market, it is time to do a rethink.

    5.  Sugar free products

Aspartame is present in almost all the products which are marketed with the disclaimer of being sugar free. So next time, when you feel happy that you only consume sugar free products, think again.

Other innocuous looking products that contain hidden aspartame include:

    6.  Crisps

    7.  Tabletop sweeteners

    8.  Flavored milk/water

    9.  Drink powders

    10.  Cooking sauces

Its time you look closely at all the side effects that aspartame ingestion can cause. You have been misled for a long time. Put your foot down now.