Aspartame

        The goal of many health conscience individuals these days has been to decrease calorie and sugar intake. Back in the 1980’s an artificial sweetener by the name of Aspartame hit the markets. This compound comprised of aspartic acid and phenylalanine seemed to combat higher caloric intake and also proved to be a healthy alternative to sugar. Aspartame is approximately two hundred times sweeter than regular sugar thus it takes much less of it to achieve the same sweetness factor.  Whoaaa! Beneficial right? For this reason yes aspartame is very beneficial but what people cease to understand is that aspartame actually causes more harm than good.

         One way in which Aspartame proves to be detrimental is the fact it actually increases your craving for carbohydrates. So while you are decreasing calories you are simultaneously increasing your carbohydrate intake. How can one lose weight by decreasing calories but still increase the number of complex sugars (carbohydrates)? Does not make sense at all.

Now this previous reason may not be enough to convert your grand parents and the rest of the artificial sweetener fans to go back to ordinary sugar but it gets worst. I believe every one knows what formaldehyde is used for. It’s a major contributor in what is known as embalming fluid. One of the main components of this great artificial sweetener Aspartame is wood alcohol. You might ask, what does wood alcohol have to do with anything? Well at temperatures exceeding 86 degrees Fahrenheit the wood alcohol in your precious artificial sweetener can be converted to formaldehyde. The average humans body temperature is what?.... I believe it’s a bit higher than 86 degrees. Whooooa. Not only is it gross to think that we may have formaldehyde in our systems but it is actually toxic. Two poisons that you may have heard of are cyanide and arsenic and formaldehyde is grouped in the same class of poisons. What makes formaldehyde different from these other two poisons is its incubation period. It takes much longer for one to feel the affects of formaldehyde and thus I’d like to name it the “Silent Killer”. There are over 90 some odd symptoms of aspartame poisoning all of

which arise from neurological problems.

         Ok so does this prove anything to you artificial sweetener lovers? I know one thing, id much rather gain a few pounds from regular sugar than to have the neurological symptoms stemming from the diet coke I’ve been drinking for the past 10 years. Take it for what its worth!!!

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/aspartame