Aspartame

I do not believe there are problems, but I've heard it both ways. It's one of the ingredients of Equal, which I use instead of sugar.

Too much Aspartame will give you terrible headaches,
among other things

http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html

Hi everybody, thanks CalamityJane for that. There are a lot of side effects, that's horrible.

Ok, I'm not sure about other Aspartame products.

Aspartame is good, Bella...but wait 'til you discover Splenda!!!

I do not think aspartame is safe and there is evidence it increases hunger. Here is an article that says it better than I can:
http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/hidden_dangers.htm

I'm also think there are problems with splenda. I would suggest you try stevia (powdered form).

^^ I agree with Green Witch. The problem with stevia is that it's hard to find processed foods and drinks that use stevia instead of splenda or aspartame. I think the order of safety is stevia, followed by splenda, then aspartame, then sugar - particularly in the form of high fructose corn syrup.

Bella, personally I have never cared for artificial sweeteners in any way, shape or form. Stevia is the only one that I have found promising to date but as J_B just mentioned, it is difficult to find in processed food or drinks.

Just as a side note, I would recommend to your friend recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia to definitely stay away from Aspartame. It is thought to be linked to some pretty nasty flare-ups.

Thanks Lady J! And thanks everyone else for confirming that....the verdict is still out on aspartame! I don't like it as well as "real" sugar but for purposes of not putting on 50 lbs, some of the foods I enjoy can be enjoyed with aspartame instead of sugar.

And yes, Spenda is better but isn't in Sugar Free Jello or yogurt.

You're right, Bella. Making simple changes that work for you is the way to go. It's much better to switch to an artificial sweetener (as long as you're not allergic to it) than it is to continue to gain weight and feel bad about yourself. The day might come when you decide to wean yourself off of artificial sweeteners or to try other ones, but one-step-at-a-time is much more likely to succeed than a major overhaul in one fell swoop.

Ah crap. Apparently, with Graves artifical sweeteners are baaaaad.

Guess that shoots that right out of the water.

They aren't not baaaad for anyone, but you don't want to aggravate you're situation.

Here's one simple change you can make. Start keeping a food diary. Write down everything you eat or drink. Include time of day, what you ate, quantity, what you were doing at the time. Sometimes just knowing you have to write it down will keep you from noshing on a candy bar or to choose an apple instead.

Was just reading slashfood (I'm a bit of a foodie) and found this and thought this might be a good place to update everyone about aspartame (sorry to bump an OLD thread!)
Even the EU agrees with the US that its okay to drink soda! I, for one...am quite pleased:)
Slashfood

Re: Aspartame


At experimental levels normally tested in adult humans, aspartamine has not been found to be unsafe for the normal, average, healthy, individual.

Re: Aspartame


I am not a normal, average, healthy individual.

Any sugar substitute is better than sugar IMO. I just lost 50 lbs. I have not had a teaspoon of sugar since I started. I probably consume abouyt 20 packets of aspartame a day, but lots of fruit, vegetable, whole grains, little fat and lots of exercise. I am in better shape than I have been in years.

Everything is a trade-off.

Hmmm. I don't eat artificial anything most of the time. What pudge I've accumulated is primarily non-exercise related. Luckily, given my views, I had at some point I can't quite remember a lessening of interest in sweet things. It might have been from my first trip to Italy, finding I liked their not all so sweet, and usually small, sweets (dolci). Now most things in the cookie aisle at the store seem too sickeningly sweet to me. I don't put sugar in my tea, put, only sometimes if ever, a 1/4 packet in a cup of strong coffee. Usually don't eat dessert. When I want to pig out, I'll have a bit of good chocolate. Eat ice cream about once every two months, and when I do I get the full fat rich kind, or, some sorbet. It's good I don't live in Italy or I would waddle down the street with thrice daily cups of gelato, though.

I'll admit I have a diet coke once in a while, but often not for months at a time.

This probably sounds like a cry for sainthood, but no, my downfall is bread.

My eyes sort of cross when I look at restaurant displays of multiple sugar subsititutes..

OK, I have a theory about my own food additive cravings, which may or may not ring a bell for anyone else. I remember my misspent youth as one big roundelay of salty grease followed by sweet crunch followed by salty grease, and so on. I've sort of gradually gone over to enjoying savory tastes, flavors of fresh vegies, fruits, various herbs and spices, occasional really good meat and fish, oh, yeah, and.... bread, particularly hearthbread type with olive oil and garlic or butter... (sigh). This different direction has knocked away my formerly mad sugar cravings.. fairly amazingly.

It is if you have a normal, healthy body... using artifical sweetner isn't that bad. Probably not more so than comsuming real sugar.

But I don't have a normal, healthy body so both sugar and aspartame are bad for me. Aspartame is worse in terms of my disease so my trade off gets to be health over a little unwanted weight. Or no sweets.

I'd love to print the entire article on Aspartame from New Scientist 6th May Issue (Hm... that was my birthday). However, it's too long. Let's just summarise that a lot of allegations against aspartame have turned out to be false.

The more recent study by the renowned Ramazzini Foundation has also been found to be flawed.

There is nothing wrong with Aspartame.

we grow stevia and its very easy , just keep the plants under a netting and in a well drained soil. Any temperate are a can be a great site for a stevia garden. Pick the timy leaves and dry in the sun.