Artificial Sweeteners are not natural substances……but are chemicals. The following information has been reproduced from www.medicinenet.com/
Saccharin has been around for over 100 years and claims to be the ‘best researched sweetener’. It was discovered when a researcher was working on coal tar derivatives. In 1977 research showed bladder tumors in male rats which had been given saccharin. Since then more than 30 human studies have been completed and have found that the results found in rats did not translate to humans. The FDA in America has listed the acceptable daily intake for sacccharin as 5mg/kg of body weight. Saccharin is between 200-700 times sweeter than table sugar and has a bitter aftertaste. In 1997 the Center for the Science in Public Interest (CSPI) stated in response to the National Toxicology Program (NTP) removing saccharin from the list of potential carcinogens that ‘…we urge the NTP on the basis of currently available data to conclude that saccharin is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen because there is ‘sufficient’ evidence of carcinogencity in animals’… They went on to urge the NTP not to delist saccharin, at least until a great deal of further research is conducted.
Aspartame was first discovered in 1965 by a scientist trying to make new ulcer drugs. Aspartame is one of the most controversial artificial sweeteners, and is 160-220 times sweeter than table sugar. There are numerous web sites, books, and articles stating various reasons why aspartame should not be consumed. One hundred percent of the research performed by the company who makes aspartame confirmed aspartame’s safety, whereas 92% of the independently funded research found problems with consuming aspartame. H.J Roberts, MD, coined the term ‘aspartame disease’ in a book filled with over 1,000 pages of information about the negative health consequences of ingesting aspartame. Dr Roberts reports that by 1998, aspartame products were the cause of 80% of complaints to the FDA about food additives. Some of the reported symptoms included: headache, dizziness, change in mood, vomiting or nausea, abdominal pain and cramps, change in vision, diarrhoea, seizures / convulsions, memory loss, and fatigue. Along with these symptoms, links have also been made to fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting pains, numbness in the legs, cramps, tinnitus, joint pain, unexplainable depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus and various cancers. Whilst the FDA has assured us that the research does not show any adverse health complications from aspartame, there has been other evidence to suggest otherwise. So who do we believe?
Sucralose is the newest artificial sweetener on the market. It is most well know for its claim to be made from sugar, and it is 600 times sweeter than table sugar. The most misunderstood fact about sucralose is that it is nothing like sugar even though the marketing implies that it is. Sucralose was actually discovered while tryng to create a new insecticide. It may have started out as sugar, but the final product is anything but sugar. According to the book ‘Sweet Deception’, sucralose is made when sugar is treated with trityl chloride, acetic anhydride, hydrogen chlorine, thionyl chloride, and methanol in the presence of dimethylformamide, 4-methylmorholine, toluene, methyl isobutyl ketone, acetic acid, benzyltriethlyammonium chloride, and sodium methoxide, making it unlike anything found in nature. The presence of chlorine is thought to be the most dangerous component of sucralose. Chlorine is considered a carcinogen and has been used in poisonous gas, disinfectants, pesticides and plastics. The digestion and absorption of sucralose is not clear due to a lack of long-term studies on humans. The alleged symptoms associated with sucralose are gastrontestinal problems (bloating, gas, diarrhoea, nausea), skin irritations (rash, hives, redness, itching swelling), wheezing, cough, runny nose, chest pains, palpitations, anxiety, anger, moods swings, depression, and itchy eyes.
In addition to the toxic qualities of artificial sweeteners, it has also been shown that artificial sweeteners can be addictive, and can increase cravings for more and more sweet foods (therefore increasing the risk of weight gain and obesity).
If you would like to make the switch from artificial sweeteners to a natural sweetener, then please click HERE for Dr Axe’s opinion.
Personally, we use Xylitol, so if you would like information on this natural substance, then please click HERE.