Is Aspartame Dangerous? Discover the Facts

[AJPratt]

Becky: Because of your words, I just bought his book! We need to make a change. We also joined a gym so, I'm riding this wave as long as I can. My husband east all kinds of CRAP. I like junkfood, but he LOVES the chemical stuff: Chef Boyardee, Lunchables, cheese in a can. While I don't eat that stuff, I want to do a lot better than what I'm doing. My director has also inspired me. Her husband is a Chiropractor and they just eat so much better than we do, its embarrassing! I want to be more educated, not to mention, healthier!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Becky: Because of your words, I just bought his book! We need to make a change. We also joined a gym so, I'm riding this wave as long as I can. My husband east all kinds of CRAP. I like junkfood, but he LOVES the chemical stuff: Chef Boyardee, Lunchables, cheese in a can. While I don't eat that stuff, I want to do a lot better than what I'm doing. My director has also inspired me. Her husband is a Chiropractor and they just eat so much better than we do, its embarrassing! I want to be more educated, not to mention, healthier!

Anne - enjoy the book! My husband sounds alot like yours - but as he has seen me get healthier, it has motivated him to be healthier too.....he still eats way too much sugar, but overall, much better (partly due to the fact that I do 99% of the grocery shopping and cooking at our house ) As long as I was able to find some substitutes for the junk he was eating, and not nag him about the junk he still eats, he has been very supportive of the changes - he even comes home from work now and tells me how unhealthy everyone else's lunches are........
As for making changes - I think that if you even change just a few things - its better than not changing at all.....if you need support or help with anything, just let me know!

 

[AJPratt]

Well, thank you! I told him about our "conversation" and he looked like a deer in the headlights. LOL I do not plan on giving up things I love like ice cream or chocolate, and don't expect him to give up the things he loves either, just cut them back a bit.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Well, thank you! I told him about our "conversation" and he looked like a deer in the headlights. LOL I do not plan on giving up things I love like ice cream or chocolate, and don't expect him to give up the things he loves either, just cut them back a bit.

Actually - chocolate is an antioxidant - and you will be happy to know, recommended in the book Ice Cream is something we haven't given up either - just learned some moderation! Actually, we really haven't given up much of anything - just learned healthier ways of preparing, or found better brands.....if you came to my house for dinner, you wouldn't have to be scared about what I might feed you And when I am someone else's guest - I don't worry at all about what I'm eating. (it's all about moderation!)

 

[AJPratt]

Actually - chocolate is an antioxidant - and you will be happy to know, recommended in the book Ice Cream is something we haven't given up either - just learned some moderation! Actually, we really haven't given up much of anything - just learned healthier ways of preparing, or found better brands.....if you came to my house for dinner, you wouldn't have to be scared about what I might feed you And when I am someone else's guest - I don't worry at all about what I'm eating. (it's all about moderation!)

That's very comforting to know! I have to admit, when I was at conference, my director was PMSing and couldn't get enough chocolate. I was in my glory!!!

 

[schel]

What about Splenda?...
Schel

 

[pc05mom]

I just wanted to say that when my Mother passed away from a brain anuersym(sp) at 53 years old. The first thing the nuerologist asked us was 'how much diet soda did she consume?' ~The scarey thing....she was addicted to diet pepsi. She drank more than a 2 litre a day. This was 17 years ago. I have not consumed any diet products since and will NEVER give my children anything with ANY sort of diet chemical in it. (I don't buy regular soda either). This whole thing is just so scarey. It seems like more and more people are having reactions to these chemicals. I read an article about how the health of Gulf War vets was put at risk because they drank diet soda that contained Nutrasweet that was exposed to extreme temperatures....so now nutrasweet has dissapeared and splenda is all the rage....makes ya wonder.

 

[mat6304]

From what I have heard frrom some Gulf War I buddies, Most of the soda's were palatized in the states and shipped over to the Gulf via Military Cargo. As they were received in Saudi or Kuwait etc, the pallets stayed on the tarmac under the blazing sun. When the sodas heated up the aspartame tunred to FORMALDEHYDE!. Alot of the GW Vets came back sick and the govt still has not really said it was poisoning from the heated up soda's. But as you know, alot of the vets are still sick with no recourse.

 

[shano]

I have an ex boyfriend that was in the Gulf War and he said the soda would sit for days before it was assigned to them. he came back feeling sick. And from what I hear he is doing well now.

But a good friend of mine gets migraines if she drinks aspartame.
My hubby gets a migraine if he drinks Pepsi.

bUt I have to admit I am addicted to soda. Usually Mtn Dew, but Im drinking the new Diet Pepsi Jazz Strawberries & cream. It has aspartame. I think I may lay off of this one.

 

[Harrle]

I have an ex boyfriend that was in the Gulf War and he said the soda would sit for days before it was assigned to them. he came back feeling sick. And from what I hear he is doing well now.

But a good friend of mine gets migraines if she drinks aspartame.
My hubby gets a migraine if he drinks Pepsi.

bUt I have to admit I am addicted to soda. Usually Mtn Dew, but Im drinking the new Diet Pepsi Jazz Strawberries & cream. It has aspartame. I think I may lay off of this one.

I just bought the Black Cherry Vanilla Jazz to try, I let my hubby try it and he frowned - said - all this stuff they are doing to the sodas isn't working!!

I like the Diet Black Cherry Vanilla Coke - but have tried to cut back since reading this post, I did notice a headache or two after having some. The bad thing is Target had a special on all coke products the week of conference (Wave 1) and I stocked up on like 24 cases - mostly DBCV!

 

[AJPratt]

Splenda is just as bad.

pc05mom: So sorry to hear that!

 

[AJPratt]

I do enjoy a soda every noe and then as a treat. I cut back drastically, we don't even have it in the house.

 

[ChefinHarmony]

Don't do it if you are pregnant!!I do know that when I was pregnant, my Doctor told me to totally avoid anything Diet or with aspartame. He said it would be better for me to drink regular cola because there are bad side affects of diet colas - and they don't know what aspartame can do to an unborn baby just yet. He didn't trust Splena either. It's sad, but I was the heathiest when I was pregnant! I guess I worried a lot more about my babies than I do myself!! I don't really drink colas - once a week - one can maybe. But I'm worried about my hubby! He used to drink 3-4 cokes a day. But he started packing on the pounds. Now he drinks 3-4 DIET Cokes a day. He doesn't drink coffee, instead he will be downing a Diet Coke by 8:30 am! Yuck!! I've tried to get him to sub water for it, but he usually gives up.
Just my input!!
Joanne

 

[shano]

My News Years Resolution was to stop drinking soda. I did for 5 months. The first few days were bad because I was into caffine w/drawel. Because I dont drink coffee and my teas are decaf.
In JUne I started drinking soda again. One bottle a day. What got me back on it was my hubby. He loves Coke- Cola. Pepsi gives him a migraine.
But I went looking on the net and nothing seems to be too healthy. Whether its aspartame or splenda or equal. So who knows? No matter what dont let it sit in the heat.

 

[schel]

I'm glad I don't like pop and prefer Coffee. Now... don't get on me about caffeine!!!
Schel

 

[AJPratt]

Caffeine can actually be good for you in moderation. For me, it helps when I have an asthma attack.

 

[tracy419]

Ok- so is it safe to say-we can drink water? I do not like water but I'll drink more of it if I can get my memory back! My kids give me a hard time because I forget things so easily. I am 35 and don't think I should be having this problem- Guess I'll be cutting out the diet cokes! I need to anyway- but not my sugar free french vanilla creamer with my coffee!!!! I cannot bring myself to do that! It's made with splenda.
Thanks for all the info-

 

[mom2kr]

I totally agree that all these artificial items are horrible for you. But my husband on the other hand tells me that I am just over reacting, he states there are studies proving that it is okay to use these items. And he is always going against my wishes and giving it to my children. So, I have done something that a lot of mothers would say is bad, but I tell my children exactly how bad it is for them and that they are not to drink it. And I know that my husband still buys them diet drinks when I am not around, like if they go somewhere and I am not there they will come home with a diet drink. Of course, what 8 and 11 y/o would not want a pop if it was offered to them!!

Cheryl

 

[chefsara]

This has been such an interesting discussion. Just the past weekend I saw a friend that I hadn't seen for a couple of years and thought she had really piled on the weight. When we were talking she said how she had just found out that she is allergic to aspartame. She had some friends look up the aspartame effects on the internet and she had all the classic symptoms of an allergy to aspartame. Then this series of discussions were on the computer! I have a lot of joint pain and feel tired all the time. Am going to work on cutting out anything with aspartame and see what happens. Thanks for the info. You guys are the best.!!

 

[britishchef]

Since my Mum came off aspartame her MS symptoms and migraines have improved. They're not gone, but they've improved. I am NOT a fan of artificial sweeteners at all! I'd rather have the calories of sugar.

 

[AJPratt]

Since my Mum came off aspartame her MS symptoms and migraines have improved. They're not gone, but they've improved. I am NOT a fan of artificial sweeteners at all! I'd rather have the calories of sugar.

That's amazing!

I think in the long run, something will get you, but I figure if I can minimalize it, why not give it a try.

Can I offer something else? My director shared with me that there's a staggering statistic that something like 60% of those diagnosed with ADD is actaully a SEVERE reaction to a food allergy. Years ago, her son was diagnoised with ADD and the Dr. wanted to medicate him. To make a long story short, her husband is a chiropractor and they don't usually turn to medicine until its a last resort, so she did some research and some testing and found that her boy was allergic to milk. Can you imagine? How much milk does a child consume? Once he stopped drinking it, it was just a matter of time before his behavior improved. Something so simple.

DISCLAIMER: I'm not a doctor and don't say this to cause anyone to be upset with me and I am not saying that medication isn't neccesary, just that I found that what she shared with me interesting. So please know that I offer that from a very loving place. There are many situtations were medicine is the best solution.

 

[kat29]

Never mind.....I was gonna ask something but I found it...Long morning brain not working right! LOL

 

[dawnsclassycupboard]

I only hop on here once every few days but I am sooo excited to find this topic on here. I have been a real sugar advocate for about a year and will never consume aspartame again. I have never been a diet soda drinker but gum is almost imposible to find that is not sugarless. Even the stuff with xyoltol (sp?) that is suppose to be good for your teeth still has aspartame in it.

The reason (I feel) that the FDA has not approved the natural alternative mentioned in a previous post is the $$ they stand to loose by marketing something natural vrs a chemical they made in a lab. They can mass produce these chemical for very little $$ and continue to keep us sick so we have to rely on the health care system (which a lot of $$ is also made off from) when all we have to do in some cases is to stop injesting these chemicals.

There are so many instances where this is true (I will try not to get started on the Trans Fat thing which by the way has been banned in Europe but no... not here, or the over use of perscription drugs) Believe me I am in no way anti-government or anti Doctors or even a health nut I just believe that there is a lot of this stuff that we can control ourselves if given the correct information.

The local hospital where I live has taken it upon themselves to fight the obisety problem in the US. Want to know how?? They have taken all regular drinks from the vending machines and replaced everything with DIET!!! Can you imagine??? A hospital forcing its patients and visitors no other choice but to consume drinks that have a chemical in them known to cause cancer, proven to not help you loose weight but GAIN weight because of the way that the chemical reacts to your body and slews and slews of other medical problems. OK... I think that I am done or now but my point is is that I am sooo happy to see how many people are aware that this compound is a problem.

 

[AJPratt]

The local hospital where I live has taken it upon themselves to fight the obisety problem in the US. Want to know how?? They have taken all regular drinks from the vending machines and replaced everything with DIET!!! Can you imagine??? A hospital forcing its patients and visitors no other choice but to consume drinks that have a chemical in them known to cause cancer, proven to not help you loose weight but GAIN weight because of the way that the chemical reacts to your body and slews and slews of other medical problems. OK... I think that I am done or now but my point is is that I am sooo happy to see how many people are aware that this compound is a problem.

Dawn I am so glad you were moved to post on this thread!!! The story about the hospital is just INSANE!!!