The Not-So-Sweet Side of Aspartame

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener used in more than 6,000 popular household products all over the world, including diet soft drinks. Pepsi’s diet drinks included this ingredient until consumer demand forced the company to replace it with an equally sweet substitute called Splenda.

Seth Kaufman, the senior vice president over the flavoring department of Pepsi, stated that consumers had voiced their displeasure over the negative side effects of aspartame. In an attempt to honor these opinions and appeal to their health-conscious consumers, Pepsi made the bold move to remove aspartame from their diet products.

As the general public became more aware of the dangerous effects of aspartame, more and more companies began removing it from their products. They are now seeking out healthier ways to manufacture products through the means of natural sweeteners.

Why are Consumers Concerned with Aspartame Consumption?

With the growing number of studies proving the detrimental effects of aspartame use, consumers are actively seeking to remove it from their diets. Unlike other natural sweeteners that pass through the body undigested, aspartame is metabolized and can exert negative effects such as headaches, increased hunger and metabolic disorders.

The Science Behind the Claims

The link between aspartame and headaches was documented in a report published in the British Medical Journal which also linked its consumption to depression. These studies were independently funded and reviewed by numerous experts, proving the validity behind the claims of aspartame’s dangers to health.

Related studies published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition also pointed out aspartame as a main contributor to both neurological and behavioral disturbances.

What Makes Aspartame Toxic?

A professor at Arizona State University reported that aspartame interferes with the body’s ability to detoxify chemicals within the cells. It is these toxins that are responsible for the headaches and other effects associated with aspartame consumption.

Once an individual consumes aspartame, it is converted into a form of methanol, which the body cannot excrete. As a result, the individual will experience a form of methanol poisoning which is marked by dizziness, weakness, chills, vertigo, memory lapses, and gastrointestinal disturbances.

If the individual continues to consume aspartame after experiencing these effects, his or her chances of developing leukemia or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is greatly increased. Retinal damage may also occur, as well as birth defects in unborn fetuses.

Breaking the Addiction

Removing aspartame from your diet is pertinent for optimal health and overall well-being. Because this toxin excites pleasure centers in the brain, quitting its consumption can be a difficult task. Switching to products that contain natural sweeteners, such as stevia, can help produce the same sweet flavoring you crave, and give your body a chance to detox itself from aspartame.

Drinking plenty of fresh water each day and supplementing with herbal teas that contain ingredients known to detox the liver (such as dandelion root), can help eliminate aspartame cravings and help the body heal from its effects.

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