Aspartame- Safe or Not?

[TheVeganAtheist]

Hi,
I was reading this article on Pepsi's move to remove aspartame from their products to sucralose, and it brought up that aspartame is one of the most studied (and deemed safe) food ingredient. I was under the impression that aspartame was not in fact safe. Have I been misled? I thought that Dr. M. Greger had a video on the science behind it.

Anyone have some insight?

Here is the article I read:
http://gizmodo.com/pepsi-is-ditching-as ... 1700025911

[brimstoneSalad]

Sucralose is used in much smaller quantities, which is really the main point.
Aspartame is a mere 200 times sweeter than sugar, while Sucralose is up to a thousand times sweeter.

I currently only use sucralose (and Xylitol of course, but that's not zero calorie). 100% pure Sucralose (don't waste your money on Splenda). I will use Stevia sometimes too, but it has a taste some people don't like, so I try to mix and match.

I think it's stupid to mix in Dextrose (which just adds more empty calories for sake of making it take up MORE space on the shelf). I'm looking at you, Splenda. >_>

Anyway, to answer your question:

http://www.cspinet.org/new/201504241.html

Sarah Zhang is ignorant at best. She needs to do more homework.
Gram for gram, even if Aspartame were twice as safe as Sucralose, which there is no evidence for (the opposite is closer to true), Sucralose would still be preferred.

[PrincessPeach]

I currently only use sucralose (and Xylitol of course, but that's not zero calorie). 100% pure Sucralose (don't waste your money on Splenda). I will use Stevia sometimes too, but it has a taste some people don't like, so I try to mix and match.

Stevia and xyltiol make my hands and feet numb and itchy.. Why do you use these? Are you worried about the calories in your sweet-ner?

[brimstoneSalad]

Stevia and xyltiol make my hands and feet numb and itchy.. Why do you use these? Are you worried about the calories in your sweet-ner?

I've never heard that. In the case of Xylitol, I'm not sure that's possible. Maybe it's something else in the food?

[miniboes]

Excuse me for bumping the topic, but whether or not aspartame is safe is quite important for me.

http://examine.com/faq/is-diet-soda-bad-for-you/

Any idea of how accurate this is?

Greger seems to be quite disapproving of aspartame.
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/aspartame-and-the-brain/

The proposedly harmful dose here is 25mg/kg of body weight a day. A 330ml standard can of diet coke has 125 mg (http://static.diabetesselfmanagement.com/pdfs/DSM0310_012.pdf).

For me to consume the harmful dose I would need to drink 13.6 cans of diet coke a day. Since I consume at most three cans a day, and most of the time only one or nothing, I don't even reach the low dose of 10mg/kg/day. Can I assume my consumption is harmless?

I find it quite weird that Greger does not at all compare the dose in the study to actual amounts of diet soda. I think it's quite important to have an idea how much 25mg/kg/day actually means.

[brimstoneSalad]

Your consumption is not harmless; coke is filled with many likely bad things, but most importantly rots your teeth by eroding the enamel. It's only less harmful than sugar sweetened coke.

That's an issue with Greger: He hates artificial sweeteners, because he doesn't understand the point of sweetening food at all. He thinks people should just eat vegetables beans and berries -- which maybe they should, but that's not realistic, it's both too expensive, and not very enjoyable for most people. People like to add flavoring and sweetness, and artificial sweeteners are the lesser of evils by far. Berries might be better, but who can afford that? People would use sugar instead, and that's worse.

But to the point. You're drinking a lot of coke: why?
Try to stick to water, or artificially sweetened tea instead.

I wouldn't worry so much about the aspartame.

[miniboes]

Your consumption is not harmless; coke is filled with many likely bad things, but most importantly rots your teeth by eroding the enamel. It's only less harmful than sugar sweetened coke.

Yes, that is a concern too I suppose. I was mostly worried about the effects on the brain or weight gain.

That's an issue with Greger: He hates artificial sweeteners, because he doesn't understand the point of sweetening food at all. He thinks people should just eat vegetables beans and berries -- which maybe they should, but that's not realistic, it's both too expensive, and not very enjoyable for most people. People like to add flavoring and sweetness, and artificial sweeteners are the lesser of evils by far. Berries might be better, but who can afford that? People would use sugar instead, and that's worse.

Yes, he seems to be in the search for the healthiest possible diet, disregarding acceptability, practicality and affordability.

But to the point. You're drinking a lot of coke: why?
Try to stick to water, or artificially sweetened tea instead.

I find that it really helps me, and this could be a placebo, to concentrate. I often drink coke when studying because of that. Tea doesn't have the same effect. I also find it might help me to not over-eat. I often get very snacky and have trouble stopping myself. Just drinking a soft drink seems to at least partly get rid of the urge to eat.

I would love if there was an alternative that did the same thing for me, but if there is I haven't found it.

[brimstoneSalad]

I find that it really helps me, and this could be a placebo, to concentrate. I often drink coke when studying because of that. Tea doesn't have the same effect.

Caffeine. Tea is much lower in it. Try coffee?
Although, bear in mind it has drawbacks at more than a couple cups a day.

I also find it might help me to not over-eat. I often get very snacky and have trouble stopping myself. Just drinking a soft drink seems to at least partly get rid of the urge to eat.

Have you tried chewing sugar free gum?

[Cirion Spellbinder]

Have you tried chewing sugar free gum?

Why sugar free? I imagine it would have to do with calories or dental hygiene?

[brimstoneSalad]

Have you tried chewing sugar free gum?

Why sugar free? I imagine it would have to do with calories or dental hygiene?

Both.
Never put anything with a significant amount of carbs or acid in it in your mouth after (or immediately before) brushing, and be sure to brush after every meal.
Sugar free gum may also be useful to keeping teeth clean after a meal if you can't brush (although no substitution for brushing if you can). However, be wary of fruity varieties, which may use acids to flavor them and can kind of defeat the purpose. Read the ingredients.