Sorry dieters but Aspartame, the artificial sweetener used in just about every diet product from diet soft drinks to sugar free gums, may cause cancer and could soon be banned as a health risk. This is according to a report made by Reuters that said in July it will be classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” for the first time by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization’s (WHO) cancer research arm.
But this board can only make recommendations. It will be up to world government to decide what to do about the legality of Aspartame. Similar findings were made with another artificial sweetener, saccharin, back in the 1970s. But saccharin is still in use to this day.
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And all this is in addition to what has recently been revealed about such artificial sweeteners. Since they are not actually sweet, but trick the brain into thinking you have consumed something sweet, the body releases insulin to absorb whatever was consumed. Once released, the insulin needs something to grab onto so your body causes you to crave carbs and so you end up eating more.
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that is 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is made up of two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine, which are naturally found in foods. Aspartame is sold under the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, and Canderel.
Aspartame is approved for use in over 100 countries, including the United States, Canada, the European Union, and Japan. The FDA has set an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for aspartame of 50 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of body weight per day. This means that a 150-pound person could safely consume up to 1500 mg of aspartame per day.
There has already been some controversy about the safety of aspartame in the past. Some studies have linked it to health problems such as cancer, headaches, and seizures. However, these studies have been criticized for being flawed. The FDA has concluded that aspartame is safe for most people when consumed in moderation.
People with phenylketonuria (PKU) should not consume aspartame. PKU is a rare inherited disorder that prevents the body from breaking down phenylalanine. Consuming aspartame can lead to high levels of phenylalanine in the blood, which can cause serious health problems.
Yes, Aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener, which can help you reduce your calorie intake and it does not cause tooth decay. So it is great for use in all sorts of products like gum.
Aspartame is also heat stable, so it can be used in cooking and baking.
But we all must now decide if aspartame I worth the risks.