Should I Avoid Aspartame?
10 Reasons to Avoid Aspartame At All Costs :
- monkfruit
- allulose
- stevia leaves
Aspartame has been linked to behavioral and cognitive problems including learning problems, headache, seizure, migraines, irritable moods, anxiety, depression, and insomnia, wrote the researchers of a 2017 study in Nutritional Neuroscience.
The new study was done on rats over their entire lifetime, unlike past studies that ended earlier. The acceptable daily intake of aspartame is 50 mg/kg of body weight per day; this new study suggests that this number may be too high and should be more in the area of 20 mg/kg of body weight.
You may try sweetening foods and beverages with:
- monkfruit
- allulose
- stevia leaves
The FDA also sets an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for each sweetener, which is the maximum amount considered safe to consume each day during a person’s lifetime. The FDA has set the ADI for aspartame at 50 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg; 1 kg=2.2 lb) of body weight per day.
When was aspartame approved?
After initial approval in 1981 for a limited number of food categories, aspartame was authorized as a general-purpose sweetener for foods and beverages in 1996. The FDA states, “Aspartame is one of the most exhaustively studied substances in the human food supply, with more than 100 studies supporting its safety.
However, people with a rare hereditary disease known as phenylketonuria (PKU) have a difficult time metabolizing phenylalanine, a component of aspartame, and should control their intake of phenylalanine from all sources, including aspartame.”. Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives. Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives.
How much aspartame should I take daily?
The EFSA ruled aspartame safe for human consumption and set an acceptable daily intake or ADI of aspartame at 40 milligrams (mg) per kilogram (kg) of body weight. The EFSA’s ADI for aspartame is 10 mg lower than the amount the FDA consider safe.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved aspartame for use in food and drink back in 1981. Agencies in Europe, Canada, and many other countries also approve its use. Furthermore, the following authorities endorse it: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
Aspartame contains 4 calories per gram (g), similar to sugar. It is, however, around 200 times sweeter than sugar. This means that only a tiny amount of aspartame is necessary to sweeten foods and drinks. For this reason, people often use it in weight-loss diets.
Effects on appetite. Share on Pinterest. Studies suggest that sweeteners may increase appetite. One way aspartame and other nonnutritive sweeteners may affect body weight is by increasing people’s appetite, which may lead to a higher food consumption.
Despite its extensive use and popularity, aspartame has become a source of controversy in recent years with several studies claiming the sweetener has adverse side effects. In this article, we look at the most recent evidence on the safety of aspartame. We also investigate how it might affect weight, appetite, and certain medical conditions.
Aspartame is a widely used, low-calorie, artificial sweetener and one of the most popular sugar substitutes in low-calorie food and drinks, including diet sodas. It is also a component of some medications. Aspartame is available in the United States under the brand names Nutrasweet and Equal. Despite its extensive use and popularity, aspartame has …
World Health Organization. United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. American Heart Association. American Dietetic Association. In 2013, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) conducted a review of hundreds of studies looking into the effects of aspartame.
When did aspartame come out?
When aspartame first came on the market in soft drinks in the early 1980’s , the FDA received a lot of complaints about side effects and reactions to it. Stomach cramps were a common complaint, especially in the first year the diet products hit the shelves.
There have been several reports of joint pain and inflammation after consuming aspartame. It’s believed that many people are allergic to it–your body tries to protect itself from the chemical compounds found in the sweetener, resulting in an allergic reaction. Your soft tissues can become inflamed, causing pain and discomfort.
Tinnitus is a debilitating ringing the ears and has also been a commonly reported issue by people who consume diet soda . The hearing loss associated with cases of tinnitus can be permanent.
Though artificial sweeteners are a common alternative for those with diabetes, there ’s enough controversy around aspartame that it may not be a good idea to consume it if you’re diabetic. Some studies suggest that aspartame might decrease insulin sensitivity. And a study done by the American Diabetes Association raises concerns that diabetics who eat meals with aspartame before exercise may see a drop in glucose levels.
If you’re pro ne to joint pain and inflammation, avoid aspartame. According to research compiled from Arizona State University, 551 patients who consumed moderate to large amounts of aspartame experienced systematic joint pain so severe that they required analgesics.
Aspartame is made up of phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol. The methan ol is claimed to be potentially toxic to your retina and optic nerve, causing several forms of eye issues.
Like chocolate, red wine, cheese and other common food and drinks, the Mayo Clinic identifies aspartame as a potential trigger for migraines. Similar to caffeine and alcohol, it might not take much aspartame to cause regular headaches and migraines, and many doctors recommend cutting out diet food and drinks because of this reason.
Who approves aspartame?
It’s gained approval from the following: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. World Health Organization.
According to the American Cancer Society, aspartame is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar. So only a very small amount is needed to give food and beverages a sweet flavor. The acceptable daily intake (ADI) recommendations from the FDA and EFSA are:
The ingredients of aspartame are aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Both are naturally occurring amino acids. Aspartic acid is produced by your body, and phenylalanine is an essential amino acid that you get from food. When your body processes aspartame, part of it is broken down into methanol.
Whenever a product is labeled “sugar-free,” that usually means it has an artificial sweetener in place of sugar. While not all sugar-free products contain aspartame, it’s still one of the most popular sweeteners. It’s widely available in a number of packaged goods.
Aspartame is one of the most popular artificial sweeteners available on the market. In fact, chances are good that you or someone you know has consumed an aspartame-containing diet soda within the past 24 hours. . While the sweetener remains popular, it’s also faced controversy in recent years.
While the sweetener remains popular, it’s also faced controversy in recent years. Many opponents have claimed that aspartame is actually bad for your health. There are also claims about long-term repercussions of aspartame consumption.
Aspartame’s effects on diabetes and weight loss. When it comes to diabetes and weight loss, one of the first steps many people take is to cut empty calories from their diets. This often includes sugar. Aspartame has both pros and cons when considering diabetes and obesity.