I caught a revealing interview on our local morning show the other day. Apparently there was a new study linking artificial sweeteners, as found in diet drinks, to a 61% increase in heart disease and strokes. It was presented 3 weeks ago at the 2011 International Stroke Conference. This young medical doctor said she had no idea that artificial sweeteners were such a problem and proceeded to say that her office staff always had a diet drink in front of them. She went on to dismiss the research by saying she wouldn't think that one would drink more than one a day so it wouldn't become a problem. I believe this sweet young ignorant thing is completely out of touch as to the diets of Australians, Kiwis, Americans and the British. Many diet drink guzzlers drink on average 3 to 4 drinks a day, some drinking as many as 10! With their large market share, Coke Zero and Pepsi Max are the worst offenders in causing this serious health danger.
She would only have to do her own Googling as I have done on artificial sweeteners to find that since 1974 when ASPARTAME was first approved that there has been a groundswell of research and anecdotal evidence linking it to: diabetes, neurological disorders, obesity, appetite dysfunction, fibromyalgia, Parkinson's, chronic fatigue syndrome, brain tumours, birth defects, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, cancer, migraines and now....heart disease & strokes. It is beyond my comprehension how anyone would ever consider consuming this non-food item. At the end of the interview the co-host said, "So the lesson is everything in moderation."
If I hear that comment one more time...I think I'll scream! There are some things that should never be consumed in moderation and I would put high on the list artificial sweeteners, followed by margarine (read my "ticked off" posting on Oct 27th), hydrogenated vegetable oils, homogenised milk and suspect food like soy, enhancers and additives. Those little packets of Equal, Splenda, Sweet'n low and Nutrasweet on restaurant tables are dangerous and should be banned from being in any food or beverage sold for human consumption.
The problem is profits and consumer demand. Many people go on a diet to lose weight and consume diet drinks and foods with this Aspartame in them thinking this is an easy way to keep the pounds off but it is doing the reverse. It is fooling your body by leaving you more hungry and causes more fat to be produced.
The Way I See It....Aspartame is creeping into many other foods besides diet drinks. Items frequently containing this toxin include; breath mints, diet ice creams, diet jams and jellies, flavoured waters, low-cal juices, snack bars, sugar-free candies, baked goods, children's medications, sugar-free chewing gums and now even the energy booster...Berocca. These artificial sweeteners are in approximately 6,000 food products world wide.
I see no need to wait for more scientific documentation to make alternative dietary choices and to not make these foods or soft drinks any part of your nutritional intake.
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