For years I hated the taste of diet coke. Then when I became calorie-conscious I started to drink it so that I didn't have to record it in my calorie counter when I was trying to lose weight for my wedding. I also chewed spearmint Trident gum for years and especially when I was training clients. I probably went through about 5 sticks a day because nobody wants a trainer with bad breath ;)
Then I took the holistic nutrition class I just finished and I stopped drinking diet soda and chewing aspartame gum mostly because I was pregnant and didn't want to give my baby any toxins.
Ignorance can harm you. So here's some information on these sweeteners.
Aspartame was created as a pesticide for ants. It was found to be very sweet so it was made it into a sweetener. Aspartame has been shown to be a neurotoxin. It changes brain chemicals, is an endocrine disruptor and can create a hormonal imbalance. Sodas sweetened with aspartame have been shown to significantly contribute to kidney decline (Lin, 2009). Aspartame may turn into methanol in the digestive tract. Aspartame is in more than 100 packaged products and is 200x sweeter than sugar. In order to get a consistent amount of sweetness in each packet, artificial sweeteners add bulking agents such as maltodextrin and dextrose (just as cocaine dealers add baby laxatives). Symptoms of toxicity include headaches, body aches, seizures and migraines. Aspartame is one of the most studied food additives there is and much controversy exists regarding this product. However, the long term effects of regular, small doses is unknown. Aspartame is in Nutrasweet and Sweet 'n Low. And most diet sodas. And most sugar-free gums. And lots of other products.
Sucralose is a disaccharide made from sucrose (table sugar). It is developed from a 5-step process that replaces 3 hydrogen-oxygen molecules with 3 chlorine atoms (US FDA, 1998). As a result, the substance is 600x sweeter than sugar, but since it is an unnatural molecule (just like hydrogenated fats) the body doesn't recognize it or metabolize it as a sugar. So it basically just runs through your body without being absorbed. Because of the addition of the chlorine, sucralose becomes a chlorocarbon which renders it very similar to toxic pesticides, including DDT (Integrated Supplements, 2007). This type of pesticide accumulates in fat cells, creating long-term toxicity. Sucralose can also disrupt blood sugar balance because the brain cannot always distinguish between what's real sugar and what's fake. Sucralose is what's in Splenda.
Now when I go out I drink soda water with lime or a sparkling lemonade to cut the sugar (corn syrup). A client of mine who's a dentist recommended chewing xylitol which is a sugar from fruit (also an alcohol) but it's good for your teeth and is a more natural sweetener.
What this all comes down to is if something is not a natural substance, then our bodies are not equipped to deal with or process it. In medical school the professors tell their students that 50% of what they will learn is wrong. They just don't know which part. Our country needs less science and more tradition in our nutrition. Personally, I'm not a fan of the FDA or our healthcare system. I believe that profit overrides checks and balances regarding our health and nutrition in the U.S. It is up to us to find out what is healthy and what is not. This is why I study holistic nutrition.
Fake is never healthy.
References
Integrated Supplements. (2007). Sucralose Q&A. setting the record straight, part 1. Integrated Supplements Newsletter, Vol 1 Issue 6, June 2007. http://www.integratedsupplements.com
Lin, J and G.C. Curhan. Nurses Health Study, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston: Rich Murray 2009.
United States Food and Drug Administration, Health and Human Services. (1998, April). Food additives permitted for direct addition to food for human consumption; Sucralose. Federal Register. Volume 63, Number 64. http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov
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