More and more people are hearing about the dangers of sugar and what it can do to your health. So the new trend is (and has been for awhile)
to eat sugar-free foods. These sugar-free and diet foods are just as bad, if not worse for your health than sugar.
There are many kinds of sugar substitutes, one of the most popular being aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet) although there are others. Yes, these
sugar substitutes are approved by the FDA, but that doesn’t mean they are good for you. In fact, 85% of the complaints to the FDA are for adverse reactions to aspartame1. Since getting so many complaints about adverse reactions the FDA compiled a list of possible adverse reactions to aspartame2. These include:
- Eye Problems
- Ringing in the ears
- Neurologic problems (headaches, dizziness,
severe drowsiness, tremors, “pins and needles” feeling - Psychological problems (depression, mood swings,
anxiety attacks, insomnia) - Chest( palpitations, rapid heart rate, shortness
of breath, high blood pressure) - Skin/Allergies (severe itching, hives,
aggravation of allergies) - Aggravation of diabetes symptoms
- Joint Pain
And these are just a few of the listed side effects! Aspartame can also mimic or worsen certain
diseases such as:
- Lupus
- Brain tumors
- Multiple sclerosis
- Epilepsy
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Alzheimer’s
- Mental retardation
- Lymphoma
- Birth defects
- Fibromyalgia
- Diabetes
- Arthritis (including Rheumatoid)
- Chemical Sensitivities
- Attention Deficit Disorder
Aspartame can be found in many products such as breath mints, beverages, supplements, pharmaceuticals, cereals,
infant formula and many more products.
Many people don’t realize they arehaving a reaction to aspartame (or other artificial sweeteners) because it is
generally not an immediate reaction. The aspartame and by products build up in your body until you body can no longer
handle the chemicals and you produce some symptoms. By removing aspartame from your diet, your body can heal and function properly again. If you have been having any of the symptoms listed above, check your diet and try eliminating the aspartame from it.
The process of removing the toxins from your body often takes weeks to months so give it some time.
A good recommendation would be to eliminate artificial sweeteners, but not just go back to sugary foods. A diet abundant
with sugar has its own issues. You can moderate sugary food intake with whole fruits which have fiber to slow the absorption,
and use honey which contains sugar but also has health benefits. Also try substituting sugar with a Stevia, a natural Sugar substitute.
It is important for Consumers to be aware of what is in their foods. “Healthy” or similar statements on the box do not make it Healthy. Companies exist to make money and sell their product and will do what they can to market their product to the consumer.
1.
http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/hidden_dangers.htm
2.
http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/dailys/03/Jan03/012203/02P-0317_emc-000199.txt