BY DONNA WESTFALL
CREDIT TO MERCOLA.COM
A growing number of Americans are worried that aspartame and other artificial sweeteners are unhealthy, despite decades of studies by the Food and Drug Administration and other government agencies having found them to be safe. There is also a debate over how diet drinks might affect metabolism.
Overall soda sales fell 3% in 2013 for the 9th straight year with diet sodas representing nearly one third of soda sales which have been in decline for 3 straight years. 2014 is looking at another year of decline.
75% of Coca-Cola’s global sales volume is from carbonated soft drinks. So far, they have continued to spend money on consistent advertising instead of diversifying their portfolio suggested by analysts.
Caffeinated drinks are taking up some of the slack.
Why is aspartame dangerous?
Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious, including seizures and death. A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as part of aspartame dangers are: migraine headaches, dizziness, tinnitus, nausea, vertigo, numbness, muscle spasms, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, insomnia, anxiety attacks, joint pain and more.
Where did it come from?
It was discovered by accident in 1956 when chemist for G.D. Searle Company, James Schlatter, was testing anti-ulcer drugs. Today, Aspartame is known by such brands names as Nutra Sweet, Equal, Spoonful and Equal Measure.
What is aspartame made of?
Aspartic Acid (40 percent of Aspartame)
Phenylalanine (50 percent of aspartame)
Methanol a.k.a wood alcohol/poison (10 percent of aspartame)
Excessive aspartate or glutamate can “excite” the neural cells to death. That’s why it’s giving diet soda to children is so bad.
The blood brain barrier (BBB), which normally protects the brain from excess glutamate and aspartate as well as toxins, 1) is not fully developed during childhood, 2) does not fully protect all areas of the brain, 3) is damaged by numerous chronic and acute conditions, and 4) allows seepage of excess glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.
The excess glutamate and aspartate slowly begin to destroy neurons.
Back to Methanol
Due to the lack of a couple of key enzymes, humans are many times more sensitive to the toxic effects of methanol than animals. Therefore, tests of aspartame or methanol on animals do not accurately reflect the danger for humans. As pointed out by Dr. Woodrow C. Monte, director of the food science and nutrition laboratory at Arizona State University: “There are no human or mammalian studies to evaluate the possible mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic effects of chronic administration of methyl alcohol.”
He was so concerned about the unresolved safety issues that he filed suit with the FDA requesting a hearing to address these issues. He asked the FDA to:
“…[S]low down on this soft drink issue long enough to answer some of the important questions. It’s not fair that you are leaving the full burden of proof on the few of us who are concerned and have such limited resources. You must remember that you are the American public’s last defense. Once you allow usage (of aspartame) there is literally nothing I or my colleagues can do to reverse the course. Aspartame will then join saccharin, the sulfiting agents, and God knows how many other questionable compounds enjoined to insult the human constitution with governmental approval.”
Shortly thereafter, the Commissioner of the FDA, Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., approved the use of aspartame in carbonated beverage. He then left for a position with G.D. Searle’s public relations firm.
Guess who owns G.D. Searle?
In 1985, Monsanto purchased G.D. Searle and made Searle Pharmaceuticals and The NutraSweet Company separate subsidiaries.
