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Considering that high blood pressure runs in my family, not to mention cholesterol issues, I've gone on a quest to find out about sugar. As much as our bodies crave it, it can be quite bad for us. And if you buy those substitutes, for heaven's sake, make sure they are organic. Many use corn as a base and unless it's organic chances are you're getting GMO in your food..ugh!
One very controversial artificial sweetener (that I avoid like the plague) is Aspartame. Below is a link and an excerpt from the page.
It's up to the individual what they choose to put into their bodies, but if you know it's bad, then, well avoid it..common sense!
http://www.deliciousorganic.com/Controversies/sweet.htm#Agave%20Nectar
Aspartame a/k/a NutraSweet a/k/a Equal breaks down to phenylalanine and aspartic acid in our hot bodies and when heated. The methanol in Aspartame converts into formaldehyde in our bodies. Formaldehyde is a poison known to damage the immune and nervous system as well as cause genetic damage. Aspartame breaks down the protective coating surrounding neurons in our brain; this causes a break in the blood-brain barrier which allows toxins to move directly into the bloodstream. Asparatame should never be given to children. People with PKU (phenylketonuria) should never use it either. Almost half of aspartame itself is a toxin, technically an excitotoxin, Aspartate. About 10% of the population has a tendency to MS but never actually have the symptoms, and these people can be pushed into full blown MS with continual usage of products with Aspartame. "Recent studies have also shown that even a single exposure.." can have long-term effects. ('Sweet Misery') Since it is in thousands of products, it's easy to consume a lot of this and over a longer period of time, this constant ingestion will lead to holes in your brain, illness and death. CHEC on Aspartame. Consuming products with Aspartame may lead to:
* birth defects
* brain cancer
* brain damage
* chronic fatigue
* diabetes
* dizziness
* emotional disorders
* Epilepsy
* Graves Disease
* headaches
* inferior short-term memory
* Lou Gehrig's Disease
* lowered intelligence
* lowered sperm count
* migraines
* MS - Multiple Sclerosis
* Parkinson's Disease symptoms
* seizures
Aspartame can also be under the name Neotame, Aspertame (misspelling of Aspartame).
Diet Calendar Entries for 26 January 2008:
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1109 kcal
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Fat: 37.98g | Prot: 90.06g | Carb: 102.49g.
Breakfast: Super Seed Fiber Supplement, Spiru-Tein , water, hemp milk, flax oil. Lunch: goat cheese, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salad, Super Seed, water, psyllium. Dinner: tender chicken, soy sauce, vegetables, stir fry, 2 baked tofu strips. Snacks/Other: apple. more...
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1758 kcal
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Activities & Exercise:
Housework - 30 minutes, Yard Work (gardening) - 10 minutes, Resting - 15 hours and 20 minutes, Sleeping - 8 hours. more...
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 Comments
Hmmm. Interesting. Looks like Aspartame is right up there with corn syrup or HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) pertaining to the negative effects it has on the body.
26 Jan 08 by member: Pking
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I highly recommend Xylitol for your sugar substitute. It is known to fight the bacteria in the mouth that cause decay, too! :)
26 Jan 08 by member: bullytrouble
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maybe a silly question..but is splenda considered aspartame?
26 Jan 08 by member: thinnymcgee
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Splenda ingredients: Maltodextrin, sucralose
26 Jan 08 by member: Janelleas
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BEWARE OF SWEETNER PUSHERS! When you do online researches you will discover that a lot of the sites are sponsored by companies that sell the products. After I read an article on splenda and aspatame, I looked up "stevia" which was the one that seemed to be talked about as being "natural" by one of the websites... but here is what a different source says about these sweetners.. and always look for a website that is medical, mayo clinic or something reputable.. http://www.cspinet.org/nah/4_00/stevia.html
It seems to be the amount we use! how much sweetener are you using? we use a very small amount in our house. And it doesn't take much of most sweeteners. My own thought is... if you are diabetic (like my hubby) these sweeteners are the best choice we have. We would be lost without them (hubby loves sweets). So, it's a decision each person will have to make on their own. Natural sugar is probably the best choice, but we all consume too much of it and manufacturer's put it in everything.
26 Jan 08 by member: Janelleas
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I am careful about the sweets I consume. I have tried many of them and have even eaten Stevia leaves...so sweet. I prefer things not too sweet, too much is a turn off for me, but too little bores my taste buds. I like agave nectar and Z-sweet but use those in moderation, I know that is the key. I'm not diabetic, but I could be, it does plague my family's genes unfortunately. I agree, each of us has to use common sense and learn what our bodies can and can't handle. If I do use sugar, it's the raw cane from the health food stores and I always cut back on it as well. I live on a mesa and we're 5,000 ft. up, so you have to cut back otherwise your baked goods won't come out right. I am slowly 'training' my taste buds to accept less sugar.
26 Jan 08 by member: Selket
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me too! darn I use to be a sugar freak! when hubby got diabetis it changed our lives but.. for the better!
26 Jan 08 by member: Janelleas
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"It's up to the individual what they choose to put into their bodies, but if you know it's bad, then, well avoid it..common sense!"
"Common sense ain't common." - Will Rogers
26 Jan 08 by member: information
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That's a scary site. :-) It's going to make me do more research on Splenda which I know has a high probability of doing damage and which I am consuming far too much of (natural, delicious refined sugar seems like the only alternative to me these days). I have a doctor who says the "natural" argument is a bit weak. Everything is natural, what's the difference if a bee made it or a human. That's kind of catchy and cute but it was also food for thought. (i.e. the bee is more intelligent than we are?).
26 Jan 08 by member: information
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I see I'm not the only one who has sugar issues. I've read that cancer is linked to the high sugar consumption in the world. My hubby just told me about a doctor, Gabriel Cousens from Patagonia, AZ has had success in curing diabetes. Now, he's not inexpensive, but then how do we put a value on human life? I urge everyone to check him out if diabetes is an issue in your life: http://www.treeoflife.nu/
27 Jan 08 by member: Selket
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Agave Nectar is a good alternative to sugar as well. Its low on the glycemic index.
27 Jan 08 by member: Selket
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I use both agave nectar and xylitol. Our local health food store put out a newsletter a couple months ago on artificial sweetners, including splenda. In fact, I think I posted part of the article on fatsecret. The jist of the article is that anything 'man made' or synthetic, has it's problems and that to truly be safe, we should use natural sweetners. That's why I decided to use xylitol and agave nectar. Stevia is a bit too strong and can be over used. Agave nectar is great in coffee. It has the consistancy of honey. Xylitol is great because it measures the same as sugar.
27 Jan 08 by member: miteslur
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I use Z-Sweet along with Z-Sweet, though use the Z-sweet rarely. Maybe in baking on occasion. Below is a link for anyone who wants recipes containing Agave Nectar. There's a lot of them on there.
http://www.volcanicnectar.com/recipes/newindex.html
28 Jan 08 by member: Selket
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Sorry when I said I use Z-Sweet along with Z-Sweet, I mean along with Agave Nectar.
28 Jan 08 by member: Selket
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