Aspartame                                                                             Back to Healthful Hints

Aspartame is a widely used sugar substitute.  It is 200 times sweeter than sugar; hence much smaller amounts of aspartame are needed to sweeten the taste of foods.  This artificial sweetener can be found in most diet foods including soft drinks, yogurts, tea beverages, wine coolers, frozen desserts, sugar free chewing gum, juice beverages, etc.

 

Aspartame consists of three components: the amino acid phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol (wood alcohol).  Aspartame must be avoided by people with phenylketonuria (PKU) since they lack the proper enzymes to convert phenylalanine into tyrosine.  Without this conversion phenylalanine accumulates in the body and in high concentrations can cause brain damage.  In addition, phenylalanine in high levels in people with kidney disease or iron deficiency leads to an increased risk of toxicity. 

 

Methanol is known to be poisonous even in small amounts.  A toxic level of methanol leads to blindness, brain swelling, inflammation of the pancreas, and inflammation of the heart muscle.  The possible side effects of consuming aspartame includes: headaches, mood swings, changes in vision, nausea and diarrhea, sleep disorders, memory loss, confusion, and convulsions. 

 

Aspartame can be especially dangerous to children.  The prudent patient will read the labels on all foods they consume and eliminate aspartame from their diet.

 

 

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BENHAM  CHIROPRACTIC

 

CHIROPRACTIC * ACUPUNCTURE * APPLIED  KINESIOLOGY

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