Aspartame, Brain Cancer & the FDA Approval Process

Stretch

Stretch

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Feb 16, 2003
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Tags: SCIENCE/HEALTH
The approval of aspartame was the most contested in FDA history. The sweetener was not approved on scientific grounds but because of strong political and financial pressure.
Aspartame was 'discovered' in 1965 by Searle, a Chicago drug company. The FDA finally approved aspartame in 1981, even though scientific research had clearly shown that aspartame caused brain cancer in lab animals.

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See article below on Stevia's sudden adoption by major food corporations.
YouTube - Aspartame, Brain Cancer & the FDA Approval Process









The Stampede is on to Stevia!

Tags: SCIENCE/HEALTH

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Interesting that we had to wait until the end of the Bush administration to get this!
The Cargill challenge: New sweetener
 
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VanIsle

VanIsle

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Nov 12, 2008
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Pretty scary stuff isn't it! It's especially scary to me because I drank diet coke at least twice a day since about 1993 and while we had our own restaurants I probably drank about 10 glasses per day. I have the occassional glass now when we eat out. I'm not a "drinker" and sometimes I want more than water. I still drink cola but I use the "Diet Rite" which is sweetened with splenda. I notice that a lot of people are switching to Diet Rite for their diet pop. There is no doubt that the taste is sweeter and takes a little more getting used to but it also curbs the desire for more than one a day - sometimes 2 but with hours in between (for me at least).
 
Stretch

Stretch

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Beware - Aspartame Has Been Renamed 'AminoSweet'

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In response to growing awareness about the dangers of artificial sweeteners, what does the manufacturer of one of the world's most notable artificial sweeteners do? Why, rename it and begin marketing it as natural, of course. This is precisely the strategy of Ajinomoto, maker of aspartame, which hopes to pull the wool over the eyes of the public with its rebranded version of aspartame, called "AminoSweet".
 
JLM

JLM

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VanIsle said:
Pretty scary stuff isn't it! It's especially scary to me because I drank diet coke at least twice a day since about 1993 and while we had our own restaurants I probably drank about 10 glasses per day. I have the occassional glass now when we eat out. I'm not a "drinker" and sometimes I want more than water. I still drink cola but I use the "Diet Rite" which is sweetened with splenda. I notice that a lot of people are switching to Diet Rite for their diet pop. There is no doubt that the taste is sweeter and takes a little more getting used to but it also curbs the desire for more than one a day - sometimes 2 but with hours in between (for me at least).
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While it might not be a bad idea to reduce the aspartame, I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about it. I think there is a big difference in the statistics (oops, there's that somewhat meaningless term again) between the number of people using aspartame (probably very high) and the number of people getting brain cancer (probably infintesimally low). But of course those manufactured alternatives generally come under the heading of JUNK.
 
VanIsle

VanIsle

Always thinking
Nov 12, 2008
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JLM said:
While it might not be a bad idea to reduce the aspartame, I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about it. I think there is a big difference in the statistics (oops, there's that somewhat meaningless term again) between the number of people using aspartame (probably very high) and the number of people getting brain cancer (probably infintesimally low). But of course those manufactured alternatives generally come under the heading of JUNK.
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Well JLM, my nephew and niece (brother and sister) are doctors. Neither of them will touch anything with Aspertame. Start looking at some of the yogurt products that are the "fat free" versions. You'll notice that they now advertize that they are aspertame free. Most people are very nervous about eating aspertame products. Kind of fits right in there with the plastic scare. I rarely have anything with the aspertame and I don't use a lot of splenda either. I think in the long run, it's better to go without either. I still drink Diet Rite cola but it doesn't have caffeine, sugar, or calories. I really think I'm just buying flavoured, sweetened water but it does the trick at the end of a long day. Today is one of those days and I am sitting here sipping on my D.R. cola.
 
JLM

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
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Vernon, B.C.
VanIsle said:
Well JLM, my nephew and niece (brother and sister) are doctors. Neither of them will touch anything with Aspertame. Start looking at some of the yogurt products that are the "fat free" versions. You'll notice that they now advertize that they are aspertame free. Most people are very nervous about eating aspertame products. Kind of fits right in there with the plastic scare. I rarely have anything with the aspertame and I don't use a lot of splenda either. I think in the long run, it's better to go without either. I still drink Diet Rite cola but it doesn't have caffeine, sugar, or calories. I really think I'm just buying flavoured, sweetened water but it does the trick at the end of a long day. Today is one of those days and I am sitting here sipping on my D.R. cola.
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I just checked the ingredient label on the Sweet & Low and to my surprise no aspertame is listed. Does it go by another name or is it just that it doesn't have it? I used Equal for the longest time (supposedly the best) but they got too greedy for my pocket book.
 
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