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Sweeteners, diet pills and fake fat: Dangerous diet aids? Part I - Page 2

© Shelly Morgan

The most recent studies indicate that saccharin is a weak carcinogen in laboratory animals but does not, in moderate use, present an increased cancer risk in humans. Currently, warning labels are required on saccharin-containing foods.

Some current recommendations regarding sweeteners are as follows:

· If you consume more than couple of servings a day, consider cutting back (Center for Science in the Public Interest)

· To be on the safe side, don't give aspartame to infants. Substitute water, milk or juice for diet sodas. ("Safe Food," Michael Jacobson, Ph.D.)

· People with the rare disease PKU (phenylketonuria) should avoid Aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet), entirely.

Are sweetners bad for you? I'm not too sure, but there is still enough doubt about the products to warrant eliminating the use of them all together.

Authorities on the subject are telling you about the negative aspects of sweeteners without actually telling you. Take the hint. If you don't know enough about what health problems sweeteners may cause down the line, the best thing to do is to leave them alone. If you're dieting, consider this; there is little evidence that sweeteners help people lose weight. Since 1980, consumption of artificial sweeteners and rates of obesity have both soared. America is currently the fattest country in the world.

If you still feel sugar is the enemy, try Stevia. It's an herb (a form of fiber) that is 100 times sweeter than sugar. It has been clinically shown to have no adverse side-effects or insulin response, unlike aspartame. You can find it on-line and in health food stores.

Remember - the purpose of a sweetener is to sweeten food without adding calories. A teaspoon of brown sugar contains 10 calories, white contains 15. Is it really worth it?

Sources: FDA Talk Paper (www.fda.gov/bbc/topics/ANSWERS/ANS00772.html), kidshealth.org, www.goaskalice.columbia.edu, www.cfsan.fda.gov

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